Joanna Tower Road

This 2/10 gravel road - FS 423B climbs steadily to the Joanna Bald Lookout Tower on Teyahalee Bald and offers occasional openings with mountain views along the route. Keep a sharp eye out for the mysterious old stone building on the right shortly after you begin the drive—an interesting historical stop worth a quick look. Once at the top of the bald, you can carefully climb the first flight of stairs on the 1952 steel Forestry Service lookout tower for a bird’s-eye view of the surrounding landscape; the original wooden tower from the 1930s was replaced by this structure, which remained in active use for wildfire detection until around 2002. Seasonal closures can affect access to this tower, so plan ahead and check with the Forestry Service for its status.