Cement Ridge Fire Lookout Tower

Cement Ridge Fire Lookout Tower is a really neat place to visit. The turnoff to the tower is just down the road from Roughlock Falls in Spearfish Canyon. The tower itself is actually in the Black Hills of Wyoming. We have lived in the hills for over 30 years and I did not realize how close Wyoming was to Spearfish Canyon, nor did I ever visit this fire tower before. The drive to the tower was on a beautiful dirt road where we saw some old cabins (private property). The road turnoff to the tower itself was lined with summer flowers - the most flowers I have seen in the Black Hills. The road to the tower was pretty good this time of year. I would not want to be in a low riding vehicle though, and if you are concerned about your car, you can park close to the end and walk the rest of the way, but I was in a jeep and had no problem. People also in mini vans made it to the top.

Once on top you can go in the bottom of the tower and they have some information about the tower and the surrounding area hikes. The tower itself (occupied) is off limits for now due to the virus. The views on the top are amazing and take your breath away. There are two picnic areas on top, and I highly recommend bringing a lunch and having a picnic in the skies. There is also a vault toilet on site. This side trip is definitely worth it if you are visiting the Spearfish Canyon area.

How to get there - Once you are on Roughlock Falls Rd just turn west onto Tinton Rd and the turnoff to the tower is just a little short ways from there. There are 2 more turnoffs to get to the tower and they are well marked.