Two Towers, One Mission
The Monterey Chapter of the Forest Fire Lookout Association supports two iconic towers in the Los Padres National Forest: Chews Ridge and Cone Peak. Each lookout is a unique piece of California fire history—and each plays an important role in keeping watch over some of the most rugged, wildfire-prone terrain in the state.
Chews Ridge Tower
An active, volunteer-staffed tower watching over the Ventana backcountry.
Perched at roughly 5,043 feet in the Monterey Ranger District, Chews Ridge Lookout provides a wide, strategic view into the Ventana Wilderness and surrounding ridgelines. Restored and returned to service by volunteers in 2019, Chews Ridge is once again staffed during fire season—bringing back that critical “first eyes on smoke” capability where minutes matter.
Cone Peak Tower
A historic summit station with unmatched sea-to-sky views.
Cone Peak Lookout sits near the top of Cone Peak at about 5,155 feet, one of the most dramatic viewpoints on the Big Sur coast. The site is accessible only by hiking (via routes that connect to the Cone Peak Trail), and while the lookout is no longer staffed as an active fire tower, it remains a powerful reminder of the region’s lookout legacy—built for vigilance in steep, remote terrain.