Red Oak Fire Lookout

$100.00/night

932 North Fork Cherry River Road
Richwood, WV 26261

Notice

The Monongahela National Forest has two major road construction projects scheduled for 2026. Recreation and transportation access impacts are projected. These projects are necessary to repair significant flood damage and restore safe access to key areas of the forest.

Two major repair projects are scheduled for 2026:

• Forest Road (FR) 76 Embankment Stabilization Project—Cranberry Area. This closure will affect the section of Forest Road 76 between the intersection with County Route 7/6 and the Woodbine area. No through traffic will be permitted during construction. Forest Visitors may access the recreation sites along the Cranberry River via Webster County Road 48 near Dyer, WV to Forest Road 101, to open portions of Forest Road 76.

• Forest Road (FR) 86 Base Repair and Resurfacing Project—Williams River Area. Forest Road 86 provides access to the Williams River corridor, one of the Forest’s most popular recreation destinations and is used as a connector route to Marlinton for the communities of Dyer, Donaldson, Upperglade and Cowen. This project will repair road base failures and resurface the entire 18.4-mile length of FR 86, improving safety and long-term durability.

Complete through traffic on FR 86 will not be allowed during the construction period.

• Work will occur in seven separate sections to limit disruptions.

• Each section will be closed while construction operations are underway.

• Sections may close more than once depending on construction sequencing.

Visitors are asked to respect all posted closures and avoid attempting to bypass the affected area. Updates will be shared on the Monongahela National Forest website and social media as new information becomes available.

Aug 4, 2026 – Dec 1, 2026

Estimated location

No source publishes exact coordinates for Red Oak Fire Lookout. Its map marker is estimated from the surrounding area and can be miles from the actual site — don't navigate to it. Its official page may have the detail needed to find it on the ground.

Overview

Red Oak Fire Lookout is approximately 12 miles south of Cowen, West Virginia. It sits at an elevation of 3,704 feet. Guests enjoy the area for its magnificent views, wildlife viewing and historic background. The original Red Oak Fire Tower in Webster County was erected using Civilian Conservation Corps labor in 1934. It was a wooden framed structure with a wooden cab. In 1964 it was replaced by the current metal structure, which was an improved design of the time period. Like all of the fire towers on Forest, it was retired by the late 1970s. The tower still stands and is in good condition and is now used as a recreational opportunity.

Recreation

The site is an ideal location for birdwatching, hunting, gravel bike riding, and stargazing. Other activities that require a short driver are hiking and biking trails and fishing.

Facilities

The tower cab has lights and an electric outlet. There is a vault toilet onsite. The campsite has a 50 and 30 amp service for RVs. There are picnic tables, a combination fire ring/grill, and lantern post at the site.

Natural Features

The site is located in a portion of the Forest with active management. Timber activities provide wildlife with a diverse habitat. The Cranberry and Williams Rivers are nearby, providing fishing opportunities for both native and stocked trout.

Nearby Attractions

The towns of Cowen and Richwood have basic supplies and restaurants. The Cranberry Mountain Nature Center, located 20 miles from the site, has educational displays, nature programs, and a gift shop.

Camp site features

Across 1 camp site:

Electric hookups: all 1 sites
Largest party: 12 people
Power up to 50 amps

Fees

Fee is $100.00 per night and reservations must be made at Recreation.gov

Directions

Approximately 12 miles from Cowen and 15 miles from Richwood, WV. From Cowen, go east on State Route 46 to Forest Road 101. Follow Forest Road 101 5 miles to the site. From Richwood travel east on State Route 39/55 to Forest Road 76, travel for 6 miles north to Forest Road 81. Follow Forest Road 81 for 6 miles to Forest Road 101. Take a right onto Forest Road 101 until reaching intersection of Forest Road 101 and Forest Road 82. Take Forest Road 82 to the site.

Stay Limit

Check in from 3 PM, check out by 11 AM.

Reviews

4 reviews

5 stars

3 stars

Douglas B

Loop:Lookout

Site:

Reviewed a month ago

Just as expected it was wonderful. The weather was great, the stars were bright and I got some good photos. A magical place for sure. The cab was clean and comforable. Thanks to everbody that worked on this.

Raina C

Loop:Lookout

Site:

Reviewed 2 months ago

It was amazing! The tower was so clean and sturdy, the views were amazing. The fire ring and surrounding area was maintained super well. Will be booking again next year!!

Jennifer W

Loop:Lookout

Site:

Reviewed 2 months ago

This was a wonderful experience after we got over the hurdles of getting in. The first locked gate to access the fire tower is fairly heavy, was helpful to have two people to lift it. The major issue though was the lock on the access hatch. The placement of the lock is very challenging to maneuver and took two of us, scraped knuckles and shear luck to get it open. However, once we could get in the space was clean, cozy and great views. Having windows that open plus a fan made it so comfortable all night. The vault toilet at the bottom of the fire tower was also so clean. Was great for two of us but would be a lot of fun with folks camping on the ground too. Highly recommend and hopefully the access hatch lock will be changed to make it a little easier going forward!

Jonathan S

Loop:Lookout

Site:

Reviewed 2 months ago

I'll start with this, If you're afraid of heights, or can't do 8 stories worth of stairs, this isn't for you, otherwise it's incredible. The views are amazing, the stars are amazing, the tower is clean, bathroom is clean, and the road is just fine. A tree fell across the road while I was there, and the forest service was there very quickly to clear the way. I had full reception with Verizon at the top of the tower. Please take care of this place so we can all enjoy it for a long time. Huge props to the Forest Service for making this happen.

Availability

See the Camp Sites section below to find detailed booking availability.

Reserve