An Artistic View of Indiana’s Last Lookout Tower | Painting Hickory Ridge Fire Tower

 A View Worth Climbing For

Steel Horizon
Painting by Wander Seeker | Inspired by Hickory Ridge Fire Tower in 2025   

    Earlier this month I took a trip to the Charles C. Deam Wilderness in southern Indiana. I'd heard of an incredible Fire Tower that stood there in the forest, and despite having a minor fear of heights, I was determined to climb to the top.

    Hickory Ridge Fire Tower in Bloomington, Indiana was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1936 and was used for fire detection until the 1970s. At 110 feet tall, it remains the last fire-tower standing in the Hoosier National Forest. It was placed on the National Historic Lookout Register in 1990.

    Inside its 7x7" cab perched high above the forest canopy, I was both terrified and in awe. The view stretched past treetops as far as the eye could see, outstretching toward Lake Monroe. I took a reference photo of the tower’s interior so I could create a painting of the scene. 

    My goal with 'Steel Horizon' was to translate both the rusted structure and feeling solitude into the artwork. I used acrylic paint in only primary colors (red, yellow blue), black, and white. I then mixed every shade by hand on the palette, trying my best to match the tones from the real tower. I also tried to capture the rusted rivets, peeling paint, the angle of the horizon seen through the steel window frames. 

   

    If you want to experience the climb for yourself and get a real feel for the adventure that inspired this painting, I filmed the entire trip in 4K.

    I live in a Vrbo full time which lets me live close to incredible locations like Hickory Ridge. Staying in a Vrbo can be more affordable and homey compared to staying at a hotel and makes it easy to find unique stays near nature, historic sites, and hidden gems across the country. Using my link helps support the channel at no extra cost to you.