Nickel Features
Fisher Tower ranks high among the phantasmagorical formations of Utah’s Canyonlands.

Always the same, these towers always look different depending on the play of light. Their grandeur has proved a major draw for hikers, climbers and filmmakers for decades (see related story on filmmaking in Moab in this issue). And, these magnificent sentinels are easy to visit.

From Colorado, exit I-70 at Cisco. Stay on the paved, but unimproved road as it passes through the “town” of Cisco. Turn left at the T-intersection onto Utah Scenic Byway 128, known more informally as the River Road.

The River Road will lead down to the Colorado River and the heart of Canyonlands. Once past historic Dewey Bridge, the canyon narrows. Just as the canyon opens again is one of the great scenic vistas of the American West. It features Fisher Tower with a foreground of the Colorado River and backdrop of the high peaks of the La Sal mountain range. Stop and take a picture.
For an up-close view of the tower, proceed down the river road. The dirt-road access to the tower is clearly marked near mile marker 21. It’s about two miles to a small four-spot campground and trailhead  parking lot.

If looking to camp, be forewarned that the small campground fills early. It also has been known to host a party or two in its day.

Campground facilities include a vault toilet, fire grills and picnic tables. Bring your own drinking water.

The campground affords close-up views of the tower and wonderful vistas of the Onion Creek area, the Colorado River, Castle Valley and the Book Cliffs.

For an ever changing view of the tower, the 2.2-mile hike is well worth the time.
This hike is moderate with a total elevation climb of only 670 feet. The high point of the hike is 5,300 feet. As with any hike, how long it takes is up to the hiker. Always proceed at a comfortable pace and be careful with the footing. Most hikers can enjoy a leisurely pace and finish in three to four hours.

The trail itself meanders first down and across a dry wash, then back to the tower where it follows the lower reaches of the towers, crossing a succession of small drainages before gaining a ridge line. The trail follows the ridge to the end where views of Onion Creek come in to play.
All along the hike are crazy formations, the product of nature’s artistic erosional talents. Take note, for it is the unusual formations along the trail that are as enjoyable as the ever-changing views of the Tower.

There is no water on the trail and it catches the afternoon sun. Blistering heat can be expected in summer. Take and drink plenty of water.

The tallest of the towers is aptly named The Titan. At 900 feet it has enjoyed a reputation among rock climbers as a favorite destination since its first ascent in 1962. The climbing on the towers has become ever more popular as climbing gear and techniques have advanced to make scaling the loose rock safer.

Fisher Tower is composed of the Organ Rock Tongue of the Cutler geologic formation capped by rock of the Moenkopi formation. The tower is an isolated remnant of a 225 million-year-old floodplain deposit from the Uncompahgre plateau in Western Colorado.

When the Colorado Plateau was uplifted, salt deposits underlying the region buckled, warped and collapsed. Erosion has done the rest to create the valleys, rock formations and cliff faces.
Movie buffs will be interested to know that 27 movies have used Fisher Tower as a setting. The first, Wagon Master, was filmed in 1949. The most recent was Nurse Betty in 1999. For more on movies made in the Moab area, see the related story in this issue of Our Backyard.