Wesser Bald Lookout

Wesser Bald is significant in the revitalizing of the Appalachian Trail when first ever thru-hiker Earl Shaffer spent the night in the tower during his 1948 epic journey. In awe of his quest, the tower watchman radioed ahead to lookouts further north on the trail and word eventually spread into trail towns and into the media. Becoming overgrown and forgotten during a post-World Ward II slump, the AT gained national popularity after word of Shaffer’s hike got out from the Wesser Bald lookout.

Status: Standing Lookout
Elevation: 4,627 feet
Prominence: 747 feet
State: North Carolina
County: Macon
AT Access: Trail goes by tower

In 1934, a USGS survey party notes recorded that their station benchmark was in the center of the new lookout tower built in 1934. They specifically said not to confuse it with the old lookout tower torn down after the new one was built. So there was a prior structure as well. The lookout tower was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, it was a 30 foot tower with live-in cab on top.

In 1979, the cab was destroyed by arson.

In the early 1990s, the USFS fixed up the structure with an observation deck for hikers providing 360-degree mountain views of the Nantahala National Forest and the Great Smoky Mountains.