You can visit a stunning replica of a 12th-century watchtower in the San Juan Islands

Washington has its fair share of wild and wacky things including a real stone tower replica of a Russian watchtower from the 12th century. Normally this sort of tower would have graced the Caucasus region but instead, it sits on top of Orcas Island’s Mount Constitution. And yes, you can visit it.

The watchtower is one of many amazing projects completed by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the 1930s. In addition to the watchtower, the CCC also constructed the road and bridges that lead all the way up to the summit of Mount Constitution which is located within Moran State Park. Now you might be wondering why they built the tower at this exact location. They built it on the mountain because it happens to be the highest point in the San Juan Islands. Makes sense!

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From the top of the tower, visitors can see a 360-degree view of the Puget Sound, Mount Baker, the North Cascades, and the other islands of the San Juan Archipelago. The combo of the tower’s handiwork and the resulting view make visiting it a must if you’re planning on heading to Moran State Park. Not to mention you can explore the park’s 5000+ acres which include a lake, tons of hiking trails, and beaches.

You can visit the park year-round but the road to Mount Constitution does close during heavy snowfall. Luckily it won’t be snowing anytime soon so get out there and check out this crazy cool part of Washington. You can learn more about the watchtower and the park by clicking here.