Fayette County High Point Trip Report

five areas - three on Ford Mtn and two in county's northeast corner (800+ ft)

Date: September 29, 2003
Author: Bill Jacobs

For Ford Mtn, go north out of Fayette on H43/H171 to H102, about 6 miles. Turn right onto H102 for 2.3 miles. Turn left on CR23 for 2.0 miles to mailbox numbered 9050. Owners of Ford Mountain reside in a house to the right where also is the road leading to the mountaintop. With permission, I drove to within 100 feet of the highpoints. Recent logging has cleared out most of hilltop. Southeast and middle areas are now clear-cut. Northwest area requires heavy duty bushwhacking.

For remaining two areas, follow H102 from the intersection of H102/CR53 (near Ford Mtn) for 6.7 miles to Fowler's Crossing. Turn left on H13 for 3.2 miles. Turn right on CR66 zeroing out your odometer. At 3.9 miles, mailbox 2148 - across the street from a road junction - is the home of Billy Gene Stovall, property owner of the two high areas. He allows access but a courtesy call is appreciated. At 4.1 miles is Gabe's Auto Sales and a house partially buried underground. At 4.3 miles, on the other side of the road, is an old white metal storage/warehouse facility. There's an assortment of seasoned vehicles in the yard including a truck on its last legs with a sign, Glass Doctor, We Fix Panes.

Behind this complex is an open meadow with a road on the left side. Follow the road, working your way out of the meadow to the hills on the left through a maze of logging roads. A precise travelogue would be difficult. Recommend using a GPS with preset positions. A primitive road links the two high points. Searchers will find a biodegradable orange streamer tied to tree limbs by person(s) unknown precisely over highest points in each area.

An alternative route is to take the path I chose another 0.1 mile down CR66 (4.4 miles along CR66). Park here and head up the rutted road. You can be assured of getting in some excellent bushwhacking experience flailing through some of Alabama's more cantankerous undergrowth before breaking out into the clear-logged areas, assuming you are able to keep your orientation. It will add another hour to your travels and leave your arms a bloody mess. Such are the joys of pioneer high pointing.