Walker County High Point Trip Report

Lockhart Hill and two other areas (820+ ft)

Date: September 29, 2003
Author: Bill Jacobs

Area One. From Natural Bridge, head south on H13. High point is up the left embankment immediately after crossing Winston/Walker County line.

Area Two. Do not have a convenient routing between first and second area (a few miles to the south) - was forced to take a circuitous route due to a bridge outage. Find a way to east/west road directly south of area two. A trail is shown leading north from the road to a false summit then continuing north to the true summit. The trail is nearly impassable after coming to a water storage facility. Rather, drive easterly along main east/west road for approximately100 yards and park in a small field after getting permission from owner who lives a few houses to the east. (The locals are upset with poachers and wary of strangers. By the time I had gotten back to my car the field owner had received two warning calls and was checking out my car. He was very friendly, believing my story and judging me to be of upstanding character [fooled 'em again], unlike a reception I once got in Texas, "I know a liar when I see one".) From the field, travel north up a road to where it "Ts" and then turn left to the ridge line. Follow ridge north along a thickly overgrown road to high area. There's ongoing excavation 100 feet west of highpoint - indicating the possibility of a more convenient route to the highpoint.

Area Three. On H102, just east of Fayette/Walker County line, turn south on an unsigned Frozen Hollow Road for 1.0 mile. Turn left (east) on Lockhart Hill Road for 3.4 miles. Stay on the main road (it's not that obvious) and do not turn onto any open-gated side roads. At 3.4 miles climb up the hill to the east/northeast keeping track of your route to maintain orientation for the return. I found a biodegradable orange streamer placed there by person(s) unknown and became alarmed that they had missed the highpoint, another third of a mile north. Follow ridge line via a primitive road up to a stand of young pine trees. To my relief there was another biodegradable orange streamer but it was in the wrong place. I put a biodegradable blue plastic oil can in the correct place another two feet north. On the road was a crushed snake with a characteristic diamond head of a venomous snake. It had a diamond back color scheme but a pointed tail. Was it a Copperhead or a Rattlesnake without a rattle?