Liberty County High Point Trip Report
Date: November 11-14, 1999
Author: Fred Lobdell
There are 4 possibilities for the HP of Liberty County. Three of these lie on the
Rock Bluff quadrangle, and the fourth is on the Bristol quad. The three southern
ones are in a state wildlife management area, and are thus on public land.
Ownership of the northernmost area is unknown.
From the intersection of Florida rtes. 12 and 20 in the village of Bristol, go north,
then northeast on 12 for about 7 miles to a height of land. Park here.
(This point is about a half mile northeast of the intersection with county 1641.)
Walk into the woods on the left (north) side of the road and bushwhack gently downhill
at first, then uphill to the crest of the southernmost area of 290 feet elevation.
This is a moderately well defined hill, though slopes are gentle.
The wildlife management area is posted against "dogs, guns, and trapping devices"
without a permit, but nothing is said about walking or hiking.
The next two areas, also in the management area, are best accessed by driving southwest
on FL 12 for the half mile to the intersection with county 1641, then turning right
(north) on 1641. Go about 0.8 miles to where a pipeline crosses the road; this is
marked by a cleared swath of forest, perhaps 100 feet wide. There's a rough road that
goes up the pipeline, but I parked on the shoulder of the paved road
and walked up the pipeline.
It is exactly as shown on the topographic map: as you walk east, you will drop down into a
little low area, climb over a small rise, drop into another dip, then climb to the ridge
that is one of the HPs. Although the 290-foot contour is shown as going into the woods
on both sides of the pipeline, it drops off to the north.
Walk the ridge south into the woods, though it's not much higher, if at all, than over
the pipeline. However, a walk of a few hundred feet will bring you to a berm that runs
due east-west, and that is obviously manmade. It ran in both directions as far as I could see,
and I concluded that it could only be the section line, and probably marked the boundary
between two property owners when the area was privately owned.
As the third area showed as being right on the section line,
I followed the berm west through the woods.
It is not immediately apparent where the third area is;
the topo shows a small area of 290 feet elevation on the section line.
However, as it is manmade, I think we needn't worry about it.
The fourth area is reached by continuing north on county 1641 for about
2.5 miles to where county 270 goes off to the right (north). So should you.
Park about 0.2 miles up 270. The high area will be on your left (west).
The map (1982 edition; revised in 1976) shows this as an open area,
but it's covered by 30-foot tall pines. (They grow fast in Florida!)
Walk into the woods; the high area appeared to be to the southwest from where the car was parked.