Saint Johns County Highpoint Trip Report

one large and three small areas (65+ ft)

Date: May 4, 2004
Author: Chip Clark

From Atlantic Beach, FL (due east of Jacksonville) proceed south on A1A to Mickler Landing, and take a right on Mickler Road. Proceed to the end, and take a left onto Palm Valley Road. As you start to ascend the bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway, zero your odometer. At about 4.7 miles, pull over near a gate on the right side of the road posted by the Dee Dot Timber Company. The first two points are down the dirt road behind the gate.

Though the gate was posted, I could see a car parked a few hundred yards down the road, so I went to see if I could get permission from the owner. Where the dirt road ends are two houses and a large horse "barn." There I met Pat Murphy and her dog Cassie. She said I was welcome to walk around all I wished. She also said they are moving as a road is being installed through the area, which could make future access easier. The area is thin forest, with a mix of 20+ foot pines, palmettos, and southern high-bush blueberry. Elevations are subtle, and some walking is required. I thought the highest point in the first area was near the house, and got a GPS reading of 69 feet.

For the second area, I proceeded by GPS west-northwest. I shortly came to a point near an old fence post, at or around WGS84/NAD83 (30° 6' 6.9" N, 81° 26' 58.4" W), and got a 66 foot elevation.

I returned to the gate near the road and since I was still inside the gate, I followed a dirt road just inside the fence along Palm Valley Road southwest to the third point, scaring up small lizards and a snake along the way. At the proper GPS coordinate, I wandered around to hit the area. This had been plowed and planted with pines at some point, and the underbrush was low and thick.

For the fourth, and much larger area, field conditions have changed. Most of the area is now occupied by the "Walden Chase" development. I pulled into the development by driving 0.10 mile southwest, turning left, then a quick right, and parking at the sales office. The boggy area on the topo is now a manmade lake, surrounded by new homes. I wandered extensively, and felt one of the best candidates was a lone mossy tree on a slight rise in someone's front yard at WGS84/NAD83 (30° 5' 29" N, 81° 26' 45.5" W).

To get to the rest of the area, return to Palm Valley Road (odometer 4.7), and take a left. Take a left at about 5.6 miles onto Old Dixie Highway, then a left at 6.6 miles onto Ray Road. Proceed 0.3 mile to the end, and park on the shoulder near the gated entrance to the Quail Ridge Farm development. I followed the sidewalk into the community. There appears to be less earth-moving here than in Walden Chase, and I'm guessing the high point of this area (and the county) is somewhere in this neighborhood. My favorite for HP was a low grassy knoll at WGS84/NAD83 (30° 5' 14.5" N, 81° 26' 52.1" W) but again, walking about is required.