Vigo County Highpoint Trip Report
Date: February 3, 2002
Author: Bob Schwab
two areas in strip mine on Sanford Hill [section 1-10N-9W] (680+ ft)
From the intersection of Interstate 70 and US 41 (Exit 7) in Terre Haute, drive south on US 41 for 6.2 miles
to the intersection with Harlan Drive. Turn left and drive east on Harlan for 1.3 miles to the board-bordered
entrance to Camp Wabashi. Drive all the way in to the main camp and park near a building next to a pond.
A gated road continues along the western edge of a steep hill. On the day I visited, no one was around and
the gate was open, so I followed this road and discovered that it makes a 180 degree turn and ascends the
ridge to the top, passing cabins that have been built along the way. When the road levels out, loops to the
left and starts to descend you have reached area 1. There is a cabin off to the east, but the highest spot
appears to be right where the road bends north, away from the access for the cabin. Continue on the road
(which is really more of a pedestrian path) as it descends a bit and then intersects with a path.
This intersecting path connects to some stairs on the left that descend down the steep slope back to the main
camp building, and passes a bathroom facility on the right. Turn right (east) and hike a short distance up the
hill to a cabin named "Antioch." Walk around behind "Antioch" cabin and find the highpoint of area 2 near
an iron clothes line. I thought this eastern spot was higher than area 1. You can descend down the path that
leads to the stairs to get back to your vehicle.
one small area in field [section 20-10N-8W] (670+ ft)
From the Camp Wabashi entrance, turn right and continue east on Harlan Drive for 2.15 miles to Singhurst
Street (3.45 miles east of US 41). Turn right, and go south on Singhurst (61st Street) for 3 miles until the
road angles to the southeast. You are now out in open fields on a gravel road. Park where the road angles
to the left and hike south into the field. You will discover as I did, that this ground has been graded as a
result of a new railroad line that has recently been built just south of this site. Apparently they took the
excess topsoil and re-contoured this field. When I go to the correct "spot" where area 3 is indicated on my
topo map, roughly 0.1 mile due south of the bend in the road, at (39° 18.083' N, 87° 19.482' W), it clearly
isn't the highest ground anymore. The land slopes to the east and south where the deep railroad cut has been constructed.
The highest-appearing ground is now on the edge of this field quite a bit southwest of the
original highpoint (39° 18.046' N, 87° 19.546' W). The field has been tiled and a berm has been
constructed around the eastern edge. This new "high spot" is higher than the original area by several feet.
I walked down the road to where the tracks cross and checked both the north and south sides of the railroad
"cut" with my hand level. I found that the northern bank is higher than the southern bank. If you wander
around out in this field long enough, you will be satisfied that you've visited this site, but unfortunately,
it now appears that all three highpoints in this county have been disturbed by man.