Worcester County High Point Trip Report

Date: January 15, 2002
Author: Michael Schwartz

one area on county line 1 mile northeast of St. Lukes (59-63 ft)

From the US 13 Salisbury bypass go southeast on St. Lukes Road, cross into Worcester County at 2 3/4 miles, and turn left (north) onto Coulbourne Mill Road at 3.7 miles. Go north 0.5 mile to mailbox #3265. The area on the county line is a little more than 1/2 mile due east. I drove up the long driveway and got permission to hike from the owner, "Bob." He invited me to drive past the house onto the field road that leads east along a cornfield. Take this as far as the woods edge. Walk the continuation into the woods and soon take two consecutive left forks. The road goes over or very close to the low knob. I also investigated approaching this area from the east, and could have gotten permission, but the route crosses a deep ditch, which the landowner to the east said was deep and muddy.

two areas 1 mile west of Longridge (59-63 ft)

For these two areas, drive back to the St. Lukes/Coulbourne Mill junction, and continue south another 0.4 mile to a left (east) onto the eastern continuation of St. Lukes Road. Go about 1/4 mile to a decent gravel road, blocked by a cable, that heads south toward the low piney ridge visible to the south. The roadside is posted, but the road is not. I walked the road about 1/8 mile south to a T-junction with another gravel road, crossed that road and bushwhacked into the woods, quickly reaching a low crest with a surprisingly obvious drop-off to the south. I then bushwhacked east to a low knob, dropped off a few feet, crossed a north-south field road, and reached a second knob at the edge of a sand pit. Use the field roads for an easier return to St. Lukes Road.

two areas 3/4 mile southwest of Furnace on Snow Hill 7.5 minute quadrangle (60-64 ft)

Take Old Furnace Road west from MD 12. This junction is 6.4 miles south of the Wicomico/Worcester County line and five miles south of the MD 12/St. Lukes Road junction. Go 1.1 miles west on Old Furnace to a left (south) onto Millville Road. At the junction is the Nature Conservancy owned site of the historic Nassawango Iron Furnace. Go south on Millville 0.9 mile and turn right (west) on Sand Road. After 0.4 mile reach the offset junction with the track roads shown on the topo. The track road heads northwest and passes the posted driveway to house #3719. Pass through a timbered area (about to be developed?) with state lands boundary signs visible to the right. The road eventually enters state land and begins to climb. Take a signed woods road to the right and use it and a bit of bushwhacking to reach the eastern knob. Backtrack to the main road, walk uphill until the land to the left of the road is clearly higher, then bushwhack south to highest ground.

one area 1/2 mile north of Taylor Gate Church on Snow Hill 7.5 minute quadrangle (60-64 ft)

I used Roy Wallen's write-up for the approach, tried a different hiking route, and sort of stumbled onto the true highpoint. From the junction of MD 12/MD 354, go north 2.0 miles on MD 354; bear left at 2.0 miles onto Forrest Lane Road, signed for Taylor Gate AME Church; go north on Forrest Lane Road another 2.3 miles to the triangle junction with Voting House Road. Park here and look for an obscure woods road, marked by cables, leading southeast into the woods from the junction. Hike the woods road until it reaches a distinct crest, with highest ground a short distance to the right. There is a large tree across the road just past the crest. But how to know this is the highest ground in this area of low relief and thick woods? Roy had parked about 0.2 mile south of the triangle and bushwhacked due east from there through messy woods and briars. He crossed a woods road, probably the one that leads to the crest, and Lobdellized the area. Being lazy, I found a woods path leading south from a point 0.2 mile east of the triangle, due north of the highpoint. I followed this path through bad briars, but it went somewhat east of south. I eventually headed northwest, having gone too far south, and actually passed the highpoint, surprised at finding unexpected high ground. When I reached the triangle, I walked east to my car, and decided to walk south from there again, this time heading due south and leaving the path. This bushwhack soon led to higher ground, and eventually led to the true high ground as described above, just off the woods road that I had already walked to the triangle. This area is in the right place and has significant relief above the surrounding area. No further Lobdellizing required.