Dawes County High Point Trip Report
Pine Ridge
Date: June 16, 2001
Author: John Mitchler
This is a fairly hilly ridge with an open pine tree forest in the great cattle country of the northern Panhandle
of Nebraska. The HP is just off a county road and, unfortunately, requires a 20 mile approach drive on
gravel roads.
Direction: From the intersection of US20 and NE71 in Crawford, zero the odometer and head south on
NE71. At mile 9.3, turn right (west) on rough gravel road on West Belmont Road. Pass Deadman Creek
Road at mile 12.3 but stay left (south) on W. Belmont. At mile 14.5 pass Diehl Road on the left but stay
right (west) on W. Belmont. Look for 3 squat radio towers across the valley to the northwest. At mile 17,
watch for an unmarked gravel road on the right (north) near mailboxes for Mansfield and Hart. Take this
road for 0.8 miles and park at the radio towers. The HP is the hill farther out in the cow pasture with the
telephone pole on it. The hill along the road is not higher per hand leveling. The hill to the south along the
road is not the HP either per leveling. The hill one-quarter mile to the east looks high but is not the HP per
hand leveling.
We left this HP and headed south as follows. Zero the odometer at the intersection of the unmarked radio
tower road and W. Belmont Road, and drive east on W. Belmont Road. At mile 2.1 at the intersection of
West Belmont Road and Diehl Road (east of the HP), go south on Diehl Road which is a nicer gravel road
than the rock strewn W. Belmont. At mile 7.9 go east on River Road. Go 12.5 miles to NE71 and enjoy the
conversion from gravel to pavement. At mile 20.4 come to the intersection of NE71 and NE2. To reach the
HP from the south, reverse these directions.
Mitchler Rating: C+ (one area determined, trivial gain, lots of gravel road with only average views)