Ashland County High Point Trip Report
Date: March 23, 2002
Author: Bob Schwab
one area 5/8 mile south of Widowville (1,400+ ft)
From the intersection of US 30 and Route 511, drive south on 511 for roughly 3.6 miles to the crest in the road.
A nice brick house (# 2220) on the west side of the road appears to sit on the highest spot of area 1,
which parallels the road. No one was home when I visited, but the view from their yard (while knocking on
the door) is nice.
three areas in the Memorial Shrine Forest Preserve (1,400+ ft)
From the town of Butler, drive east on Route 97 for 5.9 miles to the Memorial Shrine Forest Preserve.
You will pass the county line at 5.1 miles, and at 5.6 miles, note the dirt road going off to the south. At 5.9
miles, you will find a gated dirt road going off to the north. Park here and hike north just a short distance to
an intersection with a new radio tower. To your right in the woods is a low rise which represents the
northern contour (area 2).
From the intersection where the new radio tower is located, hike southwest on a path which seems to
parallel the highway for about 0.2 mile. The path will split near a gas well, but stay to the left and it will
curve gently west as it ascends the edge of the middle contour (area 3), whose highpoint is in the woods to
the south.
To visit the fourth area, you can return to the intersection that was noted to be 5.6 miles east of Butler.
Go south on this road to its crest. Look along the edge of the woods for BM Pine. The southern contour area
is to the northeast of this benchmark under the deep pines. While it is impossible to do hand level checks in
these woods, the middle contour (area 3) seems to be higher than the others. If you continue east on Route
97 just a short distance, you will come to the Memorial Shrine and some nice picnic grounds.