Athens County High Point Trip Report
sixteen areas (1,060+ ft)
Date: May 23, 2003
Author: Bob Schwab
two areas (including spot elevation 1072) southeast of East Clayton (1,060+ ft)
Start at the intersection of US 33 and Ohio Route 278 in Nelsonville. Drive southwest on Route 278 for
just over 2 miles to the tiny hamlet of East Clayton. Watch for a yellow trailer behind a chain link fence on
your right (west) with a white mailbox #714. There is a grey trailer just behind it where I found a lady who
allowed me to park out along the road. There is a wide place on the right side of the highway that can
accommodate several cars just south of the yellow trailer. Cross the street and crash into the brush. Head
to the south side of the ravine where you'll pick up an old track that was extremely muddy and steep.
Follow this to the top of the ridge, where you'll intersect another trail (better condition) that seems to run
north-south. There is a plastic bag tied to a small tree to help you spot the obscure trail that you've just
ascended, for when you leave. Go left and the trail will soon bend more to the east. Shortly, you will crest a
ridge and find area 1 next to the trail. For the second area, return to the trail junction with the plastic bag.
Go south on the path as it ascends into a partially open area. You may lose the trail here, but continue south
and descend into the woods. Whether you pick up a trail or not, you'll cross a power line right-of-way (the
old railroad grade) that has been cleared from the east. Once you get to the right-of-way, follow it west to
where it crests the ridge and enter the woods again to your south. You'll pick up an old trail here that joins
a much better ATV trail that will take you to the trail junction marked at the spot elevation 1072 site (area 2).
I think the highest spot is a little farther south into the woods/brush, on what was the old track (now overgrown).
The hiking conditions I encountered were miserable due to frequent showers and abundant mud.
Pick a dry day to do these two areas.
four areas in section 3-10N-14W (1,060+ ft)
From the junction of US 33 and Ohio 550, drive north on Route 550 for 3 miles to Keirns Road. Turn left
on Keirns Road and drive north 1 mile to a sharp turn to the right where a pipeline crosses the road.
Park here (posted to the left) and hike up the pipeline to the right (east). You'll encounter a strong fence that
blocks the route across the field, but you can enter the woods on your right to get around it (there's no fence
in the woods). Continue up to the grassy highpoint (area 3) next to the pipeline which has a nice view.
Return to your vehicle and backtrack south about 0.15 mile and park along the edge of the road near the curve.
Hike up the wooded ridge to your south to the high spot (area 4) which seems to be partly open on
the northern end.
Return to your vehicle and continue north on Keirns Road (another 0.8 mile north from the pipeline
crossing) to an intersection with a paved road (McDougall). Turn right and almost immediately find Wesley
Road going left. Park here in this wide intersection. Walk just a few feet north on Wesley Road and enter
the woods to your right. Follow this gentle rise to its northern end, where the high ground for area 5 can be found.
Return to your vehicle and walk west on McDougall Road just a few hundred feet. Enter the woods here,
cross the fence and visit area 6, which straddles a pasture and wooded area. There is a path/drive that
approaches this area from Keirns Road, roughly across the street from a house.
three areas in section 4-10N-14W (1,060+ ft)
Return to your vehicle and drive north on Wesley Road for 0.65 mile to a brown cabin and barn on the left,
near where the road bends sharply to the right. I talked at length with the owner here. He granted
permission for me to visit area 7, which is the obvious grassy hill to the north of his cabin and barn. There is
a great view from the top of the countryside off to the west, and another pipeline comes very close to
crossing directly over the top of it. The owner was a bit disappointed to learn that his hill probably wasn't
(in my opinion) the highest in the county and talked about "building it up" with a few more dump truck loads
of dirt. Future visitors may want to check to see whether he really does try to "make a higher mountain" out
of his hill.
Continue on Wesley Road as it goes east for another 0.5 mile to a small pull off (trashy) at a crest in the road.
You are at the contour that represents area 8. The highest spot seems to be just south of the road,
next to the fence at the edge of a pasture. From here, you have a clear view south across the pasture to a
small rise about 600 feet south that represents area 9. A hand level check will quickly confirm that area 9 is
lower than area 8 (where you are standing). Only purists need hop the fence and hike out to inspect area 9,
which has a few trees and brush on it. Based on relative GPS readings and my estimates of the land rise
above the drawn contour lines, area 8 seems to be the highest of the three areas in this section.
three areas in sections 34/35-6N-13W (1060+ ft)
Continue east on Wesley Road to the intersection with Lafollette Road. Go north on Lafollette Road for 0.5
mile to an obvious rise and park along the edge of the road. Go up the bank to your left (west) and work
your way through the briars (you can cross the fence here) to a flattish open spot (area 10). The highpoint is
quite close to the fence.
Continue north on Lafollette Road to an intersection with Howard Road (this will be a sharp right turn). Go
right and follow this dirt road for 0.9 mile to an old abandoned house. Park here and walk through the gate
to the south into a grassy area. Gain the ridge, and hike directly south. The ridge will go up and down over
two crests and snakes back and forth a bit before you ascend to the highpoint, but the route is mostly open
grass with trees and brush in places. It is roughly 0.6 mile (one-way) to the highpoint (area 11) from the
abandoned house. Be prepared to check yourself thoroughly for ticks after this hike.
Return to your vehicle and drive back to the intersection of Lafollette Road and Howard Road.
Continue north on Lafollette just a short distance to an intersection with Swett Hollow Road. Turn right on Swett
Hollow and descend down to the Ford farm on your left. Ask here for permission to hike up the pipeline
right-of-way through the pasture just east of their farm buildings. You'll have to cross a couple of fences
and ascend a moderately steep hill to visit the highpoint (area 12) which is very close to where the pipeline
crests the ridge.
four areas in sections 23/29-6N-13W (1,060+ ft)
Continue east about 2 miles on Swett Hollow Road to where it intersects with Hooper Ridge Road (paved).
Turn right and drive south just a short distance. Watch for a driveway on your right that goes to a home
(mailbox # 16751). The highpoint of this area (# 13) is behind the cabin near a tall pole. You can also climb
the steep bank from the road (near area 14) to this location if no one is at home to grant permission to cross
the yard. Return to Hooper Ridge Road and go south a short distance further to a lane of sorts that goes off
into the woods on your left. Pull in here. You'll discover that the tiny area shown on the topo map (area
14) no longer exists. It has been bulldozed away when the owners of this property decided to flatten out this
area and put in this road/path.
Turn around and go north on Hooper Ridge Road about 0.3 mile. After passing the Swett Hollow Road
intersection, watch for a farm and house on your left where the ridge opens up with lots of grassy vistas.
This is the property of Mr. Linscott, who owns the two contours northwest of his home. On the day I
visited, Mr. Linscott was out mowing his field. When I explained what I was doing, he said "follow me,"
and wheeled around his mower and mowed a path directly up the steep hill to the top of the eastern contour
(area 15). I've never had anyone make me a path to the summit before. The view is quite impressive from
the top, and my GPS readings were the highest I'd obtained all day. I continued north past the summit,
crossed the fence into a wooded area, and picked up a path that runs roughly west, paralleling the fence to
the western highpoint, which seems to be near a tree that the path circles at its end (area 16). It was not
possible to do a hand level check of the two contours, but relative GPS readings were very close for both summits.
Given the amount of rise I sensed above where the contour lines seem to be drawn (about 15 feet),
these spots may indeed be the highest in the county. Mr. Linscott told me that his wife had always said that
they owned the county highpoint and I wasn't about to disagree.
Minimum total ascent (by foot) for all 16 areas = 1,130+ vertical feet.