Monroe County High Point Trip Report
nineteen areas (1,400+ ft)
Date: May 26, 2003
Author: Bob Schwab
two areas in section 24-3N-3W including BM Switzer (1,407 ft)
From the intersection of Route 148 and Route 7 in Powhatan Point, go south on Route 7 for 0.25 mile to
Powhatan Hill Road. Turn right and ascend 3.4 miles up this steep road that turns into German Hill Road on
top of the ridge. At 3.4 miles, watch for a fork in the road and take the left fork (TWP 210).
Continue south on TWP 210 for 0.15 mile to a second fork and bear left onto TWP 211 (dirt). As you round the hill,
note a driveway and house on your left (#52114), just as the woods opens to pasture on your right.
Park here along the road, just west of the house, and hike up the hill to your right (east). Stay on the wooded side
of the fence all the way to the top, where I found a witness sign but no BM. The high ground appears to be
right along the fence (area 1). The open field and the second area to the south (area 2) are both lower.
The grass was exceedingly wet when I visited and I was thoroughly soaked when I returned to my van.
two areas in section 4-4N-4W (1,400+ ft)
Return to German Hill Road (CR 25) and follow it west another 3.25 miles to where it intersects Route 556.
Turn left on Route 556 and go east 0.25 mile to TWP 198. Turn south on TWP 198 and stop at a pipeline
marker just 0.15 mile down the road. Park along the road and enter the field to your right. Jump the gate at
the pipeline and hike south to the highpoint in the grass (area 3) near the edge of the road. Continue south
another 0.15 mile to a house on your right (#50733) that sits on a knoll (area 4). Mr. Fred Smith lives here
and was quite friendly. He has a lovely view of the surrounding countryside that is well worth seeing.
According to the topo map, his house sits on a 1400 foot contour, but I noticed that his lawn was a bit lower
than the bank and field across the street. He admits he bulldozed several feet off the top to flatten the site
for his house several years ago and I think maybe he has lowered the site just enough to now be below the
1400 foot contour. He has a number of stories about the mining activity and history of the region, and his
family has lived in this area for well over 150 years.
By the way, this site (area 4) was not originally listed in
Andy's book. Thus I'm reporting on 19 areas for this county instead of the 18 identified in the County
Highpoints book.
two areas in section 23/24-4N-4W including BM 1416 and spot elevation 1410
From the intersection of CR 25 (German Hill Road) and Route 556, drive west on Route 556 for 4.75 miles
to CR 38. Turn left and go south on CR 38 (Headley Ridge Road) 0.2 mile to a low house on your left.
Ask for permission to park in their yard and hike north up the grassy hill to the blue water tank and locust
trees at the top (area 5). I found three Ohio BMs in the ivy under the locust trees. The view is quite
impressive, even in the rain and clouds. Continue south on CR 38 for another 0.7 mile to a hill and tower on
your right. Drive up the access road to visit spot elevation 1410 (area 6). Hand level checks in both
directions confirm that area 5 is much higher than area 6.
one area in section 26-2N-3W (1,400+ ft)
From Hannibal, drive north on Route 7 for 2.25 miles. Turn left on TWP 418 (just south of the blinking
yellow lights) and climb 1.2 miles up the ridge to a junction with CR 43 (Long Ridge Road). Turn left on
CR 43 and go 0.9 mile west to TWP 419. Turn left on TWP 419 and drive 0.3 mile just past the Mt. Union
cemetery. Park here on the grass next to a drive that goes off to the left, and hike up the grassy hill and
through the trees and brush to the highest contour (area 7). You can also continue down the road to the
south side of the hill and ask at the farmhouse (Dennis?) for permission to approach from the south. In this
case, you will need to skirt the garden and cross the grassy field before getting into the trees. If the folks are
home, the southern route would be preferable, but I had to use the northern approach.
two areas - including BM Goodwin 1406 in section 36-1N-3W (1,400+ ft)
Return to CR 43 and continue going southwest 1.7 miles to Route 536. Turn right on Route 536 and go
west for 0.6 mile to a fork, with CR 43 going off to the south. Stay on Route 536 as it stays to the north of
a high ridge and in about 0.25 mile watch for a barn on the left and a farm house on the right. Stop and ask
for permission to park here and visit the highpoint. Park on the north side of the road, next to the metal
gate. Cross the street and hike east up the steep hill behind the barn to the summit (area 8) where you'll find
some strange water pipes and even a water meter! The highest ground appears to be right along the
fence/snow-fence that separates the pasture from the woods to the south. I found BM Goodwin 1406 near a
tree with a survey ribbon and I stood the witness sign back up next to the fence.
Return east 0.25 mile on Route 536 to the fork in the road and go south 0.7 mile on Long Ridge Road (CR 43).
Watch for a driveway on your left just as the road swings right (posted). Ask at the house for
permission to explore the narrow wooded ridge (area 9) which is immediately south of the road here.
The best access is from the driveway.
five areas in sections 5/6-2N-4W (1,400+ ft)
Continue going southwest on Long Ridge Road (CR 43) another 0.5 mile. After passing St. John's Church
and cemetery on your right, watch for a large grey house on the left (east). Ask here for permission to hike
east along the wooded ridge to yet another modest contour (area 10). There isn't any place to park here
other than in the yard.
Continue going southwest on CR 43 another 0.35 mile to TWP 439 on your right. Turn right and
immediately find a parking place. A short hike northwest into the field (tall grass) will get you to the top of
this contour (area 11). Continue west about 0.2 mile along the grassy ridge as it descends, then ascends to
the western contour (area 12) where there are nice views. From here you can drop down to the road (TWP 439)
and walk back to your vehicle. Note that there isn't any place to park along this scenic, but narrow dirt road,
thus it's a good idea to leave your vehicle back near the intersection.
Before you get back into your vehicle, notice that another contour exists (area 13) in the back yard of a
large old white house just across the street (southeast) from TWP 439. Either walk over, or drive over to
ask for permission to do a quick inspection of the lawn behind their house.
Just a bit further down the road (0.1 mile), note the white house on your right. Ask here for permission to
park and walk southwest up the power line right-of-way behind the house to another modest contour (area 14).
In the event that no one is home, stay parked back at the intersection with TWP 439, walk down the road
past the house, and then bushwhack west directly up the short but steep slope to the top.
three areas in section 11-2N-4W (1,400+ ft)
Continue south on CR 43 0.2 mile to the intersection with Route 255. Turn right on Route 255 and first
drive west, then north 1.3 miles to a lane going right, just before you get to the Morton Ridge Church and cemetery.
Park here on the grass at the edge of the cemetery and cross the fence to your south. Hike up a
grassy power line right-of-way to the top (area 15). This area is posted "No Hunting" only.
Drive south on Route 255 0.4 mile to TWP 486 (Goddard) on your right. Follow this dirt road south for
0.25 mile to the Mt. Moriah Cemetery and park in the lone parking spot on the right. Hike up to the top
(area 16) which has several gravestones dating to the 1850s.
Continue driving south on TWP 486 for another 0.2 mile. You will pass a wooded rise on your right and
come down a bit to a turnaround area on your left where you also can park. Park here, and hike north, back
up the road a short distance to a driveway coming down the hill on your left (west). Note the old wrecked
white building part way up the drive. Hike up the driveway, past the old building to where the road bends
west and flattens out. Watch for an easy opening into the woods on your right. Enter the woods here and
follow this gentle ridge east to the highpoint (area 17).
one area in section 16-2N-4W (1,400+ ft)
Continue south on TWP 486 for another 0.6 mile to an intersection with a good paved road coming in from
the left and continuing straight ahead. Cross the intersection and continue driving southwest on CR 10 for
0.25 mile to where the road bends to the right. Note the driveway on the left to a nice house. You can see
the open knoll (area 18) in the grass to the west of the house. If no one is home to grant permission to visit,
continue on the paved road another 0.1 mile or so to where the road bends left and find a place to park
along the road. Hike southeast through the grassy field to the highpoint.
one area north of Dairy in section 23-2N-4W (1,400+ ft)
Continue heading west on the paved road (CR 10) for roughly another 2 miles to the tiny settlement of Dairy
(the blue building on your right is the old dairy). Continue north on CR 10 for an additional 0.2 mile to a
farm on the right with panoramic views of the countryside. Stop here and ask Mr. Grossenbacher for
permission to visit the prominent hill to the north. He is a very nice man and we had a good discussion
about many things. Once permission is granted, continue up the road about 0.2 mile and park off to the right.
Cross the fence and hike up this steep hill through pasture land to the top (area 19). This is another
one of my favorite Ohio summits and when you see the views I think you'll agree.
In summary, many of Monroe County's summits are pretty flat and unimpressive. A handful have really
great views, and I'm quite sure the highest spot is area 5, where BM 1416 is located. When you visit all the
1,400+ foot contours in this county, you must ascend at least 780 vertical feet on your own power! Visiting
all 19 sites was a good educational experience about this corner of Ohio, and I encourage future visitors to
do likewise. You'll meet some great people, see some interesting scenery, get some exercise and be mentally
stimulated and refreshed as well.