Morgan County High Point Trip Report
seven areas (1,160+ ft)
Date: May 24, 2003
Author: Bob Schwab
one area with BM Ringgold (1,168 ft)
From the intersection of Ohio Routes 13 and 78 just north of Glouster, drive northeast on Route 78 for 9
miles to a road that ascends a steep hill to your right (south). This road is easy to miss (it looks more like a
driveway) and if you miss it, you'll end up in Ringgold, which is 0.85 mile northeast of the turnoff. Drive up
the steep hill to a very nice home near the top on your right (west) and ask the owner for permission to visit
BM Ringgold (1168 ft). The owner was very friendly and escorted me to the site, which is high on a
grassy ridge south of the radio tower that is behind his house. He even took along a shovel to uncover the
BM, which is buried about 1 foot below the soil line. There are two reference marks to the south and east
which are above ground.
one area east of Porterville (1,160+ ft)
From the intersection of Ohio Routes 555 and 37 just east of Portersville, drive east on Route 37 for about
0.9 mile to an obvious wooded knob to the south with a black water tank on the top. Drive up the access
road and if the gate is open (as it was when I visited) you will find the high spot just northeast of the tank
inside the fence.
four areas west of Triadelphia (1,160+ ft)
From the previous area, continue east on Route 37 for 0.75 mile to Bankes Road (CR 24). Turn left and
drive north on Bankes Road for another 2.4 miles to a large grey house to your left. Just past the northern
loop drive of the grey house, watch for a drive off to the right that enters the woods. Drive all the way up
this road to a brown cabin/house at the top. No one was home when I visited, so I didn't spend a lot of time
looking around for BM Deerfield (1161 ft). The top is relatively flat and open, with the highest spot
somewhat south of the house/cabin.
After returning to Bankes Road (CR 24), continue north a short distance to an intersection with CR 3.
Turn left and head west, passing a steep wooded ridge to your south. Turn left (south) at the first driveway you
find after passing the ridge. This is the Nelson Farm, where I met both Mrs. Nelson and her son. They were
quite friendly and granted permission for me to visit both sites along their ridge. Go south from the farm
and approach the ridge from the west, where it isn't quite as steep and the brush has been kept under control
(be careful, the electric fence is ALIVE!). Soon after you gain the ridge, you'll find the western area tops
out near an obvious V-shaped tree. Continue east on the ridge to the second area which is flatter and less prominent.
My relative GPS readings lead me to believe that this ridge is a bit higher than nearby BM Deerfield.
From the Nelson's driveway, continue west on CR 3 about 0.5 mile to Stoneburner Road. Go north on
Stoneburner Road for about 0.35 mile and park near some old oil tanks on the left side of the road.
Enter the woods directly behind the oil tanks and ascend the knob to the highpoint,
which is just beyond a rotten log (no view).
one area (1,160+ ft)
From the intersection of Ohio Routes 555 and 669, drive east on Route 669 only about 0.3 mile and watch
for a white barn on the left (north). Park in the yard here (there is no closer place to park along the
highway) and hike east along Route 669, passing an old garage and a ruined house to an obvious grassy
(starting to be brushy) knoll on the south side of the road. Someone has kept a 50-foot swath of the hill
mowed along the edge of the road, which makes for easy access to the top.
In my opinion, the highest area in the county is BM Ringgold. NGS data sheets indicate the marker is set at
1,168 feet and the mark was buried 1 foot under the soil. No other area appeared to ascend 8-9 feet above
the contour lines. Several of these sites are scenic and most of them are not that hard to visit, so I
encourage future visitors to check them all out.