Rutherford County High Point Trip Report
Dates: January 21, May 13, and July 23, 2001
Author: Ken Oeser
There are so many areas (15) that this will be a general report. A topo and compass are recommended for
attempts at some of these. The actual highest point was hit on January 21 or May 13. The last area hit (on a
separate ridge) is very small and has maybe 1 foot of gain in the contour, since I couldn't detect anything
significantly higher on the ridge.
January 21: For the southern 9 areas, follow Highway 64 north from Interstate 24 to its crest after about 6 miles.
Turn left at the crest onto Burks Hollow Road, go about 0.5 mile and turn left uphill onto a gravel road.
Follow this up past a house to the first cemetery on the right. The first area is on the right just before
this cemetery, and the second, large area is just past this on the right, and definitely has some gain within the contour.
A small, lower area is just north of this one. Drive west to another small cemetery on the right, on
another small, low highpoint area. A larger area is on the left in a field, and can be walked. This is higher
than the cemetery and the other small area just southeast. Another area can be reached by hiking northwest,
crossing a ravine. There are goats and a large dog at the end of the road, so this is the best route.
Drive south to a road split and park. One area is just over the fence ahead, and another is a few hundred feet to
the south along a gated road. The highest of these seem to be the two largest areas.
May 13: For the northwest 5 areas, return to and drive north on Burks Hollow Road to Big Springs Road.
Turn left and drive about 1.5 miles to a driveway on the left. We knocked and gained permission to drive up
Jacob Hollow to its end at a gate and hike. From the final, locked gate we crossed the fence and hiked to
the head of the hollow, then due east uphill through a Cedar thicket, crossed another fence, and attained the
ridge. We hiked south to the location of Harrold Cemetery, marked only by a large tree and some non-
native flowering plants in abundance. We followed deer trails south along the ridge and found a dirt road
just before the next two areas, which are in a field with cows. From here we hiked northeast down a farm
road to a saddle and then up to the next highpoint area. We returned to the previous hill, then followed a
farm road south to the last point, near some old farm equipment. We returned the way we came. The large
area with Harrold Cemetery seemed the highest (by gain in contour) of these five.
July 23: The last area hit was the lone spot on the separate ridge. We parked at the Highway 64/Burks
Hollow Road and hiked to the split at the county line, then followed a dirt road on the right to the highpoint.
The highest area, although pretty flat, seems to be at the left edge of a fallen tree, about 10-15 feet left of the
dirt road. The brush is pretty high here, so the entire area was walked before determining the likely highest area.
This spot doesn't seem to be high enough (gain within contour) to be the highest in the county.