Delta County Highpoint Trip Report

Date: May 6, 2004
Author: Daniel Smith

All of the CoHP areas for this county are in or near the lonely town of Pecan Gap. I was expecting this to be a difficult county. However, it was one of the most enjoyable to date! The potential points below are described from west to east, the order in which I visited them.

Area #1 (liner): I stopped at the house across from Fannindel Elementary School, which is just west of the turn onto Crawford Road. No one was home, though I could see the HP in a field behind the house and near a stock tank. As the actual summit of this hill is in Fannin County, a bit of gridding is needed to make sure that you hit the important spots.

Area #2: Go north on Crawford Road for a very short distance to a forced right onto Miller Road. The first house on the left (not the house off the corner) is the best place to stop. Again, no one was home. Two cars were parked by the house, and just behind them was a low barbed-wire fence which is easy to cross if the landowners are there to grant permission. There is an electric fence a few paces further and just before a line of 4 cars. After carefully crossing this, aim uphill toward a brush pile and an old stable. From this point, if you look northwest, you will see a slight uphill grade that eventually tops out near a fallen down and burned building. This area is fairly prominent and is a good candidate for the actual HP. You can also access Area # 1, which is southwest of the stable just past the stock tank. There are no fences separating #1 and #2.

Area #3: The dashed road on the topo leading north from Miller Road is known as Pilgrim Rest Road. The first house on the left side of this road is not on the map. However, it contains the 3rd (small) HP candidate. No one was home here either, but the hill rises in an unfenced side yard behind (west) and north of the house. This area doesn't seem as high as #2 or #1.

Area #4: Return to Miller Road and continue east down a slight bit and back up to cross First Street. Keep going to a T-intersection with Second Street and turn left (north). You are already within the high contour. There are two houses with potential areas: a white one (on the map) and a blue mobile home (not on map). The white house has some candidate ground in a fenced side yard and behind it, though I believe that the actual HP of this contour is in between it an the blue residence. I finally had some luck and found a very kind woman living in the blue house. Though only renting the property, she allowed me access into a V-shaped area between the houses which showed a noticeable rise even compared to the ground surrounding the white house. There was a great view to the north of the "Bottomlands", as the locals call the valley that drops off just north of Pecan Gap. I went back and talked with her for quite a while, showing her the map and explaining how she might be living on the highest point in Delta county!

Area #5: Go south to the main street (64) and come to a Y-intersection with 64 continuing to the right and 128 breaking off to the left; take a left past a county services station which looks directly east toward the #6 area. Go a short distance on 128 until you come to a nondescript turn-off on the right side of the road just before a sign that reads "<-- County Road 3560". This dirt road allows access to a large field which houses areas 5 & 6. Walk along a tree/fence line that circles a small lake. Area #5 is most definitely a man-made result of house-building, ditch-digging or both. There is a significant amount of twisted and blackened metal near the rise.

Area #6: From #5, continue along the tree/fence line just on the edge of a crop field, eventually leaving the lake behind you. The row of trees abruptly turns away leaving you with a straight-shot across the field toward the HP contour. Walking directly toward the line of trees that you see in front of you, there will be a house far in the distance to your left. Cross the field up to a high candidate area (northwest-pointing bulge in the contour) about 50 paces from where the trees seem to end. Then, walk roughly east along the trees to where they turn south near a tall, rusted piece of unused machinery. Measure about 140 paces south following the trees to another crest (east-pointing bulge) of the HP contour. The tree cover is very dense. However, it is possible to break through and visit the southwest-angled bulge as well. This area is just over 1/2 mile from the road.

Just a final thought. Even though the highpointing was a lot of fun, the best part of the day was getting to talk to a resident who really appreciated someone stopping by. It was a great time in Delta County!