Leon County High Point Trip Report

Date: October 31, 2001
Author: Bill Jacobs

Leon County is located 100 miles north of Houston and has two areas in contention for the highest point. There are two hills almost two miles due west of Flynn with the westernmost mound indicating a contour line 10 feet higher than the easternmost mound. However, the westernmost has apparently undergone some man-made alterations to a degree that the easternmost may have taken over the title as the highest point in the county. For now, both points should be explored.

From the intersection of H7 and I-45, Centerville, Texas, proceed west for 8.5 miles to Robbins. Turn left (south) onto FR39 and continue 7.5 miles to Flynn, then right on FR977 for 1.8 miles. To the left are a rusted metal gate and a vacation cabin located part way up the hill. I spoke with a neighbor and was told the owner uses the cabin only on weekends and during hunting season and saw no problem with me hiking the hill. He mentioned someone once planned to build a home at the top and had done some preliminary work, grading and electrical lines, which may explain the alterations to the landscape I found at the top.

Climb over the rusted metal gate and follow the dirt road straight ahead to its crest then turn right and ascend a poorly excavated road to the top. Although the hill rises in near conical shape, it is totally flat and devoid of all vegetation at the top, leading one to suspect human intervention. It measures approximately 100 feet across and forms a near-perfect circle. Based on the neighbor's comment of preliminary home site preparations and the unnatural flatness of the terrain, in contrast to the more pointed top depicted on the topo, I would judge 10 to 20 feet of the highpoint have been removed.

Access to the other hill in contention for the highpoint is relatively easy. Descend back to the first dirt road and instead of turning left to the main road proceed straight ahead across a grass field and then ascend the hill in front of you. This hill has a more rounded top suggesting the former hill had previously the same shape.

I plan someday to return with an altimeter to confirm the relative difference in height between these two hills.