Macon County High Point Trip Report
sixteen areas (580 ft)
Date: September 30, 2003
Author: Bill Jacobs
Macon has sixteen areas (fourteen in Andy's first edition) for your highpointing enjoyment. On the surface,
the degree of difficulty would appear intimidating with a number of access issues and some potentially long bushwhacks.
But as fate would have it, the obstacles were of minor consequence. Macon took about four
hours to complete. Several counties intersect near the high areas of Macon, as well as Macon's border
taking a few unusual bends. Previewing the county boundaries could avoid some initial confusion.
Areas 1 & 2. From Nostasulga, 6.3 miles north of I-85's exit 38, follow H14 for 0.7 mile to Trammel Mill Road.
Head north. The home on the right near the end of the road belongs to the property managers where
two of the areas are. They have concerns regarding future visitors. Please, contact Kevin Williamson or Bill
Jacobs before planning a trip.
Area 1 is at the end of the road behind a house. An old road bisects the contour with fencing on both sides.
On one side are new growth pine trees. The opposite side has some open fields strewn with hunting blinds.
Backside of the contour is a fence break for those averse to contorting their bodies through barbed wire.
Area 2 is off in the corner of the property, and is also one of many corners formed by Macon County's
meandering boundaries. The high area is a clearly defined rise spilling down from the adjacent county.
GPS confirmed the fence line straddles the county line.
Area 3. From Notasulga proceed west on H14 to Liberty City. The area contour includes all of
metropolitan Liberty City - an Exxon station and a few homes. My sense is the highest area is to the
southwest behind an old white house (mailbox # 5289).
Area 4. From the Exxon Station head east 2.4 miles (all mileages are relative to Exxon). The barnyard gate
on the right was open. No one was around to ask permission for access. The barn appears to be the highest point.
Area 5. At 2.7 miles is a home on the right. The highpoint contour is northwest of house, near H14.
The owner and I jointly summited his peak, sans crampons.
Areas 6 & 7. The road to the north of Area 5 passes over the largest contour. The property owner of the
first home on the right allowed me to search his land for the highest rise. This contour also extends
northwest out into the field. Area 7 is even further out in the pasture to the northwest and is split down the
middle by a tree-lined fence. Back to Area 6. The contour leg to the east belongs to another property
owner who was happy to let me explore her grounds for the elusive highest point.
Areas 8 & 9. Continue heading north on the dirt road that crosses Area 6. Area 8 is the high ground on the
road just south of the pipeline. Area 9 is at an open gate with an old "posted" sign. Both contours extend
east into the woods. Be aware of mongrels guarding the home beyond the Area 9 gate.
Areas 10, 11, & 12. At 2.0 miles from Exxon turn hard left onto Hayes Mill Road and then right at
Moss Flat Road. At 0.1 mile turn right onto Thompson Road (not shown on the topo). All homeowners at the
end of the road were absent but a nearby renter had no problem with my wandering around the area.
The homestead that faces the end of Thompson Road has a small area (10) spilling into Macon - almost
imperceptible on the topo. This small area (GPS backup) is somewhere near the fence behind the backyard kennels.
Area 11. At the end of Thompson Road, turn south, go to the pipeline, and then follow the pipeline east.
About 100 yards are boundary posts, warning signs, and an old fence - the GPS-confirmed county line and
approximate northern contour edge. Proceed south into brambles and cross spine of spill-over from the
adjacent county.
For Area 12, return to Moss Flat Road and go north 0.1 mile. Turn east. This road passes a few houses
before descending into a pasture - no one was home except for six dogs that became friendly after a few
obligatory barks. A dirt road goes to the contour. North-south pasture fence clearly marks county line.
Areas 13 & 14 are 0.5 mile due east of Area 6, south of Beulah Church. Area 13 covers the intersection and
grounds of home to northwest. The high area is in the backyard and may extend to and beyond the property
line fence. Area 14 is northeast across the road in undeveloped lands - possibly used for hunting.
Areas 15 & 16. From Tuskegee follow H80 to CR24 12.1 miles (a right turn at 7.5 miles). The two areas
are on the right at 3.4 and 3.7 miles along CR24. There are no access problems, just some practice in
bushwhacking, particularly the first area. Kevin Williamson feels the county high point is probably one of
these two areas due to map anomalies wherein the contour lines are ten feet apart (590-600) in this sector
and twenty feet apart (580-600) in the fourteen other areas. He observed an approximate five-foot rise in
these two areas and doubted any of the fourteen areas had fifteen-foot rises.