Crawford County High Point Trip Report
on Bidville and Delaney quadrangle sheets
Date: May 5, 2001
Author: Hans Haustein
I camped at White Rock Mountain the night before this ascent. White Rock Mountain is a must-see if you
are in this area, it has great views along it's bluff line, but be careful as seven have fallen to their deaths
from the bluffs. This place is also special to in a different way, I proposed to my wife at one the cabins in
December 1999.
On to the highpoints! To reach Crawford County's first highpoint drive 3.6 miles north from White Rock
Jct. on Bowles Gap Road, a.k.a. National Forest Road (NFR) 1505. The highpoint is in a somewhat
overgrown field about 0.2 miles west of the road. This is another tramping-around one, because of the
large flat area on the hill top. This is the second highpoint that I have found a shed deer antler, kind of a
neat souvenir.
The second highpoint area is reached by continuing on Bowles Gap Road for 0.4 miles. You can see the
first area from here and it is definitely higher, so don't bother.
The third area is reached by continuing on NFR 1505 to its intersection with NFR 1007 and turn east on
NFR 1007 for about 0.5 mile. The area is on the north side of the road and is posted. However, I was
there so early in the morning I did not ask for permission from the house about a 1/4 mile up the road.
The area looks to be about the same elevation as the second area (you can see it from the top), so this area
does not need to be visited.
To go to the final two areas of Crawford County continue on NFR 1007 for about two miles till you reach
the Bidville / Potato Knob Rd Jct. stay on the Bidville Rd (NFR 1007) for 1.5 miles until you reach a place
called Mountain Crest. At Mountain Crest go west on NFR 1502 for 1.4 miles. There is a pullout on the
south side of the road. The two remaining highpoints are about 1/4 mile south of the pullout area. The
pullout is actually an old road bed. Follow this until you reach a fence continue south along the fence and
in the pasture to the west are the two highpoints. The Crawford/Washington County line is in this
vicinity so it is best just to walk the high area of the pasture until you are satisfied.
The second highpoint is near the south edge of the pasture just before the woods begin, again it is a large
area so tramp around. The land was not posted and a pretty good fog and rain developed while I was
there so I didn't ask for permission from the house just west of the pullout.
This is one of the counties that I looked at the DEM's before visiting. The first, fourth and fifth area all
showed up having the same elevation, so I knew there would be at least three. The second and third areas
showed up to be about 10 feet lower on the DEM, so by ground work I confirmed what the DEM had already shown me.