Baker County High Point Trip Report

one area 1 1/2 miles southwest of Hugh (200+ ft)

Date: January 13, 2004
Author: Michael Schwartz

First a note about speed traps. This area of US 301, especially the towns of Lawtey, Waldo, and Starke, has been infamous for many years as one of the last of the old style speed traps. The area is loaded with police, and they will cite drivers for exceeding the speed limit by even miniscule amounts. I saw drivers pulled over during my visit, and a local trucker verified that the enforcement is as strict as ever. Watch it!

This is an update to Fred Lobdell's report from the last century. Approaching from the south, the turnoff to the highpoint area is 3.0 miles north of the Bradford/Clay line via US 301. Access is a problem. Drop me an e-mail for details.

The good concrete road mentioned by Fred has some very sandy spots, but they are navigable by a passenger car if one keeps moving at a good pace. The obvious broad crest is 1 1/4 miles from the gate, and there was a lot of activity there, but I parked my car alongside some others, and no one paid any attention to me.

The whole area has been extensively disturbed, but the large contour shown on the topo still clearly contains the highest ground. I walked all over the contour with GPS in hand, and currently the high ground is north of the road. This is the area Fred refers to in his subparagraph (a) as "an area south (sic) of the road." He meant to write, "...an area north of the road," which I have since verified with him. That area should be in the northern lobe of the contour, above the road shown on the map.