Bay County High Point Trip Report
Date: November 11-14, 1999
Author: Fred Lobdell
There are three areas that are candidates for the HP of Bay County.
Two of these are on or near the Calhoun County line a short distance south of the
Jackson County line, and the third is several miles west of these at a corner of the
county that abuts Washington County. One of the areas is shared with Calhoun County,
and is that county's HP east of the county line.
Taking the third area first, the best access seems to be through an area that was apparently
intended to be a development that didn't get developed after the roads were put in.
From the spot where the turnoff is for the Washington Co. HP on the north side of Alford
(see the entry under that county), continue south on US 231 for about 4.5 miles to
Pike Pond Road. Turn right (west) on this good-quality dirt road and take it for about
5.5 miles until it ends at a "T" intersection. The hill in front of you will be Oakie Ridge.
Turn left (southwest) and take that road until it, too, ends in 0.8 miles at a "T" intersection,
just past the Oakie Ridge Church. Turn left (south) on county 273 and follow it as it
twists and turns, staying left at the first two forks, until it also ends at a "T" intersection,
a little more than 5 miles from the previous turn. Turn left (east) here and go to the
second cross "road", which is also marked by a power line that runs north-south. Park here.
The county corner will be about 150 feet south of you along the power line and its road,
and the high area is along the county line to the south and east. A copy of the topographic map
and a Florida DeLorme are of considerable value in locating this area.
For the second and third areas, backtrack to US 231. Go south from Pike Pond Rd. about 5.8 miles
to a dirt road on the left. (This is one mile south of the Jackson/Bay county line.)
Turn left (east) and go about 2,000 feet to a rough cross road.
This is the Bay/Calhoun county line. The high area will be at the ridge crest
to your left (north). There is both a road and a fence parallel to the county line;
the fence may well be right on the line. The road into the high area is gated and posted.
If you could surmount the gate and walk north for about 1,000 feet, you would find yourself
on top of a surprisingly well-defined little ridge. The area west of the fence,
and a little knoll a short distance southwest of this point, are surrounded by 270-foot
contour lines. The highest area would appear to be right at the fence or only a
short distance west.