Bartow County High Point Trip Report

on county line on Pine Log Mountain (2,060+ ft)

Date: April 9, 2000
Author: Fred Lobdell

The high point of Bartow County is located on the Cherokee County line. According to the topographic map, the high point itself lies in the Pine Log Mountain State Wildlife Management Area, but we obtained access through the Lake Arrowhead development. There must also be access from somewhere in the wildlife management area, but we don't know where it is.

For access to this high point, see the Cherokee County trip report. From the summit of Pine Log Mtn (2,331 ft, the high point of Cherokee Co.) continue southwest on the rough dirt road another mile to the radio tower at the summit of Bear Mtn (2,303 ft). Here the road ends, still in Cherokee County.

However, from this point a good foot trail, not shown on the 1997 edition of the topographic map, continues down the southwest ridge, pretty much following the highest point on the ridge. Where the ridge swings around to heading due west the main trail does too, although there are intersecting trails that should be avoided.

The county line scales on the map as being about a half mile from Bear Mt. via the ridge. You may want to count paces, and a GPS unit might be useful also. If you get to the point where the ridge flattens out you have probably gone too far. Where the trail strays from the ridge crest, you may want to try bushwhacking along the crest. The bushwhacking in this area is not difficult.

There are a number of rocky outcrops along the west-trending portion of the ridge. One of these may be the true high point of Bartow County, but until the county line is marked in some way it doesn't seem possible to make such a determination.