Dubuque County High Point Trip Report

Date: October 26, 2000
Author: Mike Schwartz

4 areas at 8/9/17-90N-1W (1,250+ ft)

I did this county to bring Iowa into my home glob, connecting to previously-done WI counties through Jo Daviess County, IL, home of the IL state high point. From US 52, about 25 miles west of Dubuque at Holy Cross, go north on Tollgate Road, county road Y13. This is signed "Balltown-8." Go one mile to Flannagan Road, which runs south of the southernmost area. This area is owned by the Hoeger family, whose farm is west of Y13, directly across from the high point. No one was around, so I drove up Flannagan to the crest and hiked north along the hedgerow SE of the hill. Cross an old fence, and hike NW across the hay field to the summit.

For the other three areas, continue north another 1/2 mile on Y13 to a right (east) onto Ridge Road. Drive 0.4 miles, just past the crest and turn into the farm on the right, owned by Mr. and Mrs. William Ellerbach. They greeted me warmly and were very interested to find out they owned three of four county high points. They had thought a tower to the NW was on the high point. This farm has been owned by the family since 1886, and Mr. Ellerbach has lived there his entire 71 years. They are thinking of retiring, and since no family member wants to take it over, one can only hope the new owners will be as accommodating. I left them my copy of the Topozone printout. For the area to the NE, they let me drive a field road to the soybean field. The view is a beautiful 360 degree vista of knobs and farms, looking across the Mississippi bluffs to the north. The two areas straddling Ridge Road are part of the same ridgeline that was deeply cut when Ridge Road was built. Higher ground is on the south side in the cornfield. Both areas are a short stroll from the farm house.