Vermilion County High Point Trip Report

California Ridge

Author: John Mitchler

Set in flat east central farmland between Champaign and Danville, this highpoint requires a hike through cropland from a farmhouse complex. Jobe Wymore's report worked well. For the "one tiny area" I found the fence line to be 0.5 mile north of 2500N.

For the "three areas" I found the town of Hope to be 1.5 miles south of 2500N, not 0.5 mile. The farmer called this high ridge "California Ridge." It is a moraine left from the ice age glaciers that had their way with Illinois' surface millennia ago. One mile south of Hope is the Five Bridges RV Park situated on gravel pits along IL49. When in this area, you may want to check out the wild and scenic Vermilion River five miles to the east, as well as the old coal strip mines in Kickapoo State Park along I-72 west of Danville.