Tangipahoa Parish Highpoint Trip Report
nine areas (360+ ft)
Date: April 15, 2004
Author: Bob Martin
These areas are in the northern part of the parish near the state line. From I-55, take exit 61 if coming from
the south or exit 1 in MS if coming from the north. In either case, drive east to US51 and then find the
junction with road 1054 a mile south of the state line. Drive east 4 miles to a junction where 1054 turns south,
and continue east on road 1055. After 2 miles, turn left and go north on J W Shilling Road for
2+ miles to the state line.
The first area to find is a half mile east. It is hidden on the topo by the word parish spelled "pairsh."
That area has its hp right along the road. Just a short ways east, find an iron gate to an overgrown track
leading south. This gives access to two areas, the one directly south and the larger one northeast of it.
The southwestern of the two areas is in a grassy field with a hunting blind. The larger area is in pine trees with
thick brush and some walkways that are helpful in exploring the area. The fourth area is adjacent to the
state line road a half mile east.
For the two larger areas south of the first four, I drove on east to M C Carter Road, which is 1.4 miles east
of J W Shilling road. It was then a half mile south to an area with mobile homes. I talked with several ladies
there who said it would be OK to walk west on the closed road shown on the topo. There was some thick
brush to contend with to get on that road. This overgrown unused road led to a good gravel road running
north-south. This was right at the edge of the larger contour area. The road south crosses that area.
There is a field to the east with the other area in the woods south of that field.
The ladies said these areas could be reached from the state line road through property of Doug Biggs.
For the other 3 areas, start at the Bladefield church. This church can be reached by continuing east a mile
from the M C Carter Road and driving south or from road 1055 by driving north from two miles east of the
J W Shilling Road. In the church parking lot, find a locked gate on the south side. Follow a brushy trail east.
This leads over the long narrow area and to the top of the larger one. This trail becomes hard to follow after
a quarter mile in the thick forest. The forest becomes more open near the center of the large area.
Wandering in the forest, it is difficult to locate a specific highest area.
The small area to the south is out of contention.