Salem County High Point Trip Report

Dates: February 8 & April 12, 2001
Author: Michael Schwartz

three areas 3 miles east of Woodstown (160+ ft)

Take exit 2 off the NJ Turnpike and go east 0.9 miles to a right turn onto Salem County 607/Thompson Station Road. Bear right at 5.1 miles onto CR 617, pass through Harrisonville, continue south on Harrisonville Lake Road; left at 8.0 miles onto CR 660/Whig Lane Road; at 9.0 miles, opposite a prominent brick house, the dirt road shown on the topo goes to a slight crest next to a corn field, with highest ground very near the road. For the two southern areas, continue east on CR 660 for 1/2 mile, then go right (south) on CR 581/Alloway-Mullica Hill Road for 0.7 miles to a right (west) onto CR 619/Woodstown-Whig Lane Road. Just west of the intersection, see higher ground in the field to the north. The two bumps in the field are none too obvious.

two areas 1 1/2 miles east of Whig Lane (160+ ft)

From the previous areas, go east on CR 619/Woodstown-Whig Lane Road, cross NJ 77, and go right at the blinker at about 2 1/2 miles. Reach a five way intersection shortly and survey the terrain. The very large 160' contour extends east and west for some distance, but after two visits and much wandering, my candidate for the highest ground is off Swedesboro Road near house #185. This is the road shown on topo as angling to the SE from 5-corners. The smaller 160' contour just to the southeast seems clearly lower.

three areas 2 miles west of Elmer (160+ ft)

We next drove to Elmer, the metropolis of this area, where excellent, cheap, made-to-order sandwiches can be had at the Super Value Market. From Elmer, go west on US 40 about two miles to Stella Farms II on the right, where parking is available. We walked south across soybean stubble toward the thicket visible across the highway. The track road shown on the map has been obliterated. Stay to the left of the thicket (which fills the "gravel pit" shown on the topo) and climb the hill, significantly higher than the highway. We felt the area along the south rim of the gravel pit was higher than the humps to the east and west.

two areas 4 miles west of Elmer (160+ ft)

From Stella Farms II, continue west on US 40 a very short distance and bear left onto Newkirk Station Road, reaching NJ 77 in 1.7 miles. Go left and drive less than 1/2 mile to an obvious crest, with parking available at an abandoned stucco house on the right. The small area to the left, created by the road cut, is clearly lower. From the house, walk into the peach orchard, and work toward higher ground, angling slightly south for about 1/8 mile. We next drove around the corner to where the closed contour crosses Colson Road. The power lines here at the road seem to be on relatively high ground, but once I climbed ten feet up the support pole for a better view, the ground ENE back toward the orchard and stucco house clearly seemed higher.