Meigs County High Point Trip Report

Date: August 2001
Author: Mike Beavers

I had attempted this one before but the road to the fire tower was posted with several nasty-looking No Trespassing signs so I had to find another way. I don't think the owners can legally stop people from accessing the fire tower. They may have posted the road to keep kids from going to the top to party. The way I describe below does not have any Posted areas to contend with. The land appears to belong to one of the large timber companies in the area.

Take Highway 30 East from the red light in Decatur TN for ~ 1 mile. Turn right (North) onto N. No Pone Valley Road. Go 4.4 miles on N. No Pone Valley Road to Walker Road. Turn Right onto Walker Road next to Walnut Grove Baptist Church. After you go 0.7 mile on Walker / Sam Davis road you will see Sims Road bearing to the left. Continue past Sims Road for 0.1 mile and then park at the gated gravel road. From the gated road you can see the radio towers which is your destination.

It is a very intense bushwhack from the parking area to the top of the ridge with plenty of blackberry vines. After you reach the top, there are some very nice views to the West. The area appears to still be owned by the State of Tennessee. The Fire Tower is still there as well as a small green building with the State Department of Conservation sign on the building. There are also several radio towers near the high point. BM Pone 2 is between the fire tower and the nearest Radio transmitter. It is several feet below the highest point. I would recommend wearing pants and a long sleeve shirt on this trip. I had on shorts and my legs look like a cat has been clawing on them. It took me over 1 hour to complete this hike. Total hiking distance was less than 1 mile.