Essex County Highpoint Trip Report
28 points (200+ ft)
Date: June 7, 2005
Author: Don Desrosiers
There are 28 points to reckon with in this county. All but one are close enough
to the Caroline/Essex line to call it. The serious COHP'er will want the VDOT
maps for BOTH counties in addition to the standard tools since most of the
points are approached from the Caroline County side. On the good side, most of
the Caroline County side is Fort AP Hill and is gated but with good parking places.
I have labeled the points roughly north to south. Where things are out of
sequence, they are noted. There is lots of odometer zeroing in this county.
Most points are indistinct. I would regard a GPS as essential in this county.
The county line is seldom marked.
From the intersection of U.S. 17 and U.S. 301 in Port Royal, continue south on
US 17 for 6.4 miles and turn right onto CR 625 (Supply Road).
#1 - Continue on 625 for 3.7 miles. At the county line sign, this point is on
the right just into the woods. Iffy point at best.
#2, #3 and #4 - Take a left onto gravel Holmes Road (not shown on topo) which
goes over the next two points. The larger area is clearly the highest of the
four in the area. Holmes Road narrows down to walking speed just past #3.
Indistinct point #4 is out there but can probably be ignored.
#5 - Continue on 625 for an additional 1.1 miles. The HP is near the AP Hill
boundary corner sign about 30 yards toward the woods. There is a small sign
pointing toward Naulakla but the road is gated.
#6, #7, and #8 - Go across the street from #5 toward house #13367. On the right
there is a bar gate guarding a dirt road posted by the C.A.T Hunt Club.
#6 is obvious on the left side of the road, #7 is to the right and clearly lower while
the dirt road goes over #8.
#9 and #10 - Continue on 625 for an additional 7/10 mile and park at the gravel
parking area near the gate for the Aerial Gunnery Complex. Across 625 there is
a dirt road (shown on topo). Take this to the end then right and follow the
ridge to the highest point. The Kay Cemetery has either been moved or is
sufficiently overgrown that I could not find it. For indistinct point #10,
continue along the ridge past a couple of decent condition trailers until you
are satisfied. I would count this county if you ignored this point.
#11, #12, #13, #14, and #15 - (these are somewhat out of the normal north-south
order) - Continue on 625 for another 1.5 miles to a small, gated dirt road on
the left. You are about 1000 yards west of the next point. Walk along the dirt
road to a "T" (not shown on the topo), turn left, then immediately right,
still on dirt roads. Stay on the dirt road until you come to the field (soybeans this year),
as the alternative involves bushwhacking. Walk along the edge of the field.
#11 is to the east, near the tree line. From here, go roughly north-
northeast to the middle of the small area that looks sort of like a fish.
Pretty close to the middle is what you want. From there, go due west to the
small area split by the county line. Go back to #12 (fish area) then due north
to indistinct point #14. The trail shown on the topo is gone. Getting back to
#11, look due south for #15. It scopes as much lower than #11 and can be ignored.
#16 - Continue on 625 for another 6/10 mile and turn left onto CR 637 (Hustle
Road). The dirt road shown going due north has been well abandoned but is not
difficult to follow. I felt the area at the "end" of the road was as high as anything.
#17 and #18 - Continue another 3/10 along 637 and park. The next two points are
pretty much due north of you, in and across the field. The 201 point was faint
at best, while the point closer to the road may not go over 200 anymore.
#19 - Continue on 637 for another 8/10 mile to just across from #29466
(past Johnson Place). This indistinct point is about 35 yards southeast into the woods.
#20, #21, #22, and #23 (Loretto quad) - In another 4/10 along 637, turn right
onto a good dirt road (unmarked). At the 3-way intersection (implied but not
shown on the topo), go right and at 7/10 from 637 near the obvious rise there
will be a small point on each side of the road. In another 1/10 mile there is a
small point just to the west of the road. At 1.2 from 637 there is a large
graveled area just to the east of the large field. #23 is about 800 yards due east.
The dirt road shown on the topo is gone but the bushwhacking is not difficult.
#24 and #25 - Get back to the intersection of 637 and 625 and go south on 625.
In 2.3 miles, CR 625 will take a VERY noticeable 90-degree turn to the right.
Find a place to park and walk up the old woods road that now serves as the
driveway for #17551. The dirt road is not in its former glory but is easy
enough to follow. At the obvious bend north just inside the county,
bushwhack north to these two indistinct points.
#26 - Continue on 625 for another 2/10 mile to just across from #17648.
There is a dirt road with a yellow gate signed by the Back Woods Hunt Club.
Walk up this dirt road to the 3-way intersection (not shown on topo) and go straight.
The HP is about 40 yards ahead on the right.
#27 - Continue on 625 for another 4/10 mile and turn left onto CR 640 (Bethlehem Road).
In about 1/10 mile there is another yellow Back Woods Hunt Club gate
(#2) on the left. Follow the woods road about 20 - 25 yards. The HP is on the right.
#28 - This is the one point that sits well away from the county line. It could
be done just after #17 and 18 but I chose to get it last. Get back to 625 and
go north, turning right in 2.9 miles back onto CR 637 (Hustle Road). In 6/10 mile,
turn left onto CR 640 (Ullainee Road) which will quickly become a good
dirt road. At 2.0 miles, turn left onto paved Walnut Shade Road.
Very carefully measure another 1/2 mile where there should be a very small overgrown
dirt road on the left with a post in the middle (very easy to miss the road but
not the post). You should now be about 750 yards due east of this point.
Follow some combination of your nose, topo, compass, GPS through the woods via a
fairly easy bushwhack.
To get out, continue on 640 north and turn right on 625 which will take you back
to US 17.
I have no idea which point is the highest, although have noted some points which
can be safely ignored.
Avoid this one during hunting season and bring lots of bug spray in hot weather.
I pulled a couple of dozen ticks off of myself (both deer and dog ticks).
The local concept of what constitutes the right hand side of the road may not be
consistent with what you ordinarily find at home.