Williamsburg City Highpoint Trip Report
one 120+ foot area (...or three 110+ foot contours)
Date: December 23, 2014
Author: Bob Schwab
Leave Interstate 64 at Exit 234, and head south on Route 199. Follow Route
199 to Route 612 (Longhill). Turn left on Route 612 and follow this road as
it curves right and becomes Route 615 at the intersection with US 60.
Continue south on Route 615 and watch for Discovery Park Blvd on your right.
Find some place to park here, cross the street, and walk up and down the
bike path on the east side of Ironbound Road (Route 615). There is
undisturbed high ground along the east side of the road, and my old topo map
shows a 120 foot contour just north of the intersection with Discovery Park
Blvd. Somewhere along here, the city line heads east, but it's not clear
exactly where because there are no markers or boundary signs. For sure, the
east side of the Discovery Park intersection is a very high 110+ but since
the highest ground crosses the road north of this intersection,
I don't know for sure if Williamsburg has a 120 foot contour,
or just three 110+ foot spots.
I decided to be safe and also investigate the two other 110+ foot contours in
Williamsburg City. One is the land around Berkeley High School, which is
just south of Route 321, at the Ironbound (Route 615)/Strawberry Plains
(Route 616) intersection. This whole area is quite flat and had only the
most subtle rise within it. I definitely feel the Discovery Park area is
much higher.
The final 110+ area is a bit further south on Strawberry Plains Road among
the houses off to the east. I turned left on Watson, turned left and left
again to the Holland cul de sac. After wandering around here and noting the
subtle undulations in people's lawns, I concluded that this area is not as
impressive as the east side of Ironbound Road at Discovery Park Blvd.
In conclusion, I believe the highest natural ground in Williamsburg City is
the area east of the Ironbound/Discovery Park Blvd intersection, but I am
unable to say with certainty whether this is a 120 foot contour, or just a
very high 110+ contour.