Madison County High Point Trip Report

1 small area 800' W of Brighton Rd. and Markley Rd. Int. (1205+ ft)

Date: March 17, 2009
Author: Andy Hatzos

Madison County's highest point is in the west-central portion of the county, not far from the border with Clark County. I approached from the southwest, coming in from Xenia along US Route 42. About one mile east of South Charleston, I turned north on Summerford Road, and followed that for 5.5 miles to Old Springfield Road (also noted on some maps as London-Plattsburg Road). It was a quick jog to the east before turning north again on Markley Road, and under half a mile from there to the intersection with Brighton Road (also noted on some maps as Houston Pike).

The high point is in the cornfield to the west of the diagonal intersection, and is very obvious. Its status as the highest point in the county appears undisputed from both the original topo maps and the recent LiDAR analysis.

I drove a short distance northwest on Brighton Road, to where the road crests and bends gently to the right. I parked next to one of two power poles at the bend, and started the hike southwest into the field. I followed a faint, slightly grassy trail, which intersects the road right at the power poles. After a short walk up the trail, I turned southeast toward the highest point in the field. The absolute highest ground was fairly obvious, and I paced back and forth through no more than three or four of the remnant corn rows to claim the county. The total elevation gain from my parking spot was about 20-25 feet, with a round trip hike of no more than a quarter mile.

The day I visited was very pleasant for March, with clear skies and temperatures well into the 60s. Conditions in southwestern and central Ohio had been quite dry, making the hiking through the barren cornfield pretty easy. However, as the Everett trip report notes, the Madison County high point would likely be impossible to visit when the corn is growing.

PICTURES:
Picture 01 (108 k) - The view west to the high point, from the intersection of Markley and Brighton Roads.
Picture 02 (120 k) - Looking southeast into the cornfield from the bend on Brighton Road. The ill-defined trail up the hill starts near the power pole.
Picture 03 (169 k) - Looking north from the top of the hill.
Picture 04 (160 k) - The view to the east, looking toward the intersection of Markley and Brighton Roads.


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