Mount Sunflower, Kansas. Ebright Azimuth, Delaware. Hawkeye
Point, Iowa. Hoosier High Point, Indiana.
They may not have
the name recognition of Mount McKinley (Denali), Mount Rainier,
Mount Whitney, and Mount Hood. And they certainly are far, far
easier to get to! But all these places have something in common.
Each is the highest natural spot in its state.
Welcome to the world of Highpointing. Thousands of otherwise
sane people have set out to drive, stroll, hike, or climb to the
highest point in each of the 50 states. Many never plan to make
it to the tougher highpoints like Denali (in Alaska), Rainier
(in Washington) or Granite (in Montana), but they’ve discovered
the fun in planning trips to locate the unusual “summits” of
Sunflower (located on the flatlands of Kansas), Ebright Azimuth
(yes, a suburban neighborhood can be the site of a state
highpoint), Hawkeye Point (located at the end of a feeding
trough on a farm in Iowa), and Lakewood Park (turn right at the
restrooms, and stroll a short way along a path in a Florida
park).
Of the 50 state highpoints, 14 are drive-ups. You drive right
up to the highpoint, or so close to it you could toss a rock and
hit it. Probably 8 more are extremely easy, involving a
round-trip walk or hike of 30 minutes or less. In fact, only
about 9 or 10 of the state highpoints involve more than a hike
along a good trail. OK, some of these trails require long hikes
that may gain a fair amount of elevation. Still, if you’re in
good condition, and can walk for many hours, you can manage to
check off about 40 state highpoints!
Why do people get into highpointing? It’s a great way to see
our country. You’ll find highpoints in popular resort areas
(Mount Mansfield at Stowe in Vermont), National Parks (Clingmans
Dome, in Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee), and State Parks
(Mauna Kea in Hawaii; Harney Peak in Custer State Park, South
Dakota). But many highpoints are well off the beaten path, and
will take you to beautiful and interesting parts of the country
that you may have otherwise overlooked. Eagle Mountain is in the
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness of Minnesota. Oklahoma’s
highpoint, Black Mesa, is near the very tip of the panhandle.
Taum Sauk Mountain in Missouri is in a beautiful region of the
Ozarks. Visit when the autumn leaves are at their peak, climb
the nearby Lookout Tower, and prepare to be thrilled.
There are also many interesting things to see and do near the
highpoints. Take in a concert by the Boston Symphony Orchestra
or Boston Pops at Tanglewood in Massachusetts. Looking for
something less cultured? How about the Boll Weevil Monument in
Florida? Or the Wisconsin Concrete Park, featuring concrete
sculptures of horses, soldiers, and heroes? If food and drink
are more to your liking, don’t miss a tour of Ben & Jerry’s Ice
Cream Factory in Vermont, Great Adirondack Brewing Company in
New York, or stop in at the Hilltop Restaurant in L’Anse,
Michigan for the most decadent (and largest) sweet rolls you can
imagine.
Happy Highpointing, everyone!
About The Author
Diane Winger is co-author of “Highpoint Adventures – The
Complete Guide to the 50 State Highpoints”, and other
guidebooks. Visit
www.HighpointAdventures.com to learn more about hiking,
climbing, and travel adventures in the great outdoors.
Diane Winger © 2004 All Rights Reserved.
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