Campbell Hill (1550 ft) is the highest point in Ohio. The hill is located in the town of Bellefontaine. It is, definitely, not the most exciting state “high-point” to visit. However, if you are a “highpointer”, it’s a must!…
What or Who is a Highpointer?
At this point, if you are NOT a highpointer, you probably ask – what the hack is the highpointer?… A “highpointer” is a person engaged in highpointing. And highpointing is the pursuit of reaching the highest elevation within a specified area. Often, in the U.S. – the highest point in every state.
It is officially accepted that the formalization of highpointing each of the 50 US states is credited to the late Jack Longacre. He, back in 1986, took notice of people mentioning their highpoint achievement in log books at the top of various summits.
I, myself, am not a highpointer. But I became aware of the activity, when I worked with one. The guy has been pursuing the activity for number of years. He spent his vacations every year visiting different parts of the country pursuing his passion.
Campbell Hill – Highest Point in Ohio
Recently, while traveling in Ohio, I became aware that the name of the town that I was passing through – Bellefontaine – seemed vaguely familiar. A quick Google search made me realize why. This is a town with the highest point in the state of Ohio – Campbell Hill. Being that close, I had to find it. I had to visit so I could write about it for those of you who are interested in such locations.
As you can imagine, at 1550 feet, Campbell Hill is not a mountain, not even a prominent hill. In fact, Cambell Hill ascends only by 300 feet from the flat grounds surrounding the town. It is quite flat at the top, therefore hard to locate. It doesn’t help that there are no signs around pointing to its location. On top of it all, since there is a construction in the immediate area below the hill (Spring 2022), the Google directions are not completely correct. Small change, but it might be confusing. Hopefully, the image below helps.
When you get to the top, you have to look around, since again, there are no signs pointing to the official spot. And it doesn’t help that the top of the hill is flat. But soon you notice a small path with a sign next to it with words “Highest Point in Ohio El. 1549 ft” written on it.
The area dedicated to the highest point is pretty small. As you can see in the images – there is a small, circular concrete pad, few bushes surrounding it, one bench, sign and a pole with the U.S. flag. Even though it is the highest point in the state, the elevation is relatively small over the surrounding area. So the view is not that impressive, or really out-right disappointing. But heck, this is Midwest. No mountains here. Looking back towards the parking lot, the view is even worse – obstructed by two boring looking buildings.
The site used to be the home of the 664th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron with an early warning radar system during the cold war (1951 – 1969).
Final Thoughts
So, this is it! If you ask me if I would recommend going there – my answer is a definite NO! However, if you are passing through Bellefontaine and have nothing better to do, or are a “highpointer”, then why not.
References
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If you are interested in Campbell Hill, you might want to read my post about other highest points in Great Lakes states: Highest Points in Great Lakes States and Provinces
[…] Citation: Great Lakes Explorer Citation: Atlas Obscura […]