Highpoint #13: Louisiana

Cross-Country Highpointing Trip, Stop #6

Vanity Shot at the Summit

I was quick to leave the highpoint in Florida behind with the rising sun.  The next highpoint on the list was Driskill Mountain in Louisiana, and it was going to take some effort to get there before the sun would begin to set.  That’s the problem with doing a road trip in the winter -- the days are so short!  Luckily though, I was able to do the 8-hour drive without any breaks, so I had a couple of hours to spare in order to ascend this hill, masquerading as a mountain. 

The Church Serves as the Trailhead

Driskill Mountain is located in northern Louisiana, just outside of Ruston in the Bienville Parish.  Yay, my first parish highpoint!  After driving on some back roads, I finally came upon the “Mt. Zion Presbyterian Church and Driskill Memorial Cemetery” which serves as the unofficial trailhead.  It is a small, old church with a certain amount of charm.  The trailhead to the left of it was clearly marked.

     

Mt. Zion Presbyterian Church

535 Feet!

Parking was ample, but I was surprised to see that I was not alone.  Apparently, a party of 4 arrived just ahead of me, and they were preparing to head off for the highpoint as well.  I stayed behind to get some establishing shots for this blog.  I figured they would trudge on ahead, but I caught up to them fairly quickly.  There was an elderly gentleman, Frank, his wife, Linda, and two of their grandchildren.  I was invited to hike along with them.  I agreed.

The Trailhead

Normally, my highpoint attempts are solo, so I was happy to have some company this time around.  Also, sometimes I hike a bit too fast, so it was good to have the chance to calm the pace down considerably and just enjoy the scenery on a lazy Saturday afternoon.  Besides, it was a great opportunity to see the hike from someone else’s perspective.

The Trail is Well-Marked, if Clayey

I was a little concerned that the way to the summit would be difficult to follow, given some old trip reports that I have read.  Fortunately, they recently had an earthmover come in and establish a new and fairly obvious route to the summit.  To make it even more obvious, there were conspicuous signs along the way pointing out the path.  Clearly, getting lost would not be an option.  All the more reason to just relax.    

Really Can't Mess This Up

I spoke with Frank a bit, who was quickly lagging behind from the rest of his family.  He recently had a knee replacement; so all circumstances considered, he was doing remarkably well.  After proudly showing me his scars, I figured it best to continue to stay back and keep a watchful eye just in case he might need the help.  He talked a bit about being a pastor, his career choices along the way, and his general love for science (I had said that I was a scientist).  It was easy and unassuming enough.  After a few rest breaks, Frank made it to the top, as did I. 

Another Trail Marker

I signed the summit register and posed for a photo, graciously taken by Linda, in front of the very large structure marking the summit.  535 feet!  We stayed a bit and appreciated the overlook.  The peak does not have much in the way of prominence; so don’t expect much.  There were a lot of leaves and plenty of trees, not the most alpine of environments.   

Summit Monument

I headed down with the family, mostly staying with Frank again.  It was very relaxing.  Reaching the trailhead, we encountered another couple ready for their turn at the summit.  This is a busy place!  I said my goodbyes, and headed north to spend the night in Arkansas.  Lucky 13 was out of the way! 

View from the Top!