Order of Visit: High Point #27
Date Visited: January 3, 2021
Route Taken: Drive up to the summit – 100 feet walk
Type of Terrain: Well-maintained, improved dirt road (Road 185) with lots of trees and a gentle climb up
Elevation: 806 feet
Ancestral Lands: Cherokee, Shawnee, Yuchi, Chickasaw
What’s in a name?
Yow Hill is the earliest recorded name for this 800-foot peak tucked into the far northeastern corner of Mississippi. The hill was presumably named after former landowner George Yow (1828-1897) who is buried nearby.
Despite its relatively meager elevation, Yow Hill had enough physical prominence that it played a role in the U.S. Civil War. Both the Union and Confederate Armies used it as an observation post in the war’s early years. That came to an end in September 1862, when Union General William Rosencrans occupied the mountain used the vantage point to launch artillery at the Confederate Army in the Battle of Luka.
Yow Hill changed hands two decades later in 1884, when Tishomingo County Sheriff Zephaniah Woodall, purchased the mound and its surrounding acreage.
So what do we know about the peak’s current namesake?
Born in December 1827, Zephaniah Harvey “Z.H.” Woodall, Jr. was an Alabama-native. His first marriage in 1850 was extremely brief and bore no children. Two years later, he married Avarilla Priddy and they had three sons (luckily, none of them would have the misfortune of being named Zephaniah Harvey Woodall III).
Twice widowed by the age of 36, Woodall married Rebecca Betty Wynn in 1863. With a new wife now available to care for his young children, Woodall enlisted in the Confederate Army, as an infantryman with B. Co, 11th Alabama Cavalry where he’d serve until the unit surrendered in May 1865.
After the Civil War, Woodall moved to his wife’s hometown of Luka, Mississippi, where they raised their 11 children – the three boys from his prior marriage and eight more children from their own union.
Woodall began serving as the Tishomingo County Sheriff in 1880, where he’d remained for the next 12 years. Perhaps the most noteworthy event of his tenure involves the fire that partially destroyed the county courthouse in 1886. According to local lore, arsonists set the fire with the purported purpose of destroying evidence in a murder case.
It’s unclear whether the arsonists were successful in their quest, but virtually all the county records were destroyed in the fire, clearing the way for the peak to be officially renamed Woodall Mountain in 1887.
Five years later, Woodall left his position as the county sheriff and moved his family west. They settled in the Texas Hill Country in 1892, where he lived out the remainder of his life.
Woodall may have died in Texas (at the ripe age of 84), but his legacy in Mississippi still lives on. In addition to the state high point that still bears his name, a bluegrass band based in Tupelo, named themselves ‘The Woodall Mountain Boys.”
TRIP SUMMARY
Mississippi was the final high point I needed to complete the southeastern part of the US. I’d already completed the rest of the “sweet tea” states (as I call them) including Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee.
The only southern state that eluded me these first two and a half years into my high pointing quest was the Magnolia State.
And so, my January 2021 road trip to Texas was the perfect excuse to finally tick this outlier off my to-do list. After an overnight stay in Huntsville, Alabama, I was ready to nab Woodall Mountain before stopping for lunch in Memphis.
The drive across northern Alabama and Mississippi on Highway 72 was a pleasant departure from the busy interstates we normally take when driving across the South.
There was far less traffic and fewer big rigs surrounding us. But truth be told, the geography of the area was still pretty boring.
Getting to Woodall Mountain from the nearby town Luka was super easy. It’s less than a 4-mile detour from the highway. Plus, the route was exceptionally well-signed at each turn. It was nearly impossible to get lost. (Thank you Luka!)
The final turn onto County Road 185 took us up an extremely well-maintained dirt road toward the summit of Woodall Mountain. The road conditions were a welcome sight after our arduous drive up the rugged rural road in Kentucky the prior day!
Initially, I wanted to park at base of County Road 185 and take the 2-mile (roundtrip) walk up to the summit. But, we soon discovered there wasn’t any designated place to park, so we scrapped that plan and drove up instead.
Near the top of the hill, we passed a tall microwave tower before cresting the final peak. Another car was already parked there in the small roundabout that encircles the summit. And standing squarely in the center of the circular drive was a giant boulder with an inset plaque signaling our arrival.
After posing with the rock, I spotted the small post just in front it that held a really cool, bluish survey benchmark.
On the opposite side of the boulder, a black mailbox with the summit register waited for me to add my name and proclaim my this was my 27th state high point.
There weren’t many views to be had from Woodall Mountain, thanks to all the tall trees surrounding the summit.
Nonetheless, a short walk over toward the microwave tower led me to an area that had been clear cut for utility lines. This narrow division in the forest provided a glimpse to the agricultural fields that lay below and the flat expanse of northern Mississippi beyond.
At a mere 806 feet above sea level, I didn’t expect much more from my visit. Yet, I was overjoyed to tick another easy high point off my bucket list. The higher my tally gets, the fewer of these uncomplicated “drive up” peaks remain.
DETAILS
When to Visit: Woodall Mountain is accessible year-round. However, you may want to be mindful about wandering too far into the trees during hunting season (November 21-January 20).
Getting There: Mississippi’s highest point sits in the far northeast corner of the state – only 7 miles from the Alabama border and 15 miles from the Tennessee border. The closest medium-sized town is Tupelo, Mississippi, located approximately 50 miles to the south.
Entrance Fees: None.
Parking: There is a large parking circle at the summit that can accommodate about a dozen cars. However, there are no bathroom facilities.
Accessibility: This drive-up high point is suitable for any ability level.
Bonus: If you’re making your way to Woodall Mountain, then chances are, you either came from Memphis, TN (120 miles west) or Huntsville, AL (100 miles east). Both of these cities have some fantastic museums that are definitely worth the stop if you have time. Two of my favorites are the National Civil Rights Museum (in downtown Memphis), US Space and Rocket Center (in Huntsville). And if you’re looking for more of an outdoor learning experience, the Shiloh Battlefield and National Military Park is about 30 miles to the north
Resources:
- Overview of Woodall Mountain (Summit Post)
- Woodall Mountain – aka Yow Mountain (Tennessee River Valley Geotourism)