Colorado's high point is Mt. Elbert, at 14,433 feet. Alaska, Mt. McKinley, 20,320 feet. Maine New Hampshire, Mt. Washington, 6,288.

Ohio, Campbell Hill, 1,549 feet.

We may not have legendary peaks, but being altitudinally-challenged has its benefits. For example, you can drive your car most of the way to the top, although you'll still have a rugged 20' or so climb up the sidewalk to our state's high spot. There are rarely glaciers. Helicopter rescues for stranded climbers are almost unknown, and no ascent deaths have been recorded.

On the other hand, many other states do more to keep their terra ultima a bit more attractive. The tanks and antenna farm add little ambience to the spot.

Campbell Hill, near Bellefontaine in Logan County, might strike some as an odd place to find the top of Ohio. The surrounding terrain on all sides is rather flat, while southern and eastern Ohio is much more rugged, and one has more of a sense of altitude change there.

The reason the high spot is here is that beneath the soil of Campbell Hill lies an upthrusting of eastern shale bedrock called the Bellefontaine Outlier. Here, the retreating glaciers would hang up on the outlier and leave behind end moraines, including the one that forms Campbell Hill.

A second effect of the Bellefontaine outlier is that the soil of the moraine, being loose glacial till, allows water to percolate down through it easily. When that water reaches the bedrock, it flows south following the general tilt of our state, emerging as springs as it flows. Thus, if you follow a map south from Bellefontaine, you'll find a string of towns such as Yellow Springs, Springfield and Spring Valley.

Campbell Hill is on the grounds of the Hi-Point Career Center. The gates are open M-F, and often on weekends. You might give them a call at 937-599-3010 to confirm access.

GPS coordinates: 40º 13' 16" N, 83º 25' 53" W