Timm's Hill Trailhead Want to borrow this image for your website or blog? Please read Terms & Conditions.

It's not exactly like climbing to the summit of Denali or Mt. Whitney, but Timm's Hill nonetheless has the noteworthy distinction of being a state highpoint. It's not even a mountain. Wisconsin's greatest elevation is a pile of debris left behind by Ice Age glaciers, a modest 1,951.5 feet above sea level. The moraine sits in a rustic and picturesque northern part of the state in a well maintained county park. In addition to the state highpoint, the park completely surrounds Bass Lake and abuts Timm's Lake. A one-way road rings the entire park with the Timm's Hill parking lot located about halfway around. This sheltered sign greeted visitors at the trailhead. From there it was about a ten minute walk up a modestly inclined forest path. We completed our assault upon this notable summit with two small children in tow and soon found ourselves on Wisconsin's roof.

While the highpoint is the main feature of this 220 acre park, it is by no means the only activity. Fishing is popular, as is hiking portions of the National Ice Age Trail that run through the area. There are also picnic shelters, a swimming beach and public restrooms. Winter brings out cross-country skiers and snowmobiles. It is similar to many of the nice parks I've visited on my journeys but with one unique distinction: it's the only county park in the United States with a State highpoint.

Tower on the Summit Want to borrow this image for your website or blog? Please read Terms & Conditions.

The crest of the hill shouldered two narrow towers offering panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. The wooden tower in this photograph provided the easiest access with a pleasant switchback staircase leading up six levels to an observation deck. A second, scarier steel tower rose just behind the wooden structure. It seemed to be a communication tower. A narrow metal ladder led to a claustrophobic enclosure topped by an antenna. It rose only marginally higher that the wooden tower so we didn't even bother with it. We'd already conquered the summit.

A View from Wisconsin's Roof Want to borrow this image for your website or blog? Please read Terms & Conditions.

This was a typical view from the top of the wooden tower. Forest stretched in all directions, dotted by ponds, farms and country roads. There appeared to be other large hills on the horizon which must have been close to the same altitude, but Timm's Hill still won the prize for being Wisconsin's highest point. This view would not have been possible without the tower. The summit was completely wooded and we wouldn't have been able to see above the treeline otherwise. We enjoyed the view for awhile, took the kids to the playground down by the parking lot, and marked this down as another successful strange geography travel adventure.

To get to Timm's Hill, take Highway 13 to Ogema, then go down Highway 86 east for 5 miles, south on County Road C for about a half-mile, and finally east on Rustic Road 62 for another half-mile. It's marked pretty well so it shouldn't be hard to fine. Or ask for directions in Ogema. Judging by the signs along the main road through town, the local inhabitants take great pride in their geographic distinction and they would surely know how to provide directions.

Earlier in the day we'd visited the nearby 45X90 Spot, half way between the north pole and the equator; half way across the western hemisphere. You may be interested in reading my 45X90 page.

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Resources for Planning your Visit

• Parks in Price County, Wisconsin
• Wikipedia's Timm's Hill page
• SummitPost's Timm's Hill page
• Wisconsin Department of Tourism