Hiking to History: Where to Find and Climb Indiana’s Highest Point

I recently wrote an article about a map from the 1940s that illustrates all of the landmarks and attractions throughout Indiana. I found it very interesting to see what other people considered interesting nearly 80 years ago. One landmark, in particular, that caught my eye is the highest point in Indiana. It got me wondering if the highest point back in the 1940s is still the highest point today.

READ MORE: 75-Year-Old Map Highlights Indiana Landmarks and Attractions in the 1940s

Where Is the Highest Point in Indiana?

The old map doesn't list a name or exact location for the highest point, it just says it's "east of Lynn, in Randolph County." It didn't take me long to figure out that that area is still home to the highest point in Indiana, although it now has a name. Rising to 1,257 feet above the Earth, HOOSIER HILL is the highest point in the Hoosier state and has been recognized as such since 1936.

Can I Climb Hoosier Hill?

Visitors to Hoosier Hill are more than welcome to climb to the top, although the term "climb" might be a bit misleading. Here is a first-hand account from one thrill-seeking daredevil who made the trek up Hoosier Hill...

How Does Hoosier Hill Compare?

This part of the country is known for being kinda flat, so Indiana's highest point does all right compared to our neighbors to the east and west. The highest point in Illinois is Charles Mound at 1,235 feet above sea level. The highest point in Ohio is Campbell Hill with an elevation of 1,549 feet. Our friends across the river in Kentucky, though, take things to a new height. The Bluegrass state's highest point is Black Mountain, and is 4,140 feet above sea level - that's more than three times as tall as Hoosier Hill. And nothing in our area of the country compares to the highest point in America - at an elevation of 20,310 feet, that honor belongs to a mountain called Denali.