Hard-to-Visit Counties
If you're new at County Collecting, you may wish to [CLICK HERE ] for some general hints about how to find counties.
Here's how to visit some counties that are difficult to get to:
- ALASKA (No counties, but Boroughs and Census areas.)
If you just want to set foot in Alaska, take the paved 400 mile drive west of Prince George, to Hyder, Alaska (Prince of Wales-Outer Ketchikan CA). The road from Canada into Skagway passes through only Skagway-Hoonah-Angoon CA. However, the road into Haines passes through the village of Klukwan, which (at the moment) is an enclave in Skagway-H-A CA. Otherwise, that road passes only through Haines Borough. (Haines is trying to annex Klukwan).
- Arizona: COCONINO
SR-260, both east and west of Payson, cuts the NW corner. If you're in western Arizona, you can get both Coconino and YAVAPAI on old SR-66 from Kingman. Go east 5 miles past Peach Springs, to enter Coconino. Then three miles more, turn right and go one mile to Yavapai line, and you've just done about a quarter of Arizona.
- Arkansas: DESHA
Can be reached from Mississippi side, about 3 miles off SR-1, through Concordia MS.
- Arkansas: LEE
Can be reached from the Mississippi side, but longish and hard to find. About ten miles west of Tunica, on Riverbend Road.
- California: ALPINE
SR-108 does pass through Alpine Co. (at Sonora Pass), althugh on most maps, it doesn't look like it. However, 108 misses Alpine further west, just west of Dardanelle.
- California: LAKE
Nothing clips the corner. All you can do is drive in, and then retrace your steps. Closest point is the SR-16/20 junction in Colusa Co. One alternative is turn east at Novato, and take SR-29 to Lakeport, then back onto 101, if you need all the counties north of SF.
- California: SANTA CRUZ
Easiest way from 101 is the SR-129 exit. Follow 129 (Chittenden Rd.) about 2.5 miles, just across railroad tracks.
- California: TULARE
From 99, exit in Kingsburg and follow 10th St. south 1.2 miles. You'll pass into, and then out of Tulare Co. at the junction of Elkhorn Rd, which turns west and goes to SR-43.
- Colorado: ELBERT
Add Elbert from SR-94 on the Kutch Road, between Rush and Punkin Center. This is a good gravel road, which crosses the Elbert line about three miles up. The green sign saying "Road 2A" is in Elbert County.
- Colorado: GILPIN
The only I-70 exit that accesses Gilpin is 244, which is US-6 East. Go about 3 miles on US-6 toward Denver/Golden, and turn left on SR-119. The county line is less than 100 yards up 119, but US-6 sidesteps Gilpin. However, do not overlook the fact that SR-72 cuts into the northeast corner of Gilpin County.
- Colorado: HINSDALE
There is a road all the way through---SR-149, but that's about 149 miles, and you're commited to it all the way. Easier to turn north on Piedra Road, at the west edge of Pagosa Springs. The well-signposted Hinsdale county line is 16 miles up this road. The first 5 miles are blacktop, then the rest is wide gravel, with no dust, few washboards, no steep ascents, no sharp curves. Just inside Hinsdale, there are some lovely National Forest campgrounds, and it usually doesn't snow there (7800 feet) until about Christmas. Do not attempt the road from Ouray to Lake City. It's 4-wheel-drive, and they really mean it.
- Florida: MONROE
No need to go all the way to the keys to visit Monroe County. There's a decent but unpaved jog off the Tamiami Trail (US-41) called CR-94. Total length is 24 miles. Turn south 17 miles east of SR-29 at Carnestown, or at the first curve westbound out of Miami, 22 miles west of SR-997.
- Georgia: FANNIN
A paved road passes through about 300 yards of the western corner of Fannin County. That's the old SR-2 from Cisco, near the TN line, down to SR-2. Ask locally how to find this road. This road also passes through GILMER, if you're going on to Chatsworth on SR-2.
- Idaho: LEMHI
Hard to reach while doing Idaho, so you might as well get it while you're in Montana, at the junction of US-93 and Mont-43.
The last mile of 43 is in Idaho, but the junction is just back into RAVALLI Montana. US-93 does not enter BEAVERHEAD Montana, so if going north ID to MT on 93, you'll have to go at least 2 miles down 43 into Beaverhead, where the border is unmarked.
- Illinois: DUPAGE
I-294 does not enter DuPage County, and nearly all exits are tangled nightmares when you try to return. Best bet might be Ogden Avenue exit---go west, then U-turn and get back on.(Fliers note: the SW ends of O'Hare runways and taxiways are in DuPage.)
- Illinois: JO DAVIESS
If you're going from Iowa into Wisconsin, take US-20 east in Dubuque. In Illinois, follow SR-35 up into Wisconsin, where you can follow signs back onto US-151.
- Illinois: RANDOLPH
From St. Mary Missouri, turn off US-61 east onto Highway U, which immediately enters a part of Illinois that is now west of the Mississippi.
- Kentucky: CARLISLE
From Missouri, east of SR-77 at junction of D. Go 1.5 miles, and take road south just past sharp right onto Levee Rd. Go one mile to KY.
- Kentucky: HICKMAN
From Missouri side, SR-80 at ferry landing, yhen go about one mile south on Wolf Island Road.
- Kentucky: GARRARD
I-75 misses it. At Berea, take exit 76. SR-21 stays in Madison County, but 2 miles down, SR-954 turns left and immediately enters Garrard.
- Kentucky: OHIO RIVER COUNTIES
The Ohio river is entirely in Kentucky. So if you step off the riverbank into the water in Ohio, you're in Kentucky.
- Kentucky: OWEN
MIssed by I-71 and I-75. From I-75, exit 144, go west. After about a mile, SR-330 becomes the county line road, Owen on your left. From I-71, several exits about 4 miles from the county line.
- Louisiana: PLAQUEMINES
Only a little of metro New Orleans in Plaquemines Parish. From the West-Bank Expressway (Bus-90), exit at Gretna and go south on Belle Chasse Highway (La-23) about 3 miles. Just past Lopalco Blvd/Behrman Hwy, and before the Intracoastal Waterway bridge, you'll enter Plaquemines Parish.
- Louisiana: EAST CARROLL
From Mississippi side, about 7 miles from SR-465 at Magna Vista.
- Louisiana: TENSAS
From Mississippi side, about 12 miles off Natchez Trace SR-553 exit.
- Maryland: ST. MARYS
The entire Potomac River is in Maryland, right up to the Virginia shore. So if you step into the water east of Stratford Hall, Westmoreland Co. Virginia, you're in St. Mary's County, Maryland. Same goes for ST. CHARLES County, so you can save the drive south from Washington.
- Massachusets: NOTE
Massachusetts is downgrading counties to a virtually irrelevant status. Historical Mass counties are no longer shown on the state road maps, and are not signposted. But Towns are, and you can determine county lines by the location of the relevant town lines.
- Massachusetts: BARNSTABLE
The county line is actually a mile or two north of the Buzzards Bay bridges, so the rotary is in Barnstable.
- Massachusetts: DUKES
Harder to do than Nantucket, because parking is a nightmare around Wood's Hole. After turning off at West Falmouth on the road to Wood's Hole, watch for Vineyard Parking, where you can take a shuttle to the ferry. Be sure to plan ahead by getting the brochures about the ferries. But reservations are rarely required for late-arriving foot passengers.
- Massachusetts: NANTUCKET
If you're only going for the day, there is a free municipal parking lot in downtown Hyannis Port, about three blocks west of the ferry terminal. It's for shoppers in the downtown area, but no problem to park there all day while you're on the boat, and take the short walk to the ferry. There is a ferry from Nantucket to Martha's Vineyard, and you can make the circle trip if you leave for Nantucket by 8-am. Not well publicised, so ask about it.
- Michigan: GLADWIN
Missed by both I-75 and US-10. From I-75, take the exit-202 ramps to the west side, and follow Alger Road straight west 2 miles. From US-10, look for the corner of Herrick Road (just north of Loomis exit) and Coleman Road (Coleman exit). One mile north of Herrick/Coleman corner is Gladwin County.
- Michigan: KEWEENAW
No short-cuts here. You have to drive all the way into downtown Moughton, and take the only bridge to Hancock, then drive the 15 miles up US-41 to Ahmeek. And back again.
Alternatively, Isle Royale is in Keweenaw county, and when you make the trip all the way to COOK, Minnesota, you can take the boat over from Grand Portage MN. Daily day-trips in summer, $40.
- Michigan: LEELANAU
In the suburbs of Travere City. Follow US-31 north, and turn left at M-72. After 6 blocks, 72 turns left, away from the lake, and along the county line. Tom's Supermarket is in Leelanau County. M-22 continues along the shore into Leelanau.
- Minnesota: COOK
Nothing to do but just drive out there. As long as you're there, consider the boat from Grand Portage to Isle Royale as an alternative way to get KEWEENAW, Michigan.
- Mississippi: CLAIBORN
From Newellton LA, via LA-4, LA-608, and Yucatan Landing. About 15 miles from US-65.
- Mississippi ISSAQUENA
On US-65, turn south-east in Millikin LA on Delta Road. Go about 1.5 miles, and turn left. The road enters Mississippi after a mile or two, just past Pilcher Point.
- Mississippi: TALLAHATCHIE
Shortest route in from I-55 is from exit 227, about 2.6 miles, just past the edge of Oakland. Exiting at 233 looks closer, but very indirect.
- Mississippi: TUNICA
SR-3 passes through Tunica between Sarah and Askew, so you can hit Tunica, even if you're taking SR-4 to/from Senatobia.
- Missouri: MISSISSIPPI
I-55 misses it. Exit 67, then 2.5 miles east on US-62, to the CC intersection, within MIssissippi County.
- Montana: BEAVERHEAD/RAVALLI
See Idaho: LEMHI
- Montana: MINERAL
If you're on US-12, there's a driveable mountain road that goes 3 miles up to Mineral County, from Lolo Hot Springs. Ask in Lolo for directions to Fish Creek Road. I did this many years ago.
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Nebraska to Wyoming
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