Deseret Peak Wilderness

Deseret Peak Wilderness
IUCN categoryIb (wilderness area)
Deseret Peak
Location in Utah Location in United States
Location	Tooele County, Utah,USA
Nearest city	Grantsville, UT
Coordinates	40°27′50″N112°37′45″W
Area	25,212 acres (102.03 km2)
Established	September 18, 1984
Governing body	U.S. Forest Service

TheDeseret Peak Wildernessis located in theStansbury MountainsofTooele County,Utah,United Statesnear the towns ofTooeleandGrantsville,not far from theGreat Salt Lake.It is part of theWasatch-Cache(of late the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache) National Forest. This semi-arid wilderness is part of theGreat Basinecosystem. Elevations range from about 6,000 feet (1,800 meters) to the top ofDeseret Peak'slimestoneescarpment at 11,031 feet (3,362 m). In this high country, with barrenSkull Valleyto the west, you'll find some springs and intermittent creeks, despite the general dryness of the area.

The Stansbury Mountains occupy a biological transition zone from theGreat Basinto theRocky Mountains.Much of the wilderness isalpine,with open basins and barren rocky ridges. From December through May, you can expect the upper elevations to be covered in snow.Douglas-fir,alpine fir andaspenare commonly found growing on high north-facing slopes.Juniper,mountain brush,sagebrush,and grass cover much of the lower terrain. Cattle are still allowed to graze on range allotments in portions of the area.

The summit ofDeseret Peakoffers a splendid 360-degree view. Backpackers and horse packers enjoy this area. Hunters come in search ofmule deer.Some very steep terrain is traversed by the trails. Deseret Peak Wilderness has about five system trails totaling approximately 19 miles (31 km). South Willow Canyon is the most popular trailhead. Access is limited on the west, where the Skull ValleyGoshuteReservation is adjacent to the wilderness.

The Deseret Peak Wilderness was a late addition to theUtah Wilderness Act of 1984.The original Stansbury MountainsRARE IIroadless areawas contiguous toBureau of Land Management(BLM) wildlands on both north and south. AdjacentForest Serviceroadless areas and BLMwilderness study areasremain eligible for designation aswilderness.

See also

• National Wilderness Preservation System
• List of U.S. Wilderness Areas
• Wilderness Act

References

• Lynna P. Howard,Utah's Wilderness Areas: The Complete Guide(Westcliffe Publishers, 2005)ISBN1-56579-388-9
• Bill Cunningham & Polly Burke,Wild Utah: A Guide to 45 Roadless Recreation Areas(Falcon Publishing, 1998)ISBN1-56044-616-1

External links

• Wilderness.net: Deseret Peak Wilderness
• Google Maps satellite view
• U.S. Geological Survey Mapat the U.S. Geological Survey Map Website. Retrieved April 11, 2023.