Deseret Peak Wilderness Area
Location:
|
North Central Utah, west of Tooele and Grantsville, Utah |
USGS Quad:
|
Deseret Peak East, Deseret Peak West, North Willow and Salt
Mountain
|
Difficulty:
|
Moderate to severe with elevations from just under 5,500
feet to over 11,000 feet. Trails are easy to follow, but may
cross extremely rough terrain at high elevations. |
Use
|
Light to moderately heavy, heaviest on weekends and during
hunting seasons. |
Weather:
|
Summer temperatures can range from near 90 degrees in the
daytime to below 40 degrees at night. Occasional summer thunderstorms
can be expected. |
In a Nut Shell
The Deseret Peak Wilderness was established by Congress
in 1984 with the passage of the Utah Wilderness Act. Located within
the Stansbury Mountain range, the
Deseret Peak Wilderness consists of approximately 25,508 acres and
is generally bounded on the north by Pass Canyon drainage, on the
south by Vickory Mountain, on the west by Skull Valley and on the
east by the Mack Canyon-Big Hollow Trail.
It takes about an hour to drive
to the most popular entry point, the trailhead at the Loop Campground
in South Willow Canyon. You may also enter from Martin's Fork, Bear
Trap Fork, and the North Willow Canyon area on the east side of
the range. The west side does not offer an easy access to the wilderness.
The area is quite dry and is often used for horse packing, backpacking,
and day hiking.
The biggest attraction is the 11,031 foot
Deseret Peak. There is also a herd of wild
horses occupying Big Creek Canyon.
The semi-arid Deseret Peak Wilderness is dominated
by rugged terrain and high peaks, including Deseret Peak. Much of
the higher elevation is alpine, characterized by open basins and
exposed rocky ridges. Vegetation includes dense mountain brush mixed
with sagebrush and grass. Patches of various firs, juniper, and
aspen are common in isolated patches on north facing slopes. Snow
remains in some areas until early summer.
The management
area provides forage for cattle on parts of three allotments.
The most popular uses include hiking, picnicking, hunting, and horse
riding. The area is the source of culinary and irrigation water
for nearby communities and farms.
To preserve and protect the physical and aesthetic
environment, National Forest wilderness areas are closed to motor
vehicles, mechanized equipment, hang gliders, and bicycles. Please
help protect wilderness for future generations by learning and practicing "No-Trace" camping and hiking techniques.
The following acts are prohibited in
the Deseret Peak Wilderness Area: Group sizes exceeding 10 persons,
camping within 200 feet of lakes, streams, springs, or other water
sources, camping within 200 feet of trails, camping for more than
3 days at one site, short cutting a trail switchback, and disposing
of garbage, debris, or other waste.
For further information,
please contact the Salt Lake Ranger District at (801) 236-3400
or
the Public Lands Information Center at (801) 466-6411.
|