Mineral Mountains (Utah)
| Mineral Mountains | |
|---|---|
|
The Milford Flat Fire extended to Cove Fort, and mountains east | |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | Granite Peak |
| Elevation | 9,578 ft (2,919 m) |
| Coordinates | 38°22′58″N 112°48′56″W / 38.38278°N 112.81556°W |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 28 mi (45 km) |
| Width | 17 mi (27 km) |
| Geography | |
  Mineral Mountains | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Utah |
| Regions |
((southeast)-Great Basin Desert) ((southeast)-Sevier Desert)) (south)-Black Rock Desert volcanic field (northeast)-Escalante Desert |
| County | Beaver |
| Communities |
List
|
| Range coordinates | 38°22′58″N 112°48′56″W / 38.3828°N 112.8156°WCoordinates: 38°22′58″N 112°48′56″W / 38.3828°N 112.8156°W |
| Borders on |
(Star Range-W) Milford Valley & Milford, UT-W Black Rock Desert volcanic field-NW & NNW Pavant & Tushar Mountains-E Beaver Valley-E & SE Black Mountains-S Escalante Desert-SW & W |
The Mineral Mountains are a 28-mile (45 km) long[1] mountain range located in east Beaver County, Utah. The range is in a transition position. The Escalante Desert is to its southwest, the Black Rock Desert volcanic field is north, and north and northwest adjacent to the volcanic field is the Sevier Desert. The Pavant-Tushar Mountains massif complex lies east.
The west side of the range borders the small Milford Valley, a narrowing between the Star Range west, and the Minerals east; the Beaver River (Utah), turns due-north through Milford, Utah and enters the regions at the northeast of the Esclante Desert, and the southwest of the Black Rock Desert volcanic field. (Black Rock, Utah lies 23-mi north.)[2]
Milford Flat at the Mineral Mountains was the origin of the Milford Flat Fire which burned eastwards beyond Interstate 15 and Cove Fort into the Tushar-Pavant Mountains.
Numerous peaks exist in the range; in the northeast at the headwater region of Cunningham Wash is a small Beaver County Wildlife Management Area.
At the range's east, lies a mostly north-trending, complex shaped Beaver Valley, where the Mineral Mountains form its west and north borders. The valley has Beaver, Utah, the countyseat and the convergence point of numerous streams, creeks, washes and rivercourses; it is the source region of the Beaver River (Utah) before it enters the Escalante Desert.
Description
The range has a north-south length of about 28-mi. The northeast has an off-lying triangular mountain section which causes the north of Beaver Valley to bifurcate. East of the mountain section, I-15 transits to Sulphurdale. The section contains many peaks, with the highest being Gillies Hill, 7,888 feet (2,404 m). The southwest side of the section contains south-flowing Cunningham Wash.
The south-southeast side of the range is a straight stretch from Cunningham Wash, north and the Minersville Reservoir, south, a collection of numerous watercourses from Beaver Valley, and neighboring mountains. Beaver River (Utah) enters the reservoir and leaves flowing due-west at the southern Mineral Mountains terminus. The terminus of the range comes to a V-shaped point; the river stretch, and mountains, are only 4-mi wide from the outlet of the Beaver River at the reservoir. The range then immediately turns into a stretch of southwest foothills, also a short stretch, only about 9-mi long.[3]
The northwest stretch begins at that point, about 7 or 8-mi southeast of Milford; it transts to an east-west stretch at the north, which continues to the outlying mountain section east, and its junction with the west flank of the Pavant-Tushar Mountains massif.
A small, narrow 3-mi wide ridgeline feeds north-northwest from the north stretch; it extends about 6-mi[4] toward the Black Rock Desert volcanic field region, and contains Pinnacle Pass, and a highpoint of Antelope Mountain, 7,230 feet (2,204 m).
Range highpoint
The range highpoint is Granite Mountain (Beaver County, Utah), at 9,578 feet (2,919 m));[5] the peak is located about center-southeast.
Access
One major access route to the Mineral Mountains is Interstate 15 through Beaver Valley and the northeast of the range. Danish Reservoir Road, going due-west from I-15 at Cove Fort, accesses north regions of the range by unimproved roads.
The northwest of the range can be accessed from Milford and Milford Valley by way of unimproved roads. Utah State Route 21 also transits through Milford, due-southeast to Minersville which sits at the range's southwest foothills.
Utah 21 transits from Minersville, through the Beaver River (Sevier River) canyon going due-east; it skirts the southeast side of the Minersville Reservoir, entering southeast Beaver Valley. The reservoir is at the southeast foothills of the range. By wany of unimproved roads, the southeast foothills-(south section) can be accessed from Adamsville located at the reservoir's north. The north section can be accessed by routes from the northwest of Beaver Valley, and the Cunningham Wash region.
A minor, improved route, northeast of Adamsville, and west of Beaver, off Utah 21, The Pass Road, to Soldier Pass, transits southeast-by-northwest through the center of the Mineral Mountains; it exits the range at the west, center foothills and transits northwest to Milford, from the foothills to Milford, about 7-mi distant. The entire route just through the Mineral Mountains itself, is only about 6-mi, thus it forms a "shortcut route", from Beaver, and Beaver Valley townsites, to Milford.
References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sheeprock Mountains. |
External links
- Granite Peak (approx. range center-(southeast)) (coordinates)
- Mineral Mountains, "Utah Western Desert Ranges"