Wasatch Plateau, Utah

A sign on Skyline Drive 7 miles south of highway 31

Black Mtn el 10782

The southern tip of Ferron Mtn. A trail runs on that.

Marys Nipple

The rim of South Horn Mountain is infested with fissures. A cow perished in one.

 

⦁ SKYLINE DRIVE runs 100 miles along the top of the plateau. Highway 31 is the best paved access. The section between highway 31 and highway 6, which departs 31 at mp 8.5, is graded with a lot of shady camps and some with a Verizon signal but not much hiking potential. The section running south from highway 31 at mp 13.5 goes for 75 or 80 miles to either I-70 or Salina and is mostly easy high clearance with just a few easy 4wd spots along the way. Cars can do the first 7 miles. The best plan is to take a week or two of dry weather and run the whole southern section in a 4wd. Utahmountainbiking.com has details about how to ride the route. An ebike with a spare battery might make it. A shorter ride would be to go down Ephraim Canyon. It's paved to el 8294. The first good water I saw on Skyline was passing under the road at the Cedar Creek tunnel near Lowry Top. Posted 2021.

⦁   SKYLINE DUAL SPORT RIDES - I rode my cycle north from 31 for 20 miles to a sign for Scofield. I took that road, which turned out to be easy 4wd, down to the town. It has a store with gas. Another ride I did was south from 31 on Skyline Drive which departs at mp 13.5. The first 7 miles is improved and good for cars then it's in the hands of a timber company that was grading from there. At about 28 miles or so from 31 I turned down a good road to Joe's Reservoir then took the good Miller Flat Rd back to 31 and then back to the start. That was about 70 miles. Posted 2021.

⦁ LOWRY TOP el 11136 has a trail, formerly a wagon road. Take Skyline Drive south from highway 31 for about 15 miles to a crappy road at N39 26722, W111 20377. Take that for half a mile to the end at the TH el 10600. A good spring is there and two trails. The correct one is to the left above the spring. It goes to el 10900 then it's an easy stroll to the reg at 25655, 19232. It's easy to walk the main ridge for a mile and a half to a cairn on the north summit at 26745, 19954 el 11101. Then retrace back to 26409, 19883 el 10950 then down to an elk trail at 26306, 19977 el 10650 that leads to the start. 2 hours, nearly 1000 gain, all easy. I could do this route in shorts. Posted 2021.

⦁ SOUTH TENT MOUNTAIN el 11285 is the high point of the plateau.  An ancient road up North Tent makes for an easy loop to both peaks. The road up Ephraim Canyon is paved to the Lake Hill Campground el 8294. A hiker drove a car on up to Skyline Drive then on to the peaks. Another way in is to come south from highway 31 on for 21 miles. A car could make the first 8 miles then ebike the rest. The old road up North Tent is at N39 24001, W111 22607 el 10750. It shows on the sat image and there is a Verizon signal there. It goes for 200 feet then angles to the right then back to the left and tops out  at el 11200 between the twin summits. I saw no reg or tent. It's easy to walk the main ridge to South Tent at 23529, 21458. Then retrace to the main saddle and drop to an elk trail at 23791, 21979 el 10650 that goes down to Becks Ditch. I filled at a good spring there reading 23763, 22045 el 10500 then walked the ditch back out. 2 hours, 11 minutes with 1200 gain, all easy. Some light brush. SANPETE BM el 11018 is not far south along Skyline. It's a short walk to the reg at 22455, 24260. Posted 2021.

⦁ WAGON ROAD RIDGE is one of the longer ridges branching off Skyline Drive. Turn onto FR2 at N39 17613, W111 26656. It goes 10 miles to a good view at the end of the ridge. 4wd is needed and it's mostly ebikeable. Posted 2021.

⦁ LAKE MOUNTAIN el 10560+ has an OHV trail to the top. Turn off Skyline Drive onto FR2328 at N39 14848, W111 27188. It ends in a third mile at a camp area then the OHV trail follows the ridge up. Easy hike. Posted 2021.

⦁ COVE MOUNTAIN el 10666 has a crappy road. I turned back in a mile. Posted 2021.

⦁ HELIOTROPE MOUNTAIN el 11130 is an easy hike one way from the north down to Skinners Reservoir. Take the good road from Twelvemile Campground and leave a vehicle or ebike on the west side of the reservoir where FR2265 forks left. Then drive north on Skyline Drive from the campground for .8 mile then go right on easy 4wd for a half mile to the end el 10450. It's easier footing to walk the base to a wooded slope then go up and walk easy tundra to the reg at N39 06983, W111 27232. Then walk a game trail on the main ridge to Heliotrope Point. It goes along the left side of peak 11009 then stays low on a wide open shelf along the right side of peak 10840+ then on to a safe looking pipe spring at 05970, 26650 el 10700. It's another third mile to Heliotrope Point then retrace a quarter mile and go down the big drainage toward the reservoir on a game trail. At bottom, go right along the base to a bulldozer track at 05753, 26772 el 9950 then to a game trail at 05738, 26885 el 9900 that leads a few feet to an old road that goes to a huge clearing. Just go down the clearing to the second vehicle. 3 hours, 20 minutes, maybe 600 strenuous gain. There is a tenth mile of light brush near the end. This is the best hike I found on the plateau. It's nearly pristine.  Running the crest to Ferron Mountain then down that trail looks feasible. The real trail drops down a canyon at 06700, 21743 next to point 10331 and meets FR2267. The topo shows a fake trail in the next canyon to the west. It would be an easy 12 mile shuttle on FR43 with an ebike when dry. Posted 2021.

⦁ FERRON MOUNTAIN el 10720+ is  covered with trails. Take FR43 along the south side to FR2267 at N39 05997, W111 21812. Go about 1.2 miles on easy 4wd to the end el 9800 at a canyon. A good trail goes up the left side of the canyon to the crest then cow trails lead to a trail at 06971, 22002 el 10500. It goes along the 10550 level to a hidden fork. The left fork reading 07163, 22530 is the fastest way. Leave that trail and go into a saddle at 07353, 23288 el 10650 and then it's another fifth mile to the high point where I found a rock chair but that's it. One option for the return is to run the crest to the south point using a manmade trail. Go over the top of peak 10567 then on to the trail at 05813, 20543 el 10450. It's easy to follow to the point at a cattleguard on FR314. An ebike there makes for an easy ride back for 3 or 4 miles. It's a 3 hour hike with 1000 gain to go up the peak and back the same way. Returning on the crest is about 5 hours with a shuttle which I didn't have and so it came out to 6 hours. Cattle, fences and terraces are eyesores that plague this hike. FR43 is a good road but for one 4wd spot north of Blue Lake.  Posted 2021.

⦁ MOUNT BALDY el 10918 is an easy one. Take Skyline Drive south from Twelvemile Campground for half a mile then turn on FR2257. That road ends in a third mile at el 10300 then go up an obvious elk trail angling up to the right then head for a better trail at N39 07111, W111 30059 el 10650. It goes up the south ridge then it's a stroll on a pristine plateau to the reg at 07578, 30608. 2 hours, 700 gain. Posted 2021.

⦁ BLOCK MOUNTAIN el 10782 is an easy one. FR2255 departs Skyline Drive on the west side of the peak. It goes half a mile to the SW saddle el 10500. Game trails at N39 04273, W111 29435 el 10550 go up to the summit plateau then it's a stroll to the summit at 04194, 29306. I couldn't even find a cairn. I took a direct route back down. 1 hour, 300 gain. Posted 2021.

⦁ WHITE MOUNTAIN el 10825 is miles long and who knows where the high point is. Leave Skyline Drive on FR161 at N39 03273, W111 30766. It's a decent road for 4 miles then it goes left up a short hill that needs 4wd. It goes on to a sharp right turn where a closed road heads toward BLACK MOUNTAIN el 10782. Walk that then move left across the drainage to a trail that makes it easy to get to the east side of the peak. Start up to the cliffs at 00605, 29450 and walk the base up to a class 2 gully that tops out at 00652, 29477. Then go left to the reg placed a year earlier. 80 minutes and about 300 noticeable gain. The road goes on to a closed right fork on the south rim that runs 2 miles nearly level to the east point of the mountain at 00573, 27057 el 10700. Great views there. Point 10825 at N38 59845, W111 29412 is what peakbagger has as the summit. A short spur road goes within 400 feet of it. Survey junk is there but no other sign of humanity. The 5 and and half miles of road here are ebikeable and that's half the fun. PEAK 11071 can be done on the drive out. Return to Skyline Drive and cross over it to FR1271. That road soon ends then it's a short hike to the summit. A new book and glass jar is needed for the reg. This has gotta be the easiest 11000 footer in the state. Posted 2021.

⦁ MARYS NIPPLE el 10984 has a popular trail up the north ridge. I used FR9 coming in from I-70 at the exit near mp 74. It's a decent road that runs north from I-70 for 13 miles to a T at FR1 which is Skyline Drive. A free campground el 7300 is about 5 miles in with a gushing spring. Cars can make it there then ebike the rest. I went right on FR1 for about 5 miles to a secret road at N39 03520, W111 33235. It's easy 4wd for a third mile to where the trail forks left at el 9800. The summit is at 02184, 34668. Just before there is a 6 foot high class 3 move. A narrow crack next to it might work for some. 3 hours, 1300 gain, the last 400 goes parabolic. BULL VALLEY  MOUNTAIN el 9318 can be done on the drive out. Drive back to FR9 but stay on FR1 another 4 or 5 miles to FR4, aka Water Hollow Rd, at a restroom. It's a decent road for a dozen miles to I-70. Along the way at N38 57062, W111 38979, next to peak 8336, is a smooth ATV trail that goes a mile and a half to a fence on the south ridge el 9000. A trail goes up along the left side of the fence to a log fence el 9150. An ancient road follows that fence to a gate and elk trail at 03153, 33833 el 9050. The trail goes up to a clearing then head for a gap in the scrub at 57905, 37264 el 9300 and the BM is another 200 feet ahead. 1 hour, a bit over 300 gain, some light brush. The ancient road connects to FR4 a mile north of the ATV trail and might be walkable. STEVES MOUNTAIN has an ATV trail too but I didn't have time this trip. Posted 2021.

⦁ ORDER MOUNTAIN el 9574 has a decent ATV trail switching up the west ridge by way of point 7610. Take Canyon Rd from the post office out of Mayfield for 1.7 miles to a sign for Twelvemile WMA then go south on a formerly graded road but now rutted. At N39 02961, W111 41710 el 6550, go left then take the next left to a fork at 03088, 40651 el 7000. Go right and then on to within a fifth mile of the summit. Ebikes could get to el 7000 but then it steepens and gets iffy. Posted 2021.

⦁ BEAVER CREEK ROAD - this 4wd road departs the Twelvemile Creek road near Mayfield. I rode my 125 up it past Woods Lake to Skyline Drive then went north to FR13 where I dropped down to Blue Lake then on to Henningson Reservoir and back up to Skyline Drive then down Twelvemile Creek road back to the start. The Beaver Creek road is the only one needing 4wd. Blue Lake is the best looking lake. FR32 is a jeep road that departs the Twelvemile Creek road at Spring Hill. I rode to Birch BM with no problem but the road up to Black Mountain is terrible. Posted 2021.

⦁ BLACK MOUNTAIN el 10900+ is on the north rim of Twelvemile Creek. An OHV trail runs the length of it but it's hard to get up the rim, so few do.  I could have drove a car out of Twelvemile on FR47 into the east saddle el 10132. That's too short a hike so I made a loop down the Black Hole. I started out on a faint logging road at N39 09165, W111 29975 el 10200. It goes along the base at 09155, 30301 then ends at el 10400. I then zigzagged up 400 feet to the main ridge then to the east point where the OHV trail ends. The high point is around there but I couldn't even find a cairn, likely because this peak isn't on any trendy lists. I walked the trail a bit over a mile then dropped to game trails in the Black Hole at 10080, 31761 el 10550. I stayed far right on the unsteepest trail. They all lead down to a murky lake at el 10200 where sheep graze. I walked the main trail on down to el 10000 then stayed on the right side of the drainage and soon FR1149 el 9400 came into view. I went down that to a T el 8950 where there could be two options. I could stay right on FR1149 a short way to the main road on Twelvemile Creek if I had an ebike stashed there. But I didn't so I went left at the T on FR1150 and on thru the Grove of the Aspen Giants. I've seen groves that good without the graffiti. Soon it opened up and I could see the Twelvemile road and I turned left going cross country for less than a fifth mile to a game trail at 08677, 30404 that goes level to FR47. I walked back on that then at el 9800 I shortcutted a switchback on an old road. That took 4 hours with about 2000 gain but the 400 near the top is the only strenuous part. There are some itchy plants but it's 95 percent shorts. FR47 goes on down Sixmile Canyon to Sterling but it's iffy for cars. Posted 2021.

⦁ BALD MOUNTAIN el 8461 has an OHV trail to the top. Take paved Ephraim Canyon road to FR51. A car can make FR51 to the east side of the peak where the trail is obvious. FR51 goes on to Camp Utibaca then branches off to the left where it becomes 4wd. It can be followed to Manti Mountain el 9275 but I was stopped by a quagmire where FR1092 forks north. I made a  U-turn and rode into the north fork of Manti Canyon and on up to Skyline Drive but hit a lot of bumpy little rocks on FR1115. Ebikes should make it to Manti Mountain. Posted 2021. 

⦁ HELL HOLE RIDGE - I took the Ephraim Canyon road to FR114 el 9000 then followed the topo to the north tip of the ridge. Then I came down the good but steep New Canyon road. This is all ebikeable with good brakes. No cattle is this area. Posted 2021.

⦁ HAYSTACK MOUNTAIN el 10381 - FR350 departs the Ephraim Canyon road at el 9950 and goes past Haystack then past MIDDLE MOUNTAIN and ends at the west tip of SOUTH MOUNTAIN. It's easy 4wd and ebikeable. Posted 2021.

⦁ MILKY FALLS el 8400 is in the south fork of Manti Canyon and shows on the topo. A trail along the main road at N39 14615, W111 31377  leads a tenth mile to the falls. No big deal but it's an excuse to take an ebike ride from Manti. Posted 2021.

⦁ MONUMENT PEAK el 10452 has a road all the way. Take highway 264 to mp 10.7 at the county line. Turn south on a graded FR18 and go about 8 miles to a 4wd road on the left that cuts back a third mile to a repeater on the summit at N39 36872, W111 10579. FR18 goes on 2 miles then an easy 4wd road continues for 2 and a half more miles to the end at peak 10185. I rode back to the highway and down to mp 15.3 where highway 96 goes to the town of Clear Creek. At the edge of town I turned on graded Barn Canyon Rd and that took me to Nuck Woodward Canyon. I followed a good high clearance road down that to highway 31. Posted 2021.

⦁ CANDLAND MOUNTAIN el 10367 has a good trail from the north. Take highway 31 to the TH el 8950 at mp 21.2 then walk it to a saddle a quarter mile before the peak. Get off that trail and follow a game trail up the ridge to the reg at N39 33841, W111 12542. 3 hours, 1400 gain, good views. Posted 2021.

⦁ EAST BENCHMARK, SEELEY MOUNTAIN - these peaks have trails within 400 feet of the summits. The Horse Canyon Trail runs between them and connects highway 31 to the graded Miller Flat Rd. I used the latter TH because it's 1200 feet higher. It's near where the topo shows at N39 29300, W111 14440 el 8800. It goes to the main saddle el 9600 between the peaks. A secret trail then runs north and splits. I stayed right because it's the most used. At 30138, 13052 el 9950 I left the trail and went up an open slope and angled left then right and on to the summit at 30331, 12889 el 10360. I retraced to the main saddle and followed the trail south to a fork at 29198, 13127 el 10000 then stayed right. The trail fades at el 10400 but not needed to the BM at 28526, 13019 el 10743. That took 4 hours, 41 minutes with 2800 gain. The only water was a stream crossing the trail at el 9200. I could do this in shorts. The trail is open to mtn bikes but only the first mile is easy. I saw a couple at el 10000 riding south but that's out of my league. Posted 2021.

⦁ SOUTH HORN MOUNTAIN el 8665 is south of Joes Valley Res. Drive south on a paved road along the west side of the reservoir. It turns graded then keep going on it for 11 miles or so to FR21 reading N39 11265, W111 14319. There is just one main road going south to the rim in a bit over 5 miles to a stand of pines that make for outstanding camping. It's easy 4wd and ebikeable but for a half mile or so of sand. The road goes along the rim for half a mile then fades and it's an easy stroll for half a mile to the south point. A 1921 marker is there at 07064, 12334. The high point is the other direction. It's an easy rim walk to it at 08071, 11399. I couldn't find anything. The best part is to keep walking east a half mile toward peak 8575 to a flat with the best views. A cow went out there but never returned. I saw a skeleton in a fissure at 08092, 11027. NORTH NORN MOUNTAIN el 9665 has a logging road up the west rim of The Cap that makes for an easy loop. Stay on the main road for 1.3 miles past FR21 to FR20. Go left on smooth 4wd that ebikes should make. The road tops out at a T el 9050 in nearly 2 miles. I parked there but should have turned west for another fifth mile. I walked from the T for .6 mile to FR2133 then went up that and got on the logging road at 12918, 13758 el 9250. It goes under Cap BM then north to get on top. I then came back to the west rim and walked to the BM at 13016, 14359 el 9630. I then had the easiest rim walk under the sun for a mile to the reg at 13092,13181. I dropped off to the east and back to the start. 2 hours with 600 noticeable gain. A detour to the north point el 9550 of The Cap would be a mile and a quarter each way. The main road goes on east 5 miles to towers on the rim with great views. Posted 2021.