Pine Valley Mountains

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Pine Valley Mountains
A photo of St. George with the Pine Valley Mountains in the background
Pine Valley Mountains and St. George
Highest point
Peak Signal Peak
Elevation 10,365 ft (3,159 m)
Coordinates 37°19′11″N 113°29′30″W / 37.3197027°N 113.4916207°W / 37.3197027; -113.4916207Coordinates: 37°19′11″N 113°29′30″W / 37.3197027°N 113.4916207°W / 37.3197027; -113.4916207
Dimensions
Length 35 mi (56 km) N/S
Width 28 mi (45 km) E/W
Area 591 sq mi (1,530 km2)
Geography
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Country United States
State Utah

The Pine Valley Mountains are a mountain range in the U.S. state of Utah spanning Washington County north of the city of St. George.[1] The highest point in the range is Signal Peak at 10,365 feet (3,159 m).[2][3][4] The mountains are part of Dixie National Forest and are bordered to the south by the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area.

Geology

The Pine Valley Mountains formed from the Pine Valle Laccolith, which is the largest laccolith in the United States and perhaps the largest laccolith in the world.[5] The mountains are in the watershed of the Virgin River, a tributary of the Colorado River. Zion National Park can be seen to the east from the mountains.

Wilderness

Part of the range is in the Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness, which at 50,232 acres (20,328 ha) is the fourth largest wilderness in Utah.[6] The 2,643 acres (1,070 ha) Cottonwood Forest Wilderness is located at the southeastern end of the range.[7]

Flora and fauna

The Pine Valley Mountains support spruce-fir forests, including a large stand of virgin Englemann spruce. The mountains also have numerous meadows up to 50 acres (20 ha) in size.[6] Several threatened, endangered, and sensitive species live in the mountains, including Bonneville Cutthroat Trout, Townsend's big-eared bat, and the Pygmy Rabbit, among others.

Recreation

There are numerous opportunities for recreation in the mountains, including hiking, rock climbing, camping, wildlife watching, fishing, hunting, horseback riding, and boating on a reservoir.[8][9]

Peaks

Incomplete list of peaks of the Pine Valley Mountains[3][10]
Mountain Peak Elevation Prominence Isolation Location
Signal Peak !B9919419891991 10,364 ft
3159 m		!B9927796261632 4,485 ft
1367 m		!B9888977532101 41 mi
66 km		 37°19′10″N 113°29′32″W / 37.319537°N 113.492205°W / 37.319537; -113.492205 (Signal Peak)
Burger Peak !B9919461129163 10,322 ft
3146 m		!B9955456527037 282 ft
86 m		!B9930626859187 0.6 mi
1.0 km		 37°19′32″N 113°30′04″W / 37.325469°N 113.501154°W / 37.325469; -113.501154 (Burger Peak)
Big Point !B9919754651283 10,023 ft
3055 m		!B9942764148980 1,004 ft
306 m		!B9907542924841 6 mi
10 km		 37°24′51″N 113°22′51″W / 37.4141°N 113.3809°W / 37.4141; -113.3809 (Big Point)
Gardner Peak !B9920302964167 9,488 ft
2892 m		!B9958568652736 207 ft
63 m		!B9909498283801 5.3 mi
8.5 km		 37°23′29″N 113°27′06″W / 37.391335°N 113.451708°W / 37.391335; -113.451708 (Gardner Peak)
Timber Mountain !B9920806438093 9,022 ft
2750 m		!B9949310957977 522 ft
159 m		!B9912741679434 3.8 mi
6.2 km		 37°28′15″N 113°23′46″W / 37.4708°N 113.3961°W / 37.4708; -113.3961 (Timber Mountain)
Mount Baldy !B9920949271505 8,894 ft
2711 m		!B9953178687728 354 ft
108 m		!B9920240916398 1.8 mi
2.9 km		 37°25′53″N 113°20′11″W / 37.4314°N 113.3364°W / 37.4314; -113.3364 (Mount Baldy)
Rencher Peak !B9921068011304 8,789 ft
2679 m		!B9945446788846 768 ft
234 m		!B9917160006957 2.5 mi
4.0 km		 37°30′06″N 113°24′41″W / 37.5016°N 113.4114°W / 37.5016; -113.4114 (Rencher Peak)
Snow Benchmark !B9925627936331 5,571 ft
1698 m		!N unknown!B9901968854216 11 mi
18 km		 37°15′06″N 113°40′59″W / 37.251581°N 113.682986°W / 37.251581; -113.682986 (Snow Benchmark)
Veyo Volcano !B9926241178517 5,240 ft
1597 m		!B9947905138471 600 ft
183 m		!B9911071138588 4.5 mi
7.3 km		 37°18′59″N 113°41′47″W / 37.316301°N 113.696358°W / 37.316301; -113.696358 (Veyo Volcano)
Leeds Benchmark !B9926367204130 5,174 ft
1577 m		!N unknown!B9907126985868 7 mi
11 km		 37°15′27″N 113°23′55″W / 37.257363°N 113.398505°W / 37.257363; -113.398505 (Leeds Benchmark)
Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness HP !B9926676307940 5,016 ft
1529 m		!N unknown!B9907071584065 7 mi
11 km		 37°13′33″N 113°31′38″W / 37.225799°N 113.527169°W / 37.225799; -113.527169 (Cottonwood Canyon Wilderness High Point)
Cinder Cone !B9927035867312 4,839 ft
1475 m		!N unknown!B9914630041812 3.2 mi
5.1 km		 37°15′24″N 113°37′33″W / 37.256669°N 113.625884°W / 37.256669; -113.625884 (Cinder Cone)

Gallery

  • A photo of the Red Cliffs with snow-capped Pine Valley Mountains in the background

    Pine Valley Mountains

  • A photo of the Pine Valley Mountains from Lower Sand Cove

    Pine Valley Mountain from Lower Sand Cove

  • A photo of the Pine Valley Mountains from on top of the Hurricane Fault

    Pine Valley Mountains

References

  1. ↑ "Pine Valley Mountains". Geographic Names Information System, U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved May 26, 2012. 
  2. ↑ "Signal Peak". Geographic Names Information System, U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved May 26, 2012. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Pine Valley Mountains". PeakBagger. Retrieved May 26, 2012. 
  4. ↑ "Signal Peak, Utah". PeakBagger. Retrieved May 26, 2012. 
  5. ↑ "Pine Valley Mountains and Laccoliths". Geulogy.com. Retrieved May 26, 2012. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness". Wilderness.net. Retrieved May 26, 2012. 
  7. ↑ "Red Cliffs National Conservation Area". U.S. Forest Service. November 12, 2008. Retrieved May 26, 2012. 
  8. ↑ "Pine Valley Mountains". Utah.com. Retrieved 26 May 2012. 
  9. ↑ Scott (February 16, 2010). "Signal Peak". Summitpost. Retrieved May 26, 2012. 
  10. ↑ "Washington County UT Peaks List". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved June 21, 2013. 

External links

  • Dixie National Forest
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