Deseret Peak Wilderness

Located in the Wasatch-Cache National Forest in Utah.

The Deseret Peak wilderness is located in North central Utah, west of Tooele and Grantsville, Utah. The Wilderness was established by Congress in 1984 with passage of the Utah Wilderness Act. Located within the Stansbury range on the Wasatch-Cache National Forest, the Deseret Peak Wilderness consists of approximately 25,000 acres and is generally bounded on the north by the Pass Canyon drainage, on the south by Victory Mountain, on the west by Skull Valley and on the east by the Mack Canyon-Big Hollow Trail.

The semi-arid Deseret Peak Wilderness is dominated by rugged terrain and high peaks, including Deseret Peak. The management area provides forage for cattle on parts of three allotments. The most popular uses include hiking, hunting and horse riding. The area is the source of culinary and irrigation water for nearby communities and farms. 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. Snow remains in some areas until early summer.

The following acts are prohibited in the Deseret Peak Wilderness Area: group sizes exceeding 10 persons for overnight use, camping within 200 feet of lakes, trails, or other sources of water, camping for a period of 3 days at an individual site, short-cutting a trail switchback and disposing of garbage, debris, or other waste. Please help protect this wilderness for future generations by learning and practicing No-Trace camping and hiking techniques.

Wilderness hikes are rated moderate to severe with elevations from just under 5,000 feet to over 11,300 feet. Trails are easy to follow, but may cross extremely rough terrain at high elevations. Usage of the area is light to heavy, and especially heavy on weekends and near lakes.

Summer temperatures can range from near 90 degrees in the daytime to below 40 degrees at night. Occasional summer thundershowers can be expected.

For more information contact: The Wasatch-Cache National Forest