Mormon Mountains

{{short description|American mountain range in Nevada}}

{{Infobox mountain

| name = Mormon Mountains

| native_name =

| other_name =

| etymology =

| photo = Kluft-photo-Mormon-Mountains-May-2008-Img 0813.jpg

| photo_caption = Mormon Mountains

| country = United States

| state = Nevada

| region = Great Basin section

| district = Lincoln County and Clark County

| topo_map = Moapa Peak NW

| topo_maker = USGS

| border =

| range_coordinates = {{coord|36|56|53|N|114|27|37|W|type:mountain_scale:300000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| highest = Mormon Peak

| elevation_m = 2260

| coordinates = {{coord|36|58|27|N|114|30|02|W|type:mountain_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline}}

| length_mi = | length_orientation =

| width_mi = | width_orientation =

| area_mi2 =

| geology =

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| map = Nevada

| map_caption = location of Mormon Mountains in Nevada{{cite gnis|id=845318|name=Mormon Mountains|accessdate=4 May 2009}}

}}

The Mormon Mountains are located in Lincoln and Clark counties in Nevada, between 16 and {{convert|28|mi|km}} northwest of Mesquite on I–15 in the Virgin Valley, east of the Meadow Valley Mountains and Meadow Valley and northeast of Moapa Valley.Overton, Nevada–Arizona, 30x60 Minute Topographic Quadrangle, USGS, 1987 The highest point in the range is Mormon Peak, at {{convert|7414|ft|m}} above sea level.Moapa Peak NW, Nevada, 7.5 Minute Quadrangle, USGS, 1969 Another smaller mountain range lies to the east, called the East Mormon Mountains. The south fork of the Toquop Wash drains the east side of the range and continues on through the N–S linear ridge of the East Mormon Mountains.

The mountains fall under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and cover approximately {{convert|175|sqmi|km2}}. The Mormon Mountains are home to several different species of lizards, and ground snakes, toads and bullfrogs can be found in the region. The lower elevations of the range are mostly shrublands, but at higher elevations one can find "pygmy conifers" and single-leaf pinyon pines, in the Pinyon-juniper woodland plant community.

The area is characterized by very low rainfall, receiving less than {{convert|15|in}} per year, on average.

The range was named for the fact a share of the first settlers were Mormons.{{cite book | url=http://dwgateway.library.unr.edu/keck/histtopoNV/Origin_of_Place_Names_Files/1941NevadaOriginofNames-pt1.pdf | title=Origin of Place Names: Nevada | publisher=W.P.A. | author=Federal Writers' Project | year=1941 | pages=45}} A variant name is "Mormon Range".