Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness
{{Short description|Wilderness area in Utah, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness
| iucn_category = Ib
| photo =
| photo_caption =
| map = USA
| relief = 1
| map_caption =
| location = Washington County, Utah, U.S.
| nearest_city = Leeds, UT
| coordinates = {{coord|37|21|59|N|113|24|53|W|region:US|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| coords_ref =
| area = {{convert|50232|acre|km2}}
| established = 1984
| visitation_num =
| visitation_year =
| governing_body = U.S. Forest Service
}}
Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness is a {{convert|50232|acre|km2|adj=on}} wilderness area located in the Dixie National Forest in the U.S. state of Utah. It is the fourth-largest wilderness area located entirely within the state (following the High Uintas Wilderness, Zion Wilderness, and Cedar Mountain Wilderness). The wilderness designation protects the Pine Valley Mountain range, a large rock outcrop surrounded by desert. The Pine Valley Mountains form the Pine Valley Laccolith, one of the largest laccoliths in the United States. Elevations in the wilderness range from {{convert|6000|ft|m}} to {{convert|10365|ft|m}} at the summit of Signal Peak.[http://www.gorp.com/parks-guide/travel-ta-pine-valley-mountain-wilderness-area-utah-sidwcmdev_069305.html Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness] - GORP[http://www.wilderness.net/index.cfm?fuse=NWPS&sec=wildView&wname=Pine%20Valley%20Mountain Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness] - Wilderness.net
File:Pine Valley Mountain from Lower Sand Cove at dusk 2009-06-10.jpg
Vegetation
The southern half of the Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness area supports a large stand of virgin Engelmann spruce. On the south edge of this unit, young stands of bristlecone pine are also found. The north half of the area is composed of stands of mixed spruce, subalpine fir, Douglas fir, and limber pine. Stands of large aspen are also found throughout the area.
There are numerous meadows up to {{convert|50|acre|km2}} in size within the boundaries of the Wilderness. The predominant vegetation is mat muhly, subalpine needlegrass, alpine timothy, dandelion, Perry clover, shrubby cinquifoil, yarrow, fleabane, snowberry, and serviceberry.
Wildlife
The Pine Valley Mountains is more or less isolated from the Wasatch Range. Because of this isolation there are a number of sub-species of mammals found here, including the Uinta chipmunk, yellow-bellied marmot, and red squirrel. There are numerous dusky grouse and herds of deer within the meadows and timber. Brown bear roamed the Pine Valley Mountains as late as 1914.[http://www.utahforests.org/pinevalley.html Pine Valley Mountains] - UtahForests.org
=Utah sensitive species=
A variety of Utah sensitive species live in the Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness area.{{cite web |url=http://dwrcdc.nr.utah.gov/ucdc/viewreports/SSL_20110329.pdf |title=Utah Sensitive Species List |date=March 29, 2011 |publisher=State of Utah Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife Resources |access-date=2014-05-18}}File:ZebraTailed-Lizard-640px.jpg
File:Leptotyphlops humilis.jpg
- Bonneville cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki utah)
- Townsend's big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii)
- Pygmy rabbit (Brachylagus idahoensis)
- Arizona toad (Bufo microscaphus)
- Northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)
- Desert sucker (Catostomus clarki)
- Western toad (Bufo boreas)
- Fringed myotis (Myotis thysanodes)
- Arizona toad (Bufo microscaphus)
- Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianu) (ESA candidate species)
- Ferruginous hawk (Buteo regalis)
- Burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia)
- Long-billed curlew (Numenius americanus)
- Bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
- Virgin spinedace (Lepidomeda mollispinis)
- Zebra-tailed lizard (Callisaurus draconoides)
- Common chuckwalla (Sauromalus ater)
- Flannelmouth sucker (Catostomus latipinnis)
- Relict leopard frog (Rana onca) (extirpated) (ESA candidate species)
- Western banded gecko (Coleonyx variegatus)
- Desert night lizard (Xantusia vigilis)
- Western threadsnake (Rena humilis)
Recreation
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.wilderness.net/index.cfm?fuse=NWPS&sec=wildView&wname=Pine%20Valley%20Mountain Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness] - Wilderness.net
- [http://www.gorp.com/parks-guide/travel-ta-pine-valley-mountain-wilderness-area-utah-sidwcmdev_069305.html Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness] - GORP
- [http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/dixie/recreation/hiking/d1/pv.shtml Pine Valley Ranger District] - Dixie National Forest
{{UT Parks}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Wilderness areas of Utah