Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness

Infobox_protected_area | name = Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness
iucn_category = Ib

---

caption =
locator_x = 53
locator_y = 88
location = Utah, USA
nearest_city = Leeds, UT
lat_degrees = 37
lat_minutes = 21
lat_seconds = 59
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 113
long_minutes = 24
long_seconds = 53
long_direction = W
area = convert|50232|acre|km2|sing=off
established = 1984
visitation_num =
visitation_year =
governing_body = U.S. Forest Service

Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness is a convert|50232|acre|km2|sing=on wilderness area located in the Dixie National Forest in the U.S. state of Utah. It is the second largest wilderness area in the state. 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|sing=off to convert|10365|ft|m|sing=off at the summit of Signal Peak. [http://gorp.away.com/gorp/resource/us_wilderness_area/ut_pine.htm 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]

Vegetation

The southern half of the Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness area supports an large stand of virgin Englemann 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|sing=off 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, which extents the entire length of the state. 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 blue 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]

Threatened, endangered, and sensitive species

A variety of threatened, endangered, and sensitive species live in the Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness area. These include:

* 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)"
* 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)"
* Fringed Myotis "(Myotis thysanodes)"
* Relict Leopard Frog "(Rana onca)"
* Western Banded Gecko "(Coleonyx variegatus)"
* Desert Night Lizard "(Xantusia vigilis)"
* Western Threadsnake"(Leptotyphlops humilis)"

Recreation

Common recreational activities in Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness include hiking, camping, horseback riding, and wildlife watching. There is a network of over convert|151|mi|km|sing=off of trails on and around the Wilderness, including the popular Summit and Whipple Trails.

References

ee also

*Dixie National Forest
*Wilderness Act
*National Wilderness Preservation System
*List of U.S. Wilderness Areas

External links

* [http://www.wilderness.net/index.cfm?fuse=NWPS&sec=wildView&wname=Pine%20Valley%20Mountain Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness] - Wilderness.net
* [http://gorp.away.com/gorp/resource/us_wilderness_area/ut_pine.htm Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness] - GORP
* [http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/dixie/recreation/hiking/d1/pv.shtml Pine Valley Ranger District] - Dixie National Forest