Weaving Through Granite Mazes in the Mineral Mountains of Beaver County

Another recommended hike heads south on a dirt track to a group of soaring white domes. Park by the only dome along the entrance road and walk one-tenth of a mile east on the road to the track that heads right. Follow the sandy 4x4 road south for 0.7 miles across a sloping plain to the smooth domes. Several paths explore the area, passing Plasma and Chromosome Domes. Meanwhile, sure-footed hikers can opt to scramble onto bare rock ridges on the Harvest Dome, the farthest east formation, for stunning views across the Corral.

Hidden Lake on Soldier Pass

An excellent one-mile, round-trip hike starts on the top of 7,408-foot Soldier Pass in the southern Mineral Mountains. Approach the pass from the west on a dirt road and park on the north side of the pass. A good trail makes a couple of wide switchbacks down a scrubby hillside and then skirts beneath an obvious granite dome creased with water streaks. The trail climbs through sparse piñon pine and juniper trees to tiny Granite Peak Reservoir, a gorgeous tarn tucked into a narrow rock canyon on the dome’s north side. It’s a quiet refuge of tall grass, birds, and glassy water mirroring sky and granite.

Hike up South Twin Flat Mountain

South Twin Flat Mountain is exactly that: a flat-topped peak overlooking the Right Fork of Ranch Canyon. A fine hike begins at a trailhead in the canyon on the west flank of the Minerals. Following an old 4x4 road, the trail spirals 1.2 miles around the mountain to its 7,951-foot summit, offering up vistas of the hazy San Francisco Mountains to the west and, to the south, Granite Peak and its neighbor, sharp Milford Needle.

After a quick break at the summit, shoulder your pack and head back down. For more adventure, take a right below the switchbacks and contour south along another old miner’s track into a section called the Park, a broad expanse flanked by tall pines and soaring rock fins.

Scrambling up Bearskin Mountain

Bearskin Mountain, believed to be named for a bearskin left to dry on bushes by an early Piute hunter, lords over the lonely northern end of the Mineral Mountains. The rounded, 9,099-foot summit is reached by a 1.6-mile hike on a 4x4 road to a saddle and then a short scramble up a barren ridge. At the top, expect solitude, silence and forever views across Utah’s vast basin and range province. Return to the saddle below and hike west up Little Bearskin Mountain for extra credit. The trailhead lies at the end of Bearskin Flat Road. Another good 1.6-mile hike starts from the same trailhead and heads west on an abandoned road to a broad ridge. Follow the open ridge west to the pointed summit of 8,307-foot Bailey Mountain, a rarely climbed peak that towers above Big Cedar Cove.

Climbing the Range High Point

The toughest but most rewarding hike in the Mineral Mountains is the steep two-mile ascent of 9,580-foot Granite Peak up the Right Fork of Ranch Canyon. Guarded by cliffs and sawtoothed ridges, Granite isn’t an easy peak to climb with brushy slopes, a faint trail and route-finding dilemmas. Start at the same trailhead as South Twin Flat Mountain and hike south up a narrow canyon to a wooded basin. Scramble up granite slabs and around abrupt cliffs on the peak’s northeast face to the lofty summit and the range high point. Bring trekking poles and microspikes for your boots if snow lingers on the upper face. For an extra shot of adrenaline, bring rock climbing gear and edge up Milford Needle, an airy spire on the north ridge reachable only by those with technical climbing skills.

No matter what type of exploring you like to do, there’s something to be found in the Minerals. With just a little preparation, you can delve into this scenic Ramblers section of the state and enjoy an unforgettable outdoor experience.

Learn more about rockhounding in Beaver County by visiting RamblersUtah.com/Rockhounding.