Cedar Mountains

The Cedar Mountain Wilderness Area was officially designated by Congress and the President in January 2006. It encompasses 100,000 acres of public land 50 miles due west of Salt Lake City, just south of Interstate 80. With the mountainous topography and large size, there are many good opportunities to enjoy solitude, wildlands, and primitive recreation. The Cedar Mountain Wilderness provides visitors with an excellent example of the Great Basin ecosystem that stretches from the Wasatch Front in Utah to the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California. This arid desert mountain range forms the western boundary of Skull Valley and got its name from the area's juniper trees which are sometimes referred to as cedars. Vegetation in the Cedar Mountains transitions rapidly from Great Basin salt desert shrub covered benches at 4,600 feet to sagebrush/juniper woodlands and native bunch grasses at elevations over 6,000 feet. Topography generally consists of flat plains and benches that rise rapidly to higher elevations characterized by steep slopes and canyons. Maximum elevation is 7700 feet. The wilderness area is long and narrow, running north to south for 32 miles along the length of the Cedar Mountains with a maximum width of only 7 miles. There are natural springs that support both native wildlife, livestock, and a thriving herd of wild horses.