Bull Valley Mountains
Encyclopedia
The Bull Valley Mountains are a 30-mi (48 km) long, mountain range
in southwest Utah
, located in northwest Washington County
. The range is adjacent the Utah border and attached to the Clover Mountains
of southeast Nevada
. The Great Basin Divide
transects the summits of both ranges, with the Escalante Desert
north and northeast of the Bull Valley Mountains, and south of the mountains the Colorado River
watershed, and specifically the Santa Clara River
which drains southeasterly from an escarpment
along the mountain range's southeast flank.
between the Escalante Valley north, the location of Enterprise
in the southern Escalante Desert
of the Great Basin
, and the watershed of the Colorado to the south. Saint George, Utah is 25 mi SSE of the range.
traverses the base of the southeast escarpment and upper Santa Clara River; Route 18 then goes due north through the east end of the Bull Valley Mountains to Enterprise. The route also travels due south from the escarpment through Snow Canyon State Park
, then to Saint George.
A separate route skirts the center of the escarpment's foothills, going from Veyo
, then along the Santa Clara to Gunlock
; the southwest third of the Bull Valley Mountains is drained southwest into the Beaver Dam Wash
, west of the Beaver Dam Mountains. A feeder wash, Jackson Wash is located at the southwest escarpment area; the southwest of the mountain range is in the watershed of the East Fork Beaver Dam Wash, while the main Beaver Dam Wash watershed is between the Clover and Bull Valley nountain ranges.
.
Mountain range
A mountain range is a single, large mass consisting of a succession of mountains or narrowly spaced mountain ridges, with or without peaks, closely related in position, direction, formation, and age; a component part of a mountain system or of a mountain chain...
in southwest Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, located in northwest Washington County
Washington County, Utah
As of the census of 2000, there were 90,354 people, 29,939 households, and 23,442 families residing in the county. The population density was 37 people per square mile . There were 36,478 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile...
. The range is adjacent the Utah border and attached to the Clover Mountains
Clover Mountains
The Clover Mountains are a mountain range in Lincoln County, Nevada.The Clover Mountains Wilderness make up a large part of the mountain range.The Clover Mountains are the southern mountains on the east perimeter of the Meadow Valley Wash watershed....
of southeast Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
. The Great Basin Divide
Great Basin Divide
The Great Basin Divide is the western continental divide that separates the Great Basin from the Pacific Ocean watershed. The water divide is the perimeter of the largest set of contiguous endorheic watersheds of North America, including six entire USGS watershed subregions...
transects the summits of both ranges, with the Escalante Desert
Escalante Desert
The Escalante Desert is a geographic Great Basin region and arid desert ecoregion, in the Deserts and xeric shrublands Biome, located in southwestern Utah.-Geography:...
north and northeast of the Bull Valley Mountains, and south of the mountains the Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
watershed, and specifically the Santa Clara River
Santa Clara River (Utah)
The Santa Clara River is a river whose three forks join above Pine Valley in the Pine Valley Mountains in Washington County, Utah, United States. It flows west, then south, then briefly southeast before joining the Virgin River just south of St. George...
which drains southeasterly from an escarpment
Escarpment
An escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that occurs from erosion or faulting and separates two relatively level areas of differing elevations.-Description and variants:...
along the mountain range's southeast flank.
Description and region
The Bull Valley Mountains are on the water divideWater divide
A drainage divide, water divide, divide or watershed is the line separating neighbouring drainage basins...
between the Escalante Valley north, the location of Enterprise
Enterprise, Utah
Enterprise is a city in Washington County, Utah, United States. The population was 1,711 at the 2010 census. Enterprise is home to two schools, Enterprise Elementary School and Enterprise High School .-Geography:...
in the southern Escalante Desert
Escalante Desert
The Escalante Desert is a geographic Great Basin region and arid desert ecoregion, in the Deserts and xeric shrublands Biome, located in southwestern Utah.-Geography:...
of the Great Basin
Great Basin
The Great Basin is the largest area of contiguous endorheic watersheds in North America and is noted for its arid conditions and Basin and Range topography that varies from the North American low point at Badwater Basin to the highest point of the contiguous United States, less than away at the...
, and the watershed of the Colorado to the south. Saint George, Utah is 25 mi SSE of the range.
State Route 18
Utah Route 18Utah State Route 18
State Route 18 is a state highway in southern Utah, running for in Washington and Iron Counties from St. George to Beryl Junction. It forms part of the Legacy Loop Highway from St. George to Parowan. The highway closely follows the route of the Old Spanish Trail through Dixie National Forest.-St...
traverses the base of the southeast escarpment and upper Santa Clara River; Route 18 then goes due north through the east end of the Bull Valley Mountains to Enterprise. The route also travels due south from the escarpment through Snow Canyon State Park
Snow Canyon State Park
Snow Canyon State Park is a state park of Utah, USA, featuring a canyon carved from the red and white Navajo sandstone in the Red Mountains. The park is located near Ivins, Utah in Washington County...
, then to Saint George.
A separate route skirts the center of the escarpment's foothills, going from Veyo
Veyo, Utah
Veyo is a census-designated place] in western Washington County, Utah, United States, on the edge of the Dixie National Forest. It lies along State Route 18 north of the city of St. George, the county seat of Washington County. Its elevation is . Although Veyo is unincorporated, it has a post...
, then along the Santa Clara to Gunlock
Gunlock, Utah
Gunlock is an unincorporated community in western Washington County, Utah, United States, north of Gunlock State Park. It lies along local roads northwest of the city of St. George, the county seat of Washington County. Its elevation is 3,658 feet...
; the southwest third of the Bull Valley Mountains is drained southwest into the Beaver Dam Wash
Beaver Dam Wash
The Beaver Dam Wash is a seasonal stream near the southwestern Utah-Nevada border. At its southern end in northern Arizona, near the point where it empties into the Virgin River, the stream flows throughout the year....
, west of the Beaver Dam Mountains. A feeder wash, Jackson Wash is located at the southwest escarpment area; the southwest of the mountain range is in the watershed of the East Fork Beaver Dam Wash, while the main Beaver Dam Wash watershed is between the Clover and Bull Valley nountain ranges.
Lower Enterprise Reservoir
Lower Enterprise Reservoir, is in the north of the range on Little Pine Creek. The reservoir is just southwest of Enterprise, and about 5 mi due south of HebronHebron, Utah
-External links:* *...
.
Peaks and highpoint
Numerous peaks dot the Bull Valley Mountains, most around 5000 ft. The highpoint Lost Peak, 7516 feet (2,291 m) is in the center-west; Gutz Peak, 7447 feet (2,270 m) is 2 mi northwest.External links
- Range Highpoint, Lost Peak Lost Peak, at Utah Peaks (starting with L), coordinates, (elev, 7503 ft)
- Enterprise Reservoir Enterprise Reservoir - Photo Gallery