Boulder Mountain (Utah) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Boulder Mountain |
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Boulder Mountain from the west alongside Route 24
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| Highest point | |
| Peak | Bluebell Knoll |
| Elevation | 11,317 ft (3,449 m) |
| Prominence | 2,930 ft (890 m) |
| Listing | Utah county high points 1st |
| Geography | |
 Boulder Mountain
Location in Utah
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| Country | United States |
| Parent range | Aquarius Plateau |
| Topo map | USGS Blind Lake |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Highway 12 |
Boulder Mountain is a huge and amazing place in Utah, USA. It's also known as Bluebell Knoll or Boulder Top. This mountain is part of the Aquarius Plateau in southern Utah. It stretches across Wayne and Garfield counties.
Boulder Mountain rises next to Capitol Reef National Park. It has steep sides and tall cliffs. But on top, it's a huge, mostly flat area of rolling forests and meadows. This flat top is about 70 square miles wide! It's the highest forested plateau in North America. The mountain is part of the Dixie National Forest.
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Exploring Boulder Mountain: Highway 12
You can explore Boulder Mountain by driving on Utah Scenic Byway 12. This special road goes along the eastern side of the mountain. It connects towns like Torrey, Boulder, and Escalante.
During the summer, when there's no snow, you can use unpaved roads and jeep trails to reach the top. These trails were first made for wagons traveling between Escalante and Boulder. Later, in 1920, they were improved into roads.
One famous road here is Hell's Backbone Road. It branches off from Scenic Byway 12. Hell's Backbone Road winds through the mountains and eventually loops back to Escalante. This makes for an exciting 38-mile adventure!
Fishing Adventures on Boulder Mountain
Many people in Utah think Boulder Mountain is a fantastic place for fishing. Fishing started here in the 1950s. Young fish, called fry, were carried by horseback and put into the mountain's high lakes and streams.
Today, Brook trout are very common in the mountain's waters. The fish that originally lived here are called Colorado River Cutthroat trout. These native fish have become less common since brook trout were introduced.
To help manage the fish populations, a group of anglers and local people met in 2014. They worked with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. Their goal was to help with the problem of too many brook trout in some lakes. They decided that some lakes would be managed for catching large, "trophy" brook trout. They also introduced other types of fish, like splake and tiger trout, to certain areas. These new fish are sterile, meaning they can't have babies. This helps control their numbers. The plan also focuses on helping the native Colorado cutthroat trout grow their populations again.
Unique Plants of Boulder Mountain
Boulder Mountain is home to a very special and rare plant. It's called the Boulder Mountain cinquefoil (Potentilla angelliae). This plant is endemic to Boulder Mountain. That means it grows naturally only in this specific area and nowhere else in the world! It's a unique part of the mountain's natural beauty.
Amazing Animals of Boulder Mountain
Boulder Mountain is a great place for wildlife. It's known for having some of the biggest elk in Utah. Hunters often find very large male elk here during the fall hunting season. You can also spot many mule deer on the mountain.
Besides these herbivores, there are also predators living here. Mountain lions and black bears are often seen roaming throughout the area. It's a wild and exciting place for animals!
