Roberts Mountains facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Roberts Mountains |
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Location of the Roberts Mountains within Nevada
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| Highest point | |
| Peak | Roberts Creek Mountain |
| Elevation | 10,133 ft (3,089 m) |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 16 mi (26 km) E-W |
| Width | 14 mi (23 km) N-S |
| Area | 180 sq mi (470 km2) |
| Geography | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Nevada |
| County | Eureka |
| Geology | |
| Orogeny | Antler orogeny |
The Roberts Mountains are a mountain range in central Nevada, a state in the western United States. You can find them in Eureka County. They are located east of the Simpson Park Mountains and west of the Sulphur Spring Range.
The highest point in the range is Roberts Creek Mountain, which stands at 10,133 feet (3,089 m) (about 3,088 meters) tall. A road called Nevada State Route 278 runs along the eastern side of the mountains, heading towards Eureka.
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How the Roberts Mountains Got Their Name
The Roberts Mountains were named after a man called Bolivar Roberts. He was a division superintendent for the Pony Express, a famous mail service from the past.
How the Roberts Mountains Were Formed
The rocks in the Roberts Mountains were shaped by a major event called the Antler orogeny. This was a period of mountain building that happened a very long time ago, between the Late Devonian and early Mississippian periods.
During this time, a huge fault (a crack in the Earth's crust) formed. It is known as the Roberts Mountain thrust fault. Along this fault, a large piece of land, called a terrane, moved. This terrane was made of oceanic volcanic rocks and sediments from ancient island arcs. It slid over older rocks that were already there, like carbonates, sandstones, and shales, which had formed along the coast of the continent.
Animals and Plants of Roberts Mountains
Most of the Roberts Mountains (about 99.4%) are managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Only a small part (0.6%) is privately owned.
Animals You Might See
Many different mammals live in these mountains. Some of them include:
- the long-tailed vole
- the Great Basin pocket mouse
- the water shrew
- the big jumping mouse
You might also spot the large spotted leopard lizard in the mountains.
Trees Growing Here
The Roberts Mountains are home to several types of trees, including:
- western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis)
- Utah juniper (Juniperus osteosperma)
- single-leaf pinyon (Pinus monophylla)
