Tucked in the northeast corner of Utah, the Crawford Mountains rise steeply above the farmland that surrounds the Bear River as it lazily meanders its way to Idaho and eventually the Great Salt Lake. The mountains are infrequently visited today, but where home to extensive phosphate mining, particularly from the mid-1900's to the 1970s. Phosphate has a number of uses, but the majority is used in fertilizers.

Rex Peak is the highest peak in the Crawford Mountains and has a road leading to its summit. The views from the top, all the way to the Uinta mountains, are quite good and the ease of the peak makes it a fun family-friendly outing.

Getting There

From Randolph Utah, travel north on UT-16. About 1.7 miles north of Randolph, turn right (east) on Crawford Mountain Road (Mile Post 22.4). Follow this road 5.1 miles as is crosses fields, the Bear River, and reaches a 4-way junction at the base of the Crawford Mountains.

• Jct - Straight into Brazier Canyon ( 12T 492621mE 4615967mN / N41° 41' 44" W111° 05' 19")
• 2.1 miles - Jct - Stay Right ( 12T 493111mE 4614225mN / N41° 40' 47" W111° 04' 58")
• 4.0 miles - Jct - Stay Left ( 12T 491919mE 4612214mN / N41° 39' 42" W111° 05' 49")
• 4.2 miles - Stay Right ( 12T 491852mE 4611968mN / N41° 39' 34" W111° 05' 52")
• 4.9 miles - Jct - Left ( 12T 492036mE 4611459mN / N41° 39' 17" W111° 05' 44")
• Park ( 12T 492034mE 4611658mN / N41° 39' 24" W111° 05' 44")

Route

From the top, pick a spot to park, and head up to whatever you think is the highest pile of gravel! The point marked on the map seemed closes to the USGS high point when we visited, though to be sure, we climbed up several small piles in the area that all seemed to be competing for the highest spot.