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county highpoint

County Highpoints

Utah is unique in that it has the average highest county highpoint elevation of all 50 states, with an average highpoint elevation of 11,222 feet. This is surprising when you consider all of the 14,000+ peaks in Colorado or even that Alaska has Denali, the highest point in all 50 states. (Colorado comes in second, Alaska a staggering sixth.)

Despite having the highest average county highpoint, most of the county highpoints in Utah are very accessible. Only two, Kings and Gilbert Peaks, are generally backpacked. All others are day hikes, with quite a few of them being short day hikes suitable for families. Hiking all county highpoints using the routes below adds up to be about 155 miles of hiking and just shy of 50,000 ft. of elevation gain!

So, lace up your hiking boots, pack up the car, and get out visiting many of the obscure corners of Utah that mostly only county highpointers visit. The diversity of Utah peaks is immense, from high summits above treeline to small knolls that are barely higher than their surrounding plateaus. There is much to see and do. Below is a complete guide to all of the county highpoints.


Rank County High Point Elevation Range Trailhead Elevation Gain One Way Elevation Loss One Way Length (approx. miles) Prominence
1 Duchesne Kings Peak 13,528 Uinta Mountains 9,443 4329 262 25 6348
2 Summit Gilbert Peak 13,442 Uinta Mountains 9,443 4226 221 20 1554
3 San Juan Mount Peale 12,721 La Sals 10,102 2648 65 5 6161
4 Grand Mount Waas 12,331 La Sals 9,705 3172 556 8 1793
5 Daggett Eccentric Benchmark 12,276 Uinta Mountains 10,214 2284 279 7 716
5 Uintah Eccentric Benchmark 12,276 Uinta Mountains 10,214 2284 279 7 716
7 Beaver Delano Peak 12,169 Tushar Mountains 10,519 1618 0 3 4689
7 Piute Delano Peak 12,169 Tushar Mountains 10,519 1618 0 3 4689
9 Juab Ibapah Peak 12,087 Deep Creek 6,854 6049 239 12 5247
10 Utah Mount Nebo 11,928 Wasatch Range 9,259 3558 905 9 5488
11 Sevier Fish Lake Hightop 11,633 Fish Lake Hightop Plateau 10,519 1217 121 7 4153
12 Garfield Mount Ellen 11,522 Henry Mountains 10,486 1021 19 7.5 5842
13 Salt Lake American Fork Twin Peaks 11,489 Wasatch Range 10,972 777 307 2.25 3649
14 Wayne Bluebell Knoll 11,320 Aquarius Plateau 11,237 7 2 0.5 2900
15 Iron Brian Head 11,307 Markagunt Plateau 11,307 0 0 0 3747
16 Sanpete South Tent Mountain 11,285 Wasatch Plateau 10,444 911 95 3.3 3365
17 Tooele Deseret Peak 11,031 Stansbury Mountains 7,415 3606 40 6.5 5812
18 Wasatch Murdock Mountain-West Slope 10,840 Uinta Mountains 10,214 240 1 0.8 0
19 Emery East Mountain 10,743 Wasatch Plateau 9,275 1468 2 4 1543
20 Carbon Monument Peak 10,452 Wasatch Plateau 10,452 0 0 0 1617
21 Washington Signal Peak 10,365 Pine Valley Range 6,529 4169 344 8.5 4485
22 Millard Mine Camp Peak 10,222 Pavant Range 9,928 399 104 1 3001
23 Kane Kane County High Point 10,080 Cedar Mountain 9098 1026 100 1.8 0
24 Cache Naomi Peak 9,979 Wasatch Range 8,068 1976 89 8 3159
25 Box Elder Bull Mountain 9,934 Raft River Range 9,934 5 0 0.3 3734
26 Weber Willard Peak 9,763 Wasatch Range 8,672 1057 0 2.5 3243
27 Davis Thurston Peak 9,706 Wasatch Range 9,174 1223 719 8.5 2690
28 Morgan Thurston Peak 9,706 Wasatch Range 9,174 1223 719 8.5 2690
29 Rich Bridger Peak 9,255 Wasatch Range 8,672 986 67 2.25 855