The Silver Island Range, also called the Silver Island Mountains, is a mountain range in Utah, United States, situated the northwest corner of Tooele County and the southwest corner of Box Elder County, about 15 mi northeast of Wendover. The Silver Island Range lies at the west perimeter of the Great Salt Lake Desert; the southeast flank of the range is on the northwest border of the Bonneville Salt Flats.

Geography

The Silver Island Range is a rough triangular area which extends 32 mi into Utah from the Utah - Nevada border, with the Pilot Valley Playa to the west and the Great Salt Lake Desert to the east. The wilderness area includes 35300 acre with sloping stream terraces, foothills, canyons, and steep mountains. Elevation starts at 5200 ft at the base of the range, to more than 7000 ft at the summits. The four tallest peaks in the range are Graham Peak, at 7563 ft, Campbell Peak 7272 ft, Jenkins Peak 7268 ft, and Cobb Peak, at 7021 ft. Other peaks include Tetzlaff Peak, Rishel Peak, and Volcano Peak. With no perennial streams, vegetation on the rocky slopes is sparse, consisting of juniper, sagebrush, ricegrass and ephedra along with other desert shrubs and grasses.

Geology

Bedrock in the range includes faulted and folded fossil bearing limestones. The slopes of the range have been terraced by shoreline erosion and deposition from Lake Bonneville.

History

Historically, several caves in the Silver Island Range served as habitation for Native Americans. The range also played a role in the more recent mining history of the region, and stood as both a barrier and landmark to pioneers who crossed the inhospitable Salt Lake Desert. Donner Canyon in the northeast section of the range bears the name of the Donner-Reed party, who passed north of the area on the Hastings Cutoff.

Modern uses

The Silver Island Range is used for all-terrain vehicle driving, camping, caving, hiking, hunting, mining, and rockhounding.