Steep adventures
Discover Notch Peak
Notch Peak’s sheer cliff juts up about 3000 feet above the desert floor. It is an amazing site-one of the most dramatic cliff faces in America. It has been called the desert equivalent of Yosemite’s El Capitan.
The peak is 9,655 feet above sea level. It is in the House Range about 44 miles southwest of Delta. The 9-mile round trip from the trailhead off of Miller Canyon to the top offers solitude and spectacular views of the Great Basin in Utah and Nevada. The hike is not difficult, despite the 3000 foot climb. Only the final .25 mile to the top is relatively steep.
Thought to be some of the oldest living things on earth, a stand of ancient bristlecone pine trees is found on one side of the peak. Gnarly trees twisting out of the rock toward the desert sun spread across the slope.
Plan it
Plan on an all-day hike
Bring plenty of water, as there are no water sources along the trail. Notch Peak is best hiked in the spring and fall. To drive around Notch Peak, a Loop of maintained gravel road is 44 miles west of Delta on US Highway 6 &.50. The 50-mile loop circles around peaks in the rugged House Range to Painter Springs. Take Tule Valley road northward to Dome Canyon Pass. This canyon is also known as Death Canyon. It got this name when immigrant travelers were stranded and died. Go through the pass, then south around the eastern side of the range and back to the highway. The loop will take at least 2 hours of traveling, plus any time you want to spend sightseeing.
Millard County’s