View down to Skull Valley from high up on Round Top – Davis Mountain, Utah

“Public opinion is a poor tyrant Compared with our own private opinion” 

-          Henry David Thoreau

If you drive south on the Skull valley road to where it merges with the Johnson’s pass road near the Dugway gate, and then continue south on the dirt road towards the Pony Express trail, you will see a distinctive conical summit come into view to the southwest. Most individuals, seeing nothing of interest, will continue on out into the desert to explore points distant. As you will see, at least in my opinion, this mountain and its neighbors are worthy of further exploration.

      This seldom visited summit is 6,434 foot “Round Top” which is the highest point in a small island like group of mountains located at the southern end of Skull valley, known collectively as “Davis Mountain”. The group of mountains is named for David E. “Peg Leg” Davis who operated the telegraph station which was located on the southern flank of the mountains along Government creek in the 1860’s. Though the Davis Mountains are low in elevation when compared to the neighboring Onaqui, Sheeprock, and Simpson ranges, there is a surprising diversity found here from a geological, botanical, and zoological standpoint.

      The range measures approximately 5 ½ miles from east to west and about 3 miles in width from north to south. There are six summits in the range that rise above 5,800 feet which is over 700 feet higher that the surrounding terrain of Skull Valley. This abrupt relief from the level plain gives the range its island like appearance.

      The benches of the range are covered with cheat grass, rabbit brush, sagebrush, and numerous other grasses and Forbes which eventually give way to Utah Juniper on the higher rocky north facing slopes. These trees are sparse in most portions of the range but the north facing slopes of Round Top are quite covered with them.

      There are pronghorn antelope, wild horses, and mule deer in the area. The horses belong to the Onaqui Mountain herd and are quite impressive and very beautiful if you get a chance to see them up close. There are coyote, fox, badger, and rabbits – both cottontail and jack. There are numerous kangaroo rats, mice, and other rodents as well as a good population of both bull snakes and rattlesnakes. This fact explains the frequency with which you will see large birds of prey in the area. The Golden Eagle is quite striking in particular.

      While climbing Red Pine Mountain in the northern Sheep Rock Range, I looked northwest at the volcanic looking cone of Round Top, wishing that it was not part of Dugway Proving Ground so I could climb it. Turns out, after careful study of the maps of the area, the whole group of peaks comprising Davis Mountain is completely without the boundaries of the Proving Ground, and on BLM land. In fact, the closest you would ever come to the Military boundary would be in the area of Davis Mountain Peak which is the western most highpoint in the range at 5,805 feet. Even at this point you are safely over 2 miles from the eastern boundary and 3 ½ miles from the boundary to the north.

      Excited by this discovery, I decided to go out and climb Round Top. From the LDS Church near the Dugway main gate, I headed south down the county road 5.5 miles to where a good dirt road heads west 1.2 miles out to a stock watering pond. Be wary of the grumpy range cattle that congregate here and like to block the roads. From the water tank, head southwest on a more primitive but good road for about .5 miles.

      I followed my nose to the edge of the highest peak and parked my truck. Be sure that you don’t continue west on this road as you will begin to loose precious elevation as it drops from the level of Skull Valley down to the desert. The reason that I find Round Top so attractive is that it is a very accessible peak that receives very little snow during the winter. Because of this fact, it can be climbed year round when its neighboring higher ranges are snowbound.

      From the start point to the summit the distance is only 1 mile. The elevation gain is extreme however, as you will gain 1,334 feet in this distance. The abrupt elevation gain coupled with the shape and feel of the mountain make it an excellent training ground for ascents of higher peaks in the summertime.

      As you begin the climb, you will encounter the Lake Bonneville Bench. This terrace is 300 feet above the valley floor and is very distinct in this area. As I climbed Round Top I noticed a great deal of bright orange lichen on the limestone rocks. There were curious masses of moss too, some measuring 2 ½ feet across and about 4-6 inches thick. I spooked several slumbering mule deer out of the junipers as I climbed higher. I eventually reached a point on the ridge where I could see the snow clad summits of the Indian Peaks in the Simpson Range to the south. These peaks have a volcanic look as well but are much higher at 8,410 feet.

      I could also see the trace of Government Creek far below to the south. Government Creek was the scene of a despicable massacre of 10 friendly Goshute Indians by U.S. Calvary in 1863. Bloodthirsty Captain Samuel P. Smith, hunting fame and glory, was responsible for this disgraceful act. The mountain was very steep at this point so I stopped to catch my breath and thought back to Doc Faust’s account of this grisly event.

      Looking back to the north, I noticed a curious shape on the valley floor nearly 1,000 feet below. I didn’t notice from the level of the valley, but from an aerial vantage point, the low hills took the shape of an enormous, almost perfectly shaped tadpole. I made a mental note to come back and further explore that strange terrain feature.

      After about an hour, I reached the summit of Round Top and the views were outstanding. Deseret Peak off to the northeast, the broad expanse of the Onaquis to the east, the Sheeprock and Simpson mountains to the south, and the barren crags of the Salt Desert to the west. Several subordinate peaks immediately south of Round Top had a very rocky nature and begged further exploration.

      The Pony Express trail from Lookout Pass to Simpson Springs is visible from here in a wide arc. As I looked upon it, I thought back to this poem written by former Utah Governor Charles R. Mabey

The Riders are dead their ponies are dust

The years have buried the trails they made

The moldering posts are strewn with rust

From stockless gun and harmless blade

Where once the savage lurked in force

The settler sleeps in his calm abode

And only the ghost of rider and horse

Streaks down the path over which he rode

       I considered the Pony Express a while longer as I gazed over “Porter Rockwell” country, examined the USGS marker stamped “Round Top” 1955, took a long last panoramic look, and then headed straight down the north face of the mountain. As I descended the peak, a brilliant desert sunset kept me company. As stated previously, Round Top and Davis Mountain in general are a great training ground for the higher peaks and are accessible year round – except for when it rains, in which case, these roads should be avoided. These mountains are also a good destination if you are looking for the antelope and wild horses of Skull Valley.