Mount Ellen South and Mount Ellen Peak in Henry Mountains BLM, UT

Hike Mount Ellen South and Mount Ellen Peak Henry Mountains BLM, UT

Class 1 8.2 miles 3000 gain 3-5 hrs Out + Back Oct 22, 2019
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

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Excited to finally check out the Henry Mountains, a remote range in southern Utah, Matt and I planned a trip to the North Wash area for a few days of peaks and canyons. After forgetting my wallet in Las Vegas which added four more hours to my drive, very little sleep made me grateful for this somewhat short day to the Henry Mountains High Point, Mount Ellen. A somewhat decent dirt road with lots of sharp rocks (we got a flat on the way down) leads to the official Mount Ellen Trailhead. Although it's an ultra-prominent peak, we didn't want to only hike the high point, instead hoping to get the ridgeline, consisting of three peaks.

First, Matt and I decided to head south to hit Mount Ellen – South Summit, an easy ridge hike, before coming back down to the trailhead and following the official trail to Mount Ellen, the high point. The sweeping grassy ridgeline was pretty, and the views of the canyonlands and Capitol Reef National Park were pretty incredible. Bring binoculars if you have them to try to spot desert features too far away for us to distinguish. We continued past the high point to Mount Ellen Peak, where a trail switchbacked to this minor summit. We returned the way we came. Nice views, but pretty uneventful.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Mount Ellen-South Summit
11419 ft
934 rise
2
Mount Ellen
11522 ft
5842 rise
3
Mount Ellen Peak
11506 ft
386 rise

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At the Mount Ellen trailhead, heading first to Mount Ellen - South Peak.
At the Mount Ellen trailhead, heading first to Mount Ellen - South Peak.
A social trail leads along the ridge to Mount Ellen - South Peak.
A social trail leads along the ridge to Mount Ellen - South Peak.
View back along the right, Mount Ellen visible top left.
View back along the right, Mount Ellen visible top left.
Easy ridge walking to the summit of Mount Ellen - South Peak.
Easy ridge walking to the summit of Mount Ellen - South Peak.
View back again.
View back again.
Mount Ellen - South Peak ahead.
Mount Ellen - South Peak ahead.
Mount Ellen - South Peak summit, view toward the ridgeline still to come.
Mount Ellen - South Peak summit, view toward the ridgeline still to come.
Mount Ellen - South Peak, view south toward Mount Pennel and Mount Hillers.
Mount Ellen - South Peak, view south toward Mount Pennel and Mount Hillers.
Close-up toward the desert below.
Close-up toward the desert below.
Back at the Mount Ellen trailhead, now heading along the trail to Mount Ellen.
Back at the Mount Ellen trailhead, now heading along the trail to Mount Ellen.
It's a pleasant ridge hike.
It's a pleasant ridge hike.
View back toward the south peak.
View back toward the south peak.
Image 12 from gallery
Image 13 from gallery
Mount Ellen ahead, Mount Ellen Peak visible on the right above Matt, which we'd do next.
Mount Ellen ahead, Mount Ellen Peak visible on the right above Matt, which we'd do next.
Headed down from Mount Ellen on our way to Mount Ellen Peak.
Headed down from Mount Ellen on our way to Mount Ellen Peak.
Ascending Mount Ellen Peak, view back toward Mount Ellen.
Ascending Mount Ellen Peak, view back toward Mount Ellen.
Some light talus walking, but there's still a trail the whole way up.
Some light talus walking, but there's still a trail the whole way up.
Mount Ellen Peak summit, view north.
Mount Ellen Peak summit, view north.
View south on the way back with better lighting.
View south on the way back with better lighting.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!