Needle Benchmark (Mountain Home Range Highpoint) in Mountain Home Range BLM, UT

Hike Needle Benchmark (Mountain Home Range Highpoint) Mountain Home Range BLM, UT

Class 2 3.4 miles 1300 gain 1-2 hr Out + Back May 17, 2021
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Needle Benchmark (Mountain Home Range Highpoint) GPX Track

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Needle Benchmark, the high point of the Mountain Home Range, is a remote peak in Utah's West Desert. It's a surprisingly pretty one, especially compared to some of the other bigger peaks in this area. It's a long drive on decent roads. Head west off UT-21 here (38.6316, -113.85488), continue west here (38.61711, -113.87806), bear right here (38.60556, -113.91154), then turn left here (38.61586, -113.92643). Follow this road south on the obvious road, keeping left at this one possibly confusing junction (38.58218, -113.95639). It would be hard for 2WD to get past here (38.53557, -113.96473) due to one rougher section, but it's a really pretty road so the additional 2.5 miles required to get to the trailhead wouldn't be such a bad walk if you can't make it.

I parked along the ridge, but could have made it farther in my car. However, the ridgeline was really delightful and I preferred to hike it than drive all the way to the end of the road. Honestly it's probably the prettiest part of the hike, so I recommend you do the same. If you have time to kill, you might even consider parking earlier along the road than I did. It's a meadowy and sweeping ridgeline, and I even saw wild horses! For those looking to get the peak and save time, you can drive the road to its to the end, cutting off about a mile round trip of this hike. The road ends at a small radio tower.

Past the radio tower is a thin rock outcrop that extends south along the ridge. It's really pretty when viewed from here, but of course isn't part of the route. Instead, I'd have to keep to the right of the feature and side-hill. I dropped down a few hundred feet to a notch between the bump where the radio tower stands and the thin outcrop. A few cairns marked the way, keeping this section Class 2/2+. I headed to the right of the outcrop. You'll want to hug the cliff face as much as possible to avoid excessive side-hilling. However, initially I recommend dropping about 50 feet below the ridge since there are a few ledges that cliff out, but the cliff pretty quickly becomes just one solid mass that's easy to stay close to without risk of having to backtrack. The terrain at the cliff's base is actually pretty easy travel. On its south side, I wrapped around on some light scree and descended a hundred feet to a saddle between the rock outcrop and the summit to the southeast (Class 2). It was easy walking to the summit from here.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Needle Benchmark
9480 ft
2420 rise

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A shot taken along the approach road. Honestly the best views were probably along the road.
A shot taken along the approach road. Honestly the best views were probably along the road.
Close-up of the road. Needle Benchmark visible top left.
Close-up of the road. Needle Benchmark visible top left.
View back along the drive. Wild horse on the right!
View back along the drive. Wild horse on the right!
This is where I parked. I wanted to hike along the ridge, but you could drive a bit farther, up to the hump on the right.
This is where I parked. I wanted to hike along the ridge, but you could drive a bit farther, up to the hump on the right.
Looking back toward my car (right of center), once ascending to the bump. This is the end of the road.
Looking back toward my car (right of center), once ascending to the bump. This is the end of the road.
View from the bump where a small radio tower is, looking toward Needle Benchmark (back center). You can see the thin rock outcrop along the ridge. I'd keep to its right.
View from the bump where a small radio tower is, looking toward Needle Benchmark (back center). You can see the thin rock outcrop along the ridge. I'd keep to its right.
View of the rock outcrop. Class 2 to get down to the notch separating me from the cliff. Needle Benchmark visible top left.
View of the rock outcrop. Class 2 to get down to the notch separating me from the cliff. Needle Benchmark visible top left.
Close-up of the side-hilling required at the base of the cliffs. You'll notice a thin ledge that would be easy to accidentally start hiking on. Instead, drop down to the lowest tier below all the cliffs and follow the cliff base from there.
Close-up of the side-hilling required at the base of the cliffs. You'll notice a thin ledge that would be easy to accidentally start hiking on. Instead, drop down to the lowest tier below all the cliffs and follow the cliff base from there.
View back up at the Class 2 descent from the minor hump with the radio tower.
View back up at the Class 2 descent from the minor hump with the radio tower.
Along the cliff base.
Along the cliff base.
View back toward the hump with the radio tower (the end of the road).
View back toward the hump with the radio tower (the end of the road).
Continuing beneath the cliff.
Continuing beneath the cliff.
Image 12 from gallery
Another shot looking back as I near the southern end of the cliff.
Another shot looking back as I near the southern end of the cliff.
The route wraps around to the south side of the cliff.
The route wraps around to the south side of the cliff.
Needle Benchmark ahead. Class 2 to get down to the dip visible in the center.
Needle Benchmark ahead. Class 2 to get down to the dip visible in the center.
View back up at the Class 2 section within the dip. The cliff I wrapped around visible in the center.
View back up at the Class 2 section within the dip. The cliff I wrapped around visible in the center.
Easy walking to the high point from here.
Easy walking to the high point from here.
View back toward the cliff. I came around on its left in this photo.
View back toward the cliff. I came around on its left in this photo.
Another shot looking back. You can see my tiny car on the grassy hump right of center.
Another shot looking back. You can see my tiny car on the grassy hump right of center.
Needle Benchmark summit, view south.
Needle Benchmark summit, view south.
Needle Benchmark summit, view north.
Needle Benchmark summit, view north.

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!