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Beaver

Beaver County   |  Jay Dash
  • Weather: Sunny, 88F

North of Cedar City on I-15, Beaver is a place where Utah’s Old West still thrives. The town lies in a broad valley below the towering Tushar Mountains, the state’s third highest mountain range, which offers diverse recreational opportunities. Beaver, with a population of 3,000, is a gateway to gorgeous landscapes, rivers and streams, miles of hiking and mountain biking trails, breathtaking scenic drives, haunted ghost towns and plenty of peace and quiet.

Once a well-kept secret, Beaver is a growing four-season paradise for outdoor recreationists. The easily-accessible Tushars boast three 12,000-foot peaks, herds of mountain goats, alpine meadows strewn with wildflowers and dense fir and aspen woodlands. Lakes dot the high country, attracting fishermen and campers, while mountain bikers pedal world-class trails. Hikers climb the high peaks and follow the spectacular 23-mile Skyline National Recreation Trail, one of Utah’s best paths for day hikes and backpacking adventures.

West of Beaver in Beaver County — also known as Ramblers — is an arid land of mountain ranges punctuated by sagebrush-covered basins, extending toward Great Basin National Heritage Area. The Mineral Mountains are one of Utah’s renowned rockhounding areas, where gem collectors hunt smoky quartz, opal, azurite and prized blue beryl, while rock climbers scale the granite Milford Domes at the Rock Corral. Minersville Reservoir is the place to catch trophy-sized trout and camp lakeside on starry summer nights. Day trips rambling through western Beaver County include visits to Frisco ghost town — once one of the West’s rowdiest mining camps — and the remote Wah Wah Mountains.
 

Things to do in Beaver County

Local Highlights

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Outdoor Adventure

  • Fishing

    There are several fishing holes scattered around Beaver, from glistening alpine tarns to forest-edged lakes filled with trout. The best fly fishing for brown and rainbow trout are deep pools along the upper Beaver River. Favorite fishing lakes for locals include the three Kents Lakes, Little Reservoir, LeBaron Lake, and Puffer Lake, the largest natural lake in the Tushar Mountains.

  • Hiking

    The Tushar Mountains east of Beaver offer up one of Utah’s great unknown hiking areas. Set up camp at a Fishlake National Forest campground and follow the Skyline National Recreation Trail along the west flank of the range crest. For spectacular views, follow a trail up grassy slopes to the summit of 12,169-foot Delano Peak or hike a rocky ridge up 12,137-foot Mount Belknap.

  • Mountain Biking

    Beaver offers miles of singletrack mountain bike rides and no crowds. Close to town, the Beaver Bench Trail System offers flowy trails, large berms and jump features for riders of all abilities. After the snow melts, Eagle Point Resort boasts 41 miles of riding on 12 trails through aspen forests and meadows dotted with wildflowers. Trails around Big John Flat and the Skyline Trail are perfect pedal adventures in late summer. In the winter, head for the dry desert to ride abandoned mining tracks that date from the 19th century in the Mineral and Wah Wah Mountains.

  • Off-Roading

    Ramblers has hundreds of miles of OHV trails, and it loves its off-road visitors. Popular trails include Picture Rock, Mag's Brothel, Frisco Kilns. The 72-mile Beaver Side Trail, part of the famed Paiute ATV Trail, makes a loop through the Tushars that begins and ends in Beaver. This ATV trip twists along dirt roads and narrow tracks through forests and meadows and over high ridges with spacious views across western Utah. The Beaver Canyon Scenic Byway, one of Utah’s best drives, threads 17 miles up a deep canyon from Beaver to Eagle Point Ski Resort. The Kimberly/Big John Scenic Backway runs 22 miles over the Tushars before dipping past mine ruins at Lower Kimberly.

  • Rockhounding

    Nestled 10 miles east of Milford, you will find the Rock Corral Recreation Area at the head of the Corral Canyon. You will be amazed by the towering granite peaks that surround you at this location that has a little bit of everything. This area provides a variety of recreational opportunities such as hiking, picnicking, primitive camping, rock climbing, horseback riding and rockhounding. In fact, rockhounding opportunities abound within the granite monoliths near Rock Corral. Some of the most common finds include smoky quartz and feldspar crystals.

  • Scenic Drives

    Have time for a drive of epic proportions? Consider heading east on Beaver Canyon Scenic Byway (State Route 153) and be transported back in time to an untouched view of the West. You’ll drive through the Tushar Mountain Range where you can enjoy a side trip of OHVing, hiking, mountain biking and camping. And Kent Lake Loop (F.S. Route 137) in the Tushars is another drive-friendly, well-graded dirt and gravel road popular for its untouched setting and clear-flowing creeks. Bring a rod along and you can try your luck at Little Reservoir, Kents Lake, or Anderson Meadow Reservoir.

  • Wildlife Watching

    The Tushars are home to one of Utah’s largest and healthiest herds of mountain goats. Head for the high country from July through September to glimpse the shaggy goats grazing in high meadows and cavorting on snowfields. Bring binoculars, warm clothes and a camera. The state Division of Wildlife offers an annual goat-watching event, usually the first weekend of August.

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