Dugway Mountains
Tooele County, Utah
Dave Beck
See additional commentary by Kevin Rey at the bottom of the page.

This past December 2002 we took a trip to the Dugway Mountains to explore a couple of mines we had heard about.  We only had time to visit the Four Metals, and the Rainbow mines.  There was no apparent road over the mountain to the Cannon mine.  In the book Some Dreams Die by George Thompson he lists the Cannon mine as part of the Bullionville (Tooele county) district. 

An old truck near the Rainbow  mine shaft. Not all of the shafts in this area are horizontal back into the hills.

The building is  north of the Rainbow shaft.  I am looking towards the west.

Further to the west from the Rainbow is the Four Metals mine.  This view is from the road looking north.  This little draw is riddled with diggings, like they were chasing snakes with a shovel.

This is the Rainbow mine.  The opening is very short, in on your hands and knees, so we did not venture in more than a few feet.

This hole is at the base of the head frame at the Four Metals mine. The hole went down a long ways judging by the rock bouncing of the sides until the sound disappeared.

From the northwest end of the Dugway range, Granite Peak rises about 2000 feet from the otherwise flat desert floor.  It is well inside the Proving grounds.

This old shack is North of Kelly’s Hole on the northwest side of the Dugway Range.

The following is an article submitted to Desertislands.org by Kevin Rey. It was originally written several years ago, but we thought its message appropriate for Desertislands.org. Thanks, Kevin, for the insights!

"Nestled away in the west-central desert of Utah is a little known gem. Relatively small and rugged is its size and terrain—measuring a mere 13 miles long by 7 miles wide and covering about 80 square miles—it runs slightly northwest on its way to meeting up with the Great Salt Lake Desert/Dugway Proving Ground. Lonely is its existence in today’s world—a world in which most people will not ever miss or even know about its existence because of its remoteness.

Of course this loneliness and remoteness is really an advantage to the few who visit there. Remoteness means that the land is unspoiled, quiet, tranquil, and above all away from the tens of thousands of tourists that visit our great state each year. The place of which I speak is the Dugway Range.

If the earth could speak with words the Dugway Range would have quite a story to tell. Forming around 15 MYA from a series of volcanic eruptions, the Dugway Range has seen many changes take place since that time. Other mountain ranges have since come into existence. Lake Boneville has lapped at its borders. Native Americans have come and gone. Riders for the Pony Express passed its southern border for 18 months. The White Man put to use his tools of industry to extract from it the treasures of the earth. Machines of war and peace will break the silence now and then from the very nearby Dugway Proving Ground. Yes the life of the Dugway Range has been an exciting one.

But what can there be of interest to us today in this desolate, remote area? For those who venture off the beaten path of civilization there awaits a rugged, majestic beauty that few places on earth can match while still remaining so close to all the daily comforts to which we have grown accustomed. There lies within its boundaries many opportunities for recreation, solitude, peace, tranquillity, and of course rockhounding.

The northern end of the range contains the remnants of many mines. The Four Metal Mine, Rainbow Mines, Cannon Mine and many unnamed others await the intrepid explorer willing to do some research and footwork. Some of the abandoned mines were worked as little as 50 years ago. Some are being worked at the present day. Of course at the southern end of the range are the famous Dugway Geode Beds. This is a very well known area that is visited by many people at all times of the year. To the south of the Dugway Range is Topaz Mountain with all its treasures. To the west is the Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge that provides a temporary home to many thousands of migratory birds at various times of the year. To the east is Simpson Springs with its reconstructed Pony Express house.

Yes, the Dugway Range is one of the treasures of Utah. To those willing to leave behind the modern world, it promises an experience that is unique and addicting. I will forever be in love with the Dugway Range and plan on many more wonderful years with it as a companion in an area of desolation."

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