The eastern front of an ancient mountain range runs down the
center of today's Pahvant Range. West of this front, the rocks
are limestone, quartzite, sandstone, and shells deposited below
sea level in a gradually deepening ocean basin called a geo
syncline. Compressive forces of continental collision thrust
huge sheets of this sedimentary sequence up and over other
sheets to form high mountain ranges. East of this front, the
rocks are conglomerates, sandstone, and shells shed from these
ancient mountains and deposited at their base. Because this
debris was deposited on land, much of it is red and yellow, in
contrast to the drab grays and tans of the marine deposits on
the west side of the Pahvant Range.
Shortly after reaching the ridge top, the trail passes the
intersection of the Bear Hollow Road, Forest Road 100, which is
the northern leg of the Fillmore Loop. A comfort station is
available here. From the high point south of the Bear Hollow
road southward to White Pine Peak the trail alternates between
open sage meadows and cool groves of aspen, spruce, and fir
Since the ridge top is fairly narrow, there are sweeping
panoramas from the meadows. Here one can see all the mountain
ranges traversed by the Paiute ATV Trail. A short distance south
of White Pine Peak the main trail intersects the southern leg of
Fillmore Loop, known as the Sand Rock Ridge Road, Forest Road
103.
After a sharp turn to the east, the trail enters the valley
of Deer Creek. A good road here makes for easy traveling past
open meadows interspersed with clumps of aspen. Farther down the
valley clumps of mountain mahogany, a wood so dense that it
won't float, dot the dry hillsides. Redview Guard Station,
located southwest of the trail, is a remnant of times when
travel was slow and difficult, forcing rangers to remain in the
mountains to accomplish their work.
The reaching of the junction of Forest Road 096 with Forest
Road 111 completes the loop of the Paiute ATV Trail. Those going
to Richfield continue on Road 096 to the east. The road into
Richfield is smooth in places and rough in others, in either
case, it is very slippery when wet. This side loop of the Paiute
Trail passes beside weirdly sculptured red rocks and offers
fantastic views to the south into Flat Canyon. There is mountain
mahogany on the side slopes and aspen in the bottoms until the
trail drops down into the pinyon and juniper. After crossing
Little Valley, the trail rises to a ridge where there are
spectacular views of the Sevier Valley to the east and Dairy and
Flat Canyons to the south. Interlayered red and-white rocks
contrast dramatically with the green vegetation along the Sevier
River.
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