Naomi Peak

Mount Naomi is the highest point of both the Bear River Range and Cache County, Utah. While it is just short of the 10,000-foot mark at 9,979 feet, it still has 3,159 feet of prominence and is the 34th most prominent peak in Utah. Elevation aside, the hike to the summit offers incredible views, stunning wildflowers in season, and interesting geology. The summit is reached 3.3 miles from the trailhead at Tony Grove Lake. Because the lake is at 8,043 feet, there is only 1,936 feet of gain to the summit. It is a fairly family friendly hike, and is moderately easy. The view from the summit is incredible, and parts of Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming can be seen. When the air is exceptionally clear, the Grand Tetons in Wyoming and the Uinta Mountains in Eastern Utah can be seen in the distance. This area is only a few miles south of the Idaho border, so much of Southeast Idaho is regularly visible.

Tony Grove Lake has a large campground and many options for fishing, swimming, and boating, but it is probably the most popular destination in the area and can be quite crowded on summer weekends. There is a day use fee to park at the trailhead. While access to the mountain during the summer and fall is quite easy, winter and spring are more difficult because the mountain is still covered in snow. Winter ascents are possible and have been done, but because the Tony Grove Lake road is closed there is a significant amount of mileage and elevation gain involved.

This peak can also be combined with three other peaks in the area (Mount Magog, Bullen Hole Peak, and Mount Gog) for a spectacular four-peak traverse known as the White Pine Grand Slam that includes the best of the Bear River Range high country surrounding the White Pine Lake Basin. This route involves 10.5 miles of travel and about 4,100 feet of elevation gain.

Mount Naomi is also the namesake of the Mount Naomi Wilderness, which was designated in 1984 and covers the western side of the mountain. It is one of nine Wilderness areas managed by the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. The Tony Grove Trailhead serves as one of the main access points for this wilderness area and for much of the central Bear River Range in general. The area is also well know for its incredible variety of wildflowers during the summer.

The area around the mountain has very unique geology and is primarily composed of limestone. Limestone is particularly susceptible to forming  caves, and this area is no exception. There are many, many caves of varying sizes in the area. In fact, Main Drain, Utah's deepest cave at 1,227 feet, was discovered in 2003 above Tony Grove Lake on the slopes on Naomi Peak. Not only is it the deepest cave in Utah, it is the fourth longest in the state, and the ninth deepest in the nation. To this day it has not been completely explored, since it would require cave diving to continue on. Its location is not revealed to the general public in order to preserve the pristine nature of the cave.