These mountains are among the highest on earth to rise from such a narrow base, no more than one mile in many places. The tallest summits are Wellsville Cone at 9,356 feet and Box Elder Peak at 9,372 feet. Canyons cut into the mountains from the east and west. The water that runs out of the Wellsvilles is enough to supply 16 small Utah communities. Once devastated by overgrazing, the Wilderness is on the road to recovery and now supports populations of deer, moose, and mountain lions, not to mention the occasional bighorn sheep.
Raptors use the mountain range as a major flyway.
Day hikers and hunters are the primary human users.