Sheltered recesses and washes that receive intermittent moisture support stunted hardwoods such as Gamble oak and bigtooth maple and shade-giving cottonwoods. A variety of rodents scurry about the brush, and deer commonly descend from higher elevations during winter to forage, often in residential neighborhoods located on the mountains' foothills. More robust trees populate the Transitional Zone, which ranges between 6,000 and 8,000 feet. The mighty ponderosa pine mingles with Douglas fir and other conifers and their wood is prized by the timber industry for their excellent construction properties. The bristlecone pine, one of the world's oldest living organisms, finds a niche on the crumbly limestone slopes of Utah's southernmost High Plateaus.
Wildflowers grow in profusion and bring brilliant color to the verdant hills and valleys.
Wildlife is varied and abundant, ranging from the tiny deer mouse to black-tailed rabbit, badger to beaver, mule deer to elk, and bobcat to black bear. Utah's highest summits announce the Hudsonian to Arctic-Alpine life zones above 10,000 feet. Stoic fir and spruce grow in isolated patches. Dwarf plants, matted grasses, and wind-resistant shrubs cling to rocky slopes. Animals must prove their resiliency.