Factory Butte

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Factory Butte is a 6,302-foot (1,921 m) summit in Utah, United States, about 19 km northwest of Hanksville. The butte was so named by early settlers who thought its outline resembled a huge factory building, the Provo woolen mill in particular.

Factory Butte rises more than 450m from the desert floor, the most recognisable feature of a large area of stark, barren land near the Fremont River. It’s bordered by Capitol Reef to the west, the Henry Mountains to the south, San Rafael Swell to the north and the San Rafael Desert to the east. The area around Factory Butte is characterised by mud flats bearing sparse grass and occasional bushes. The landscape is undulating grey badlands and sharp ridges completely devoid of any vegetation, surrounding a few flat-topped hills of orange-brown sandstone, of which Factory Butte is a prominent example.

Ronny A. Nilsen