Mollie's Nipple

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Mollie's Nipple, also called Molly's Nipple, is the name given to several Utah landmarks—up to seven peaks, at least one butte, and at least one well, with some lists showing eleven features bearing the name. The names are linked to John Kitchen, an early Utah explorer, who reportedly named these places after a nickname for his wife Molly.

One well-known feature is Mollie’s Nipple, a mountain summit at the head of Kitchen Canyon in Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument, Kane County. It rises to 7,264 feet. The climb includes easy to moderate terrain (Class 2–3) and a short Class 4 pitch. The trailhead requires a four-wheel drive. The peak stands alone among mesas and is visible from a distance. Nearby is Nipple Lake, where Kitchen built a ranch (Nipple Ranch) that still exists but is fenced off with private-property signs.

The story of Molly and John has even been used to teach archaeology, illustrating dating techniques.

Another Mollie’s Nipple is a rocky knob at Bear River Gorge, notable because an outlaw known as Black Jack Nelson is said to have hidden stolen treasure there.

Mollie’s Nipple butte sits in Hurricane Valley Heritage Park, at about 1,353 feet above the valley. Pioneers knew it well, and the caves beneath the Nipple were used for cooking by Indigenous peoples; old pottery has been found atop. It’s thought the butte was used to send smoke signals to hunting and seed-gathering parties. The butte can be climbed, and the top offers a vast, breathtaking view of geology and history.