Location

The Meadow Valley Wilderness is located in Southern Lincoln County fifty miles northeast of Las Vegas.

Getting There

Access to this Wilderness is 30 miles south of Alamo, Nevada on federal highway 93.

Area Description

The Meadow Valley Range Wilderness is a land of rolling bajadas speckled with cholla, yucca and Joshua trees, to intricately carved canyons forested with pinyon pine and juniper, and jagged mountain peaks topped with stands of old-growth ponderosa pine. Each contains inspiring beauty and jaw-dropping surprises. Conical buff-based Sunflower Mountain sits astride the main ridgeline. A natural arch endures in the northern part.

The various climates and elevations in these areas provide important habitat for a wide spectrum of wildlife. The low elevations provide crucial habitat for the desert tortoise, the banded Gila monster, the white bearpoppy, Clark mountain agave, desert banded gecko, the sidewinder and the long-nosed leopard lizard. Higher in the mountains, it's possible to spot desert bighorn sheep, mule deer, bobcat and mountain lion. An impressive variety of raptors live in the area. Burrowing owl, golden eagle, ferruginous hawk, red-tailed hawk, prairie falcon, Cooper's hawk, northern harrier, merlin and American kestrel are some of the birds of prey that have been spotted in the region.

Vegetation consists of low desert shrub with the exception of the northern section of the Meadow Valley Mountains, which is pinyon and juniper forest.

The Meadow Valley Range is boomerang-shaped, measuring approximately ten miles east to west, and arching about thirty-six miles from north to south. It consists of three major landforms; the long ridgeline of the Meadow Valley Mountains, a large bajada beginning high on the main ridge sloping easterly towards Meadow Valley Wash, and finally Bunker Hills five miles from the southern section of the central bajada. Even the ground itself offers a glimpse into the distant past. Fossils in the limestone hills give us snapshots of life hundreds of millions of years ago, when these high inland mountains were merely sediments accumulating at the bottom of the sea. And the mountains themselves give a bird's-eye view of nature's erosional forces at work.

The long ridgeline offers many peaks, narrow canyons and passes to explore. Sunflower Mountain makes a focal point, with a color and texture markedly contrasting with the surrounding terrain. Grapevine Spring on the west end is a hiking destination. On the east side, Hackberry and Virgo Canyons make good day hiking areas. Backpackers will find numerous loops and through routes. Rock scrambling terrain abounds.

Additional Information

Signs indicating "Wilderness" and "Closed Road" or "Closed Route" are placed at various intervals. Vehicles can be parked outside the wilderness boundary; however, the boundary is set back 100 feet on roads.

Mechanized and motorized vehicles are NOT PERMITTED in a wilderness area.

Hunting, fishing, and non-commercial trapping are allowed under state and local laws. Pets are allowed, but please keep your pets under control at all times. Horses are permitted, however you may need to carry feed. Removal, disturbance, or attempting to remove archaeological materials is a felony. Selling, receiving, purchasing, transporting, exchanging or offering to do so is prohibited by law.

Camping is permitted, limited to 14 days. After 14 days campers must relocate at least 25 miles from previous site (interim policy, until wilderness planning is complete). Gathering wood for campfires, when permitted, is limited to dead and down material. Live vegetation cannot be cut.

Please help preserve Nevada's fragile environments, park your vehicle or set up camp in previously used sites, minimize impacts by practicing Leave No Trace ethics.

Contact Ely Bureau of Land Management Field Office for current weather, road conditions, and hazards.

Contact Info:

Ely BLM Field Office
Phone: 775-289-1800
http://www.nv.blm.gov/ely