Bureau of Land Management
Photo Credit: Sendi Kalcic
Southern Nevada District Office
4701 N. Torrey Pines Drive
Las Vegas, NV 89103
http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/lvfo.1.html
Size: 56,018 acres
Elevation Range: 4,440 - 11,916 feet
Designation: Clark County Conservation of Public
Land and Natural Resources Act of 2002,
Nevada Wilderness Protection Act of 1989
BLM
Mt. Charleston Wilderness
Area Description
Just 45 minutes from Las Vegas, the Mt. Charleston Wilderness feels like it is worlds away from the city with invigorating
mountain air, ice-cold springs and evergreen forest amid the Spring Mountain National Recreation Area. This cool-weather oasis
boasts a combined total of 56,018 acres and is jointly managed by the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management.
Mt. Charleston is known as a sky island because of its high elevation and isolation from the drastically different desert lowlands.
This wilderness extends along the crest of the mostly north-south Spring Mountains with towering cliffs, deep narrow canyons,
steep hillsides and barren wind-swept summits. The landscape, ranging from 4,440 to 11,916 feet in elevation, showcases a
variety of lifezones, plants and animals. The Spring Mountains are also home to several endemic plants and animals.
Over 18,000 acres of bristlecone pine trees, the most extensive stand of these
trees in the Intermountain West, cover the lower ridges. These ancient trees
bring an added touch of beauty and awe, with at least one tree known to be
nearly 3,000 years old.
This stunning wilderness area provides much-needed respite from the summer
desert heat for both humans and wildlife alike, hosting the only herd of Rocky
Mountain elk in Clark County. As you leave the valley floor and travel up in
elevation, to you will see creosote bush, Joshua trees, pinyon pines, Utah
juniper, sagebrush, ponderosa pine, manzanita, shrub live oak, white fir, limber
pine, quaking aspen, bristlecone pine, and at the highest elevations only low
shrubs, grasses, and forbs.
Photo Credit: Sendi Kalcic
With a watchful eye you may be able to spot white-tailed antelope squirrels, black-tailed jackrabbits, kit foxes, burros, elk,
Palmer’s chipmunks, mule deer, mountain lions, golden mantle ground squirrels, rock wrens, red-tailed hawks, Stellar’s jays,
mountain chickadees, juncos, broad-tailed hummingbirds, and white-throated nuthatches.
Directions
The summit of Mt. Charleston sits near the center of the wilderness area, with six lobes extending
away from the peak along the high-elevation mountain ranges. Between these lobes, several roads
allow access to various parts of the wilderness. Paved roads lead into Kyle and Lee canyons.
Access is also provided by several dirt roads, including the Harris Canyon Road, the road above Cold
Creek, and several roads on the west side of the mountains.
The Mt. Charleston Wilderness provides a unique and beautiful backdrop for both summer and
winter recreation. Explore the high country with a hiking, horseback riding, or camping trip. Nearly 40 miles of trails cover the
wilderness, with significant elevation changes offering spectacular views and endless challenges. For the more adventurous, Mt.
Charleston’s skiing, ice climbing, and rock climbing are sure to please. Backcountry permits are not required.
Motorized vehicles, mechanized equipment, and mechanical transport are not permitted in designated wilderness.
Maps
USGS 7.5 Quadrangle Maps: Willow Peak, Cold Creek, Wheeler Well, Charleston Peak, Angel Peak, Pahrump NE, Griffith Peak, La
Madre Spring.
Additional Information
•
Please limit group sizes to 12 members
•
Maximum length of stay: 14 days
•
Campfires are not allowed in the Mt. Charleston Wilderness. Please use camp stoves.
•
Other than incidental browsing, riding and pack stock animals may be fed only packed-in,
certified, weed-free feed.
•
Collection of natural resources, including wildlife (with the exception of hunting with a valid
hunting license or tag), plants, rocks, or fossils in wilderness is prohibited without a valid
scientific research and collecting permit.
•
Collecting from or impacting archaeological sites in any way is prohibited.
Photo Credit: Sendi Kalcic
Southern Nevada District Office
Recreation
No warranty is made by the Bureau of Land Management as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of these data for individual use or aggregate use with other data. Original data were
compiled from various sources. This information may not meet National Map Accuacy standards. This product was developed through digital means and may be updated without notification.
Southern Nevada District Office
N
BLM
Mt. Charleston Wilderness
