| Wovoka Wilderness | |
|---|---|
  | |
| Location | Lyon County, Nevada,United States |
| Nearest city | Yerington, Nevada |
| Coordinates | 38°32′12″N119°05′03″W / 38.5366°N 119.0841°W /38.5366; -119.0841 |
| Area | 49,018 acres (19,837 ha)[1] |
| Established | September 15, 2014 |
| Administrator | U.S. Forest Service |
TheWovoka Wilderness is awilderness area inLyon County in the state ofNevada in theUnited States. Part ofHumboldt–Toiyabe National Forest, Wovoka Wilderness was designated part of theNational Wilderness Preservation System in December 2014.[1] Totaling 49,018 acres (19,837 ha),[1] it is the largest remaining tract of wilderness in Lyon County. Named afterWovoka, was Wovoka Wilderness' total acreage includes 23,000 acres (9,308 ha) that are protected from leasing and mining.[2]
The Wovoka Wilderness was named afterWovoka, the spiritual leader of thePaiute people in the early 20th-century. Wovoka was born and lived in the area.[2]
Northern Paiute people resided in the area until the early 20th-century, including spiritual leaderWovoka, of which the wilderness is named after. He lived and worked in the area until his death in 1932. The vast pinyon-juniper woodlands serve as a large source forpine nuts for the Paiute. The wilderness includes a prehistoric village site with 20 house rings, tool making sites,petroglyphs, drive fences and spiritual sites for the Paiute.[2]
In 1844,John C. Fremont camped along the East Walker River in what is now the Wovoka Wilderness.[3]
SenatorsHarry Reid andDean Heller proposed the protection of the area in exchange for a copper mine in the 2000s or 2010s. The legislation did not succeed. CongressmanSteven Horsford introduced a similar bill in 2013. A hearing took place featuring local representatives. On January 28, 2014, the House Committee on Natural Resources approved the legislation which was added to a larger proposal to be presented to Congress, including combining the Pine Forest and Wovoka Wilderness. The bill passed the Senate on September 15, 2014.[3]
The wilderness is located inHumboldt–Toiyabe National Forest inLyon County, Nevada and totals 49,018 acres (19,837 ha) of protected land.[1] The wilderness includes the southern part ofPine Grove Hills, includingBald Mountain, 13 miles of theEast Walker River in theWalker River State Recreation Area.[2][4] The highest part of the wilderness is 9,407 feet at Bald Mountain summit and 5,200 feet at the East Walker River.[2]
A now closedcopper mine is located in the wilderness.[3]
The wilderness comprisespinyon-juniper woodland and includesWilliams combleaf,Bodie Hills cusickiella,Mono County phacelia,Jeffrey pine andBarneby's serpentweed. The East Walker River section is lined withwillow trees.[2]
Wovoka Wilderness is a habitat for the threatenedBi-State sage-grouse, which uses the area for mating and nesting. Other fauna includesApache silverspot butterflies,bighorn sheep,Townsend's big-eared bat, mule deer,American black bear,Western small-footed bat, bobcat, cougar, and golden eagles.[1][2] The wilderness serves as a migration route from theGreat Basin to theSweetwater Mountains andSierra Nevada.[3]
Wovoka Wilderness, like all protected wilderness areas in the United States, prohibits vehicles. Therefore, only transport must be by foot, water transport, or horse.[2] There are no system trails.[1] Activities include fly fishing, skiing, canoeing, kayaking, and bird watching.[2]
