| Arrow Canyon Wilderness | |
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| Location | Clark County, Nevada,USA |
| Nearest city | Glendale, Nevada |
| Coordinates | 36°42′N114°52′W / 36.700°N 114.867°W /36.700; -114.867 |
| Area | 27,530 acres (11,140 ha) |
| Established | 2002 (2002) |
| Governing body | Bureau of Land Management |
Arrow Canyon Wilderness is a 27,530-acre (11,140 ha)wilderness area located inClark County in theU.S. state ofNevada. It received wilderness designation with the passage of the Clark County Conservation of Public Land and Natural Resources Act of 2002 and protects the northern portion of theArrow Canyon Range.[1] The Arrow Canyon Wilderness is managed by theBureau of Land Management.
Arrow Canyon Wilderness is made up of three distinct landforms: the craggyArrow Canyon Range; wide valleys; and deep canyons. The Arrow Range lies along the west edge of the wilderness. This craggy block of tilted sedimentarycarbonate rock exposes the underlying strata along the west side of the ridge. This fault scarp is several thousand feet high and is marked by black and white bands of carbonate rock andquartzite that run the length of the entire range. The northeastern central portion of the wilderness area contains a wide valley cut by numerous washes, while the east side is characterized by a series of deep washes, including Arrow Canyon with nearly vertical sides several hundred feet deep.[2]
There are extensivepetroglyph panels on the rock walls of Pahranagat Wash, above, below, and in Arrow Canyon. Other evidence of prehistoric use includes agave roasting pits, shelter caves, rock alignments,lithic scatters, stone scrapers, and broken arrowheads. TheMoapa Band ofPaiutes still resides in the area just east of the Arrow Canyon Range.[2]
Common wildlife found in Arrow Canyon Wilderness includeCalifornia myotis, yellow bat,western red bat,hoary bat,desert five-spot,desert tortoise,desert bighorn sheep,chuckwalla,cactus wren,canyon wren,rock wren, andAshash-throated flycatcher.[1]
Common vegetation found in Arrow Canyon Wilderness includecreosote bush,white bursage,mojave yucca, andbarrel cactus, as well asblackbrush at higher elevations.Honey mesquite,catclaw acacia, andsaltcedar are common in washes in the central and eastern portions of the Wilderness. The uncommonbutterfly bush(Buddleja utahensis) is also quite common here.[2]
