Jarbidge Wilderness
According to legend, a hardy band of Shoshone braves walled in the original jarbidge (their word for "a weird beastly creature") in a cave in Jarbidge Canyon. Now this northern Nevada Wilderness merits attention as one of the most remote spots in America. Eight of the peaks in the Jarbidge ridge exceed 10,000 feet. But with air as unpolluted as you will find anywhere, the view from these heights goes on for 150 miles. Look down from the peaks and you will see 4,000 feet into the valleys. This area is unusually wet for Nevada, with seven to eight feet of snow falling annually, ideal for vegetation that varies from northern desert plants to alpine plants. Snow often covers high trails from mid-October to mid-June.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Nevada |
| Size | 110,471 acres |
| Designated | 1964, by Congress |
| Center point | 41.77° N, 115.35° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 19) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 3 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trails
29 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 172 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| East Fork Jarbidge River ↗ | 26.3 | |
| Cottonwood Creek ↗ | 15.2 | |
| Pine Creek ↗ | 11.4 | |
| Gods Pocket Peak ↗ | 11.1 | |
| Jarbidge River Trail ↗ | 10.7 | |
| Willow Creek 1 ↗ | 8.1 | |
| Robinson Hole to 3 Day Creek ↗ | 7.8 | |
| West Marys River to Camp Draw ↗ | 7.6 | |
| North Fork Camp Creek ↗ | 6.8 | |
| 76 Creek ↗ | 6.2 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 11.4 miGold Creek Ranger Station ↗Mountain City, NV
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Nevada
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Jarbidge Wilderness?
110,471 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Jarbidge Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Jarbidge Wilderness in?
Nevada.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Jarbidge Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1964.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Jarbidge Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Jarbidge Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 41.766° N, 115.346° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Are there historic places near Jarbidge Wilderness?
The National Register has 1 listing within 15 miles, including Gold Creek Ranger Station.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.