USFS · Nevada

Santa Rosa-Paradise Peak Wilderness

Lonely, rarely visited, and subtle, this area is quintessential basin and range country: no lakes, no alpine meadows, no large coniferous forests. Located in north-central Nevada, it encompasses the south end of the Santa Rosa Mountains, with 9,701-foot Santa Rosa Peak in the northern section as its highest point. Paradise Peak in the southern section overlooks rugged granite, a profusion of spring wildflowers, sweeping basins above pockets of quaking aspen, and an abundance of wildlife. Mountain lions and bobcats are elusive but common inhabitants, and California bighorn sheep have been introduced. Eagles and hawks soar with the wind in the higher country, while upland game birds, grouse, and partridge dominate lower elevations.

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).

Wilderness32,072 acresUSFSNVDesignated 19891 campground within 10 mi7 trails
Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Santa Rosa-Paradise Peak Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net

Facts

Where each comes from ↓
DesignationWilderness
Managed byU.S. Forest Service
StateNevada
Size32,072 acres
Designated1989, by Congress
Center point41.52° N, 117.69° W
Night skyVery dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 21)

Boundary map

1 outline

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

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Santa Rosa-Paradise Peak Wilderness20°30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 1.61 inches of precipitationFebruary: 1.21 inches of precipitationMarch: 1.12 inches of precipitationApril: 0.92 inches of precipitationMay: 1.00 inches of precipitationJune: 0.57 inches of precipitationJuly: 0.17 inches of precipitationAugust: 0.19 inches of precipitationSeptember: 0.46 inches of precipitationOctober: 0.74 inches of precipitationNovember: 1.05 inches of precipitationDecember: 1.84 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 30.2°F averageFebruary: 34.1°F averageMarch: 41.1°F averageApril: 46.8°F averageMay: 55.0°F averageJune: 62.6°F averageJuly: 70.8°F averageAugust: 69.5°F averageSeptember: 61.0°F averageOctober: 49.5°F averageNovember: 37.5°F averageDecember: 29.0°F average0 in0.5 in1 in1.5 in2 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Paradise Valley 1 NW, 7 miles from the center point at 4,560 feet, station USC00266005 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 11 inches a year. The station sits about 1,900 feet lower than the center point, so temperatures on the ground run cooler.

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

Campsite Atlas →

None of the 1 federal campground within ten miles sits inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.

FS · 7.2 mi
Lye Creek Campground
First-comeNV

Trails

Trailhead Atlas →

7 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 53 miles in all.

TrailMiles
Summit Trail ↗27.8
Horse Canyon ↗14.6
Andorno Creek ↗5.8
Falls Canyon2.1
McConnell Creek1.6
Abel Creek0.5
Singas Creek0.4

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

National Register listings within 15 miles · 3 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

Guidebooks for Nevada

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Santa Rosa-Paradise Peak Wilderness?

32,072 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Santa Rosa-Paradise Peak Wilderness?

The U.S. Forest Service.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Santa Rosa-Paradise Peak Wilderness in?

Nevada.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Santa Rosa-Paradise Peak Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1989.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at Santa Rosa-Paradise Peak 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 Santa Rosa-Paradise Peak Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 41.524° N, 117.688° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Are there historic places near Santa Rosa-Paradise Peak Wilderness?

The National Register has 3 listings within 15 miles, including Paradise Valley Ranger Station and Micca House.

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.