USFS · Nevada

Wovoka Wilderness

The Wilderness is named for Wovoka, a Northern Paiute, known for his visions and prophecies related to the Ghost Dance. The Wilderness was designated in December 2014 and is in the Great Basin, in western Nevada. It high point is 9,544 feet atop Bald Mountain. You'll find expansive views on Bald Mountain, narrow canyons, dry lakebeds, and windswept silence. Vegetation and wildlife are classic Great Basin: pinyon, juniper, sagebrush, mule deer, sage grouse. There are no system trails in the Wilderness, and water is very scarce. Yet, the Wovoka Wilderness rewards exploration and wandering.

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).

Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Wovoka Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net
DesignationWilderness
Managed byU.S. Forest Service
StateNevada
Size49,151 acres
Designated2014, by Congress
Center point38.54° N, 119.08° 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 Wovoka Wilderness20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 2.01 inches of precipitation, 7.4 inches of snowFebruary: 1.48 inches of precipitation, 8.2 inches of snowMarch: 0.87 inches of precipitation, 3.9 inches of snowApril: 0.62 inches of precipitation, 2.4 inches of snowMay: 0.68 inches of precipitation, 0.8 inches of snowJune: 0.44 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowJuly: 0.48 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 0.39 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 0.23 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 0.70 inches of precipitation, 0.3 inches of snowNovember: 0.78 inches of precipitation, 1.5 inches of snowDecember: 1.51 inches of precipitation, 7.3 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 26.7°F averageFebruary: 29.2°F averageMarch: 36.3°F averageApril: 42.0°F averageMay: 49.2°F averageJune: 57.7°F averageJuly: 64.2°F averageAugust: 62.3°F averageSeptember: 55.7°F averageOctober: 45.3°F averageNovember: 35.8°F averageDecember: 28.0°F average0 in2 in4 in6 in8 in10 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Bridgeport, 21 miles from the center point at 6,470 feet, station USC00041072 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 10 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 32 inches a year on the same inches scale.

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.

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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 Wovoka Wilderness?

49,151 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Wovoka Wilderness?

The U.S. Forest Service.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Wovoka Wilderness in?

Nevada.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Wovoka Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 2014.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at Wovoka 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 Wovoka Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 38.537° N, 119.084° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

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.
  • 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.