Weepah Spring Wilderness
Encyclopedia
Weepah Spring Wilderness is a 51480 acres (208.3 km²) wilderness area in Lincoln
and Nye Counties
, in the U.S.
state of Nevada
. The Wilderness lies approximately 35 miles (56 km) south of the town of Alamo
and is administered by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.
Weepah Spring Wilderness contains Timber Mountain and lies within the Seaman Range
, an excellent example of a Great Basin
mountain range. It lacks a single defined ridgeline and contains isolated peaks, maze-like canyons, walls of fossil bearing rocks, natural arch
es, and volcanic hoodoo
s. The Wilderness also has the largest stand of ponderosa pine
in eastern Nevada and 4,000 year old rock art
.
. The district encompasses one of the largest and most well-known concentrations of petroglyphs in Nevada. Other prehistoric sites in the District include shelter caves, hunting blinds, and campsites.
Lincoln County, Nevada
Lincoln County is a county located in the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2000 census, the population was 4,165. Its county seat is Pioche.-History:...
and Nye Counties
Nye County, Nevada
-National protected areas:* Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge* Death Valley National Park * Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest * Spring Mountains National Recreation Area -Demographics:...
, in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
state of Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
. The Wilderness lies approximately 35 miles (56 km) south of the town of Alamo
Alamo, Nevada
Alamo is an unincorporated community in Lincoln County, Nevada, United States, about north of Las Vegas. Its elevation is 3,449 feet . It is named after the Spanish word for "poplar" due to the presence of that type of tree. Founded in 1901, Alamo lies in the Pahranagat Valley. Its economy is...
and is administered by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.
Weepah Spring Wilderness contains Timber Mountain and lies within the Seaman Range
Seaman Range
The Seaman Range is a mountain range in Lincoln County, Nevada....
, an excellent example of a Great Basin
Great Basin
The Great Basin is the largest area of contiguous endorheic watersheds in North America and is noted for its arid conditions and Basin and Range topography that varies from the North American low point at Badwater Basin to the highest point of the contiguous United States, less than away at the...
mountain range. It lacks a single defined ridgeline and contains isolated peaks, maze-like canyons, walls of fossil bearing rocks, natural arch
Natural arch
A natural arch or natural bridge is a natural geological formation where a rock arch forms, with an opening underneath. Most natural arches form as a narrow ridge, walled by cliffs, become narrower from erosion, with a softer rock stratum under the cliff-forming stratum gradually eroding out until...
es, and volcanic hoodoo
Hoodoo (geology)
A hoodoo is a tall, thin spire of rock that protrudes from the bottom of an arid drainage basin or badland. Hoodoos consist of relatively soft rock topped by harder, less easily eroded stone that protects each column from the elements...
s. The Wilderness also has the largest stand of ponderosa pine
Ponderosa Pine
Pinus ponderosa, commonly known as the Ponderosa Pine, Bull Pine, Blackjack Pine, or Western Yellow Pine, is a widespread and variable pine native to western North America. It was first described by David Douglas in 1826, from eastern Washington near present-day Spokane...
in eastern Nevada and 4,000 year old rock art
Rock art
Rock art is a term used in archaeology for any human-made markings made on natural stone. They can be divided into:*Petroglyphs - carvings into stone surfaces*Pictographs - rock and cave paintings...
.
Archeology
Within the Weepah Springs Wilderness is the White River Narrows Archaeological District, listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. The district encompasses one of the largest and most well-known concentrations of petroglyphs in Nevada. Other prehistoric sites in the District include shelter caves, hunting blinds, and campsites.
See also
- List of wilderness areas in Nevada
- List of U.S. Wilderness Areas
- Wilderness ActWilderness ActThe Wilderness Act of 1964 was written by Howard Zahniser of The Wilderness Society. It created the legal definition of wilderness in the United States, and protected some 9 million acres of federal land. The result of a long effort to protect federal wilderness, the Wilderness Act was signed...
External links
- Nevada Bureau of Land Management - Weepah Spring Wilderness fact sheet
- Friends of Nevada Wilderness - Weepah Spring Wilderness
- Nevada Bureau of Land Management - Weepah Spring Wilderness map