Partner logos: Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, National Park Service, University of Montana Wilderness.net Logo
Connecting federal employees, scientists, educators, and the public with their wilderness heritage

La Madre Mountain Wilderness

General Contacts Area Management Wilderness Laws Images Volunteer
Depressions in bright orange sandstone desert rocks capture small pools of water.
Library image #381: Brownstone basin

Introduction

The United States Congress designated the La Madre Mountain Wilderness (map) in 2002 and it now has a total of 47,267 acres. All of this wilderness is located in Nevada and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service. The La Madre Mountain Wilderness is bordered by the Mt. Charleston Wilderness to the north and the Rainbow Mountain Wilderness to the south.

Description

The La Madre Wilderness is located approximately 12 miles west of Las Vegas, Nevada. This Wilderness Area is jointly managed by the US Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management.

The area contains a rugged complex of canyons, ridges and mountain peaks. La Madre Mountain dominates the area with spectacular cliffs and steep canyons occurring on its southeast flanks. Elevations range from 3,600 feet in Brownstone Basin to 9,600 feet at La Madre Mountain.

The large variation in elevation (6,000 feet) provides for a variety of plant communities, ranging from South Mohave Desert shrub, to juniper-pinion woodland, to subalpine communities of white fir and ponderosa pine.

The area is highly scenic and offers excellent views of classic basin and range formations. The Keystone thrust formation above Brownstone Basin, where older limestone has been pushed over younger sandstone, is internationally regarded as the single finest example of a thrust fault.

Prehistoric sites occur throughout the area and include pictographs and petroglyphs, agave roasting pits and rock shelters. Brownstone Canyon is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Planning to Visit the La Madre Mountain Wilderness?

Leave No Trace

How to follow the seven standard Leave No Trace principles differs in different parts of the country (desert vs. Rocky Mountains). Click on any of the principles listed below to learn more about how they apply in the La Madre Mountain Wilderness.
  1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
  2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
  3. Dispose of Waste Properly
  4. Leave What You Find
  5. Minimize Campfire Impacts
  6. Respect Wildlife
  7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors
For more information on Leave No Trace, Visit the Leave No Trace, Inc. website.