Big Horn Mountains Wilderness
Area Management
The Big Horn Mountains Wilderness is part of the 110 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. This System of lands provides clean air, water, and habitat critical for rare and endangered plants and animals. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities like hiking, backpacking, climbing, kayaking, canoeing, rafting, horse packing, bird watching, stargazing, and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. You play an important role in helping to "secure for the American people of present and future generations the benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness" as called for by the Congress of the United States through the Wilderness Act of 1964. Please follow the requirements outlined below and use Leave No Trace techniques when visiting the Big Horn Mountains Wilderness to ensure protection of this unique area.Wildlife populations and habitat are important aspects of the naturalness and are actively managed. Maintain important and unfragmented habitat for desert tortoises and desert bighorn sheep.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department's actively manages desert tortoise populations through monitoring and research. The removal of tortoises from the wild has been prohibited since 1988. If you find a tortoise in an undeveloped area, it is likely a wild tortoise. This is a rare encounter that few people ever get a chance to experience, so enjoy it, but do not disturb the tortoise. Disturbing the tortoise in any way, such as picking it up, can cause it to release the contents of its bladder which could lead to dehydration and death.
The only situation in which a wild tortoise should be handled is if it is crossing the road and is in immediate danger. In this case you can gently lift it (not too high) off the road, being mindful of traffic, and carefully put it on the other side, facing the same direction it was going. Otherwise, simply let the tortoise be and enjoy the opportunity to observe such a remarkable ancient animal.
Group size is limited to 25 people for casual use. BLM will evaluate requests for groups of more thgan 25 people on a case-by-case basis to ensure resources and wilderness values are protected. Groups exceeding 25 people will require prior written authorization from the Hassayampa Field Manager.
Commercial recreation and vending operations are not allowed in the Big Horn Mountains Wilderness, except for hunting. Organized non-commercial activities will be allowed on a case-by-case basis when consistent with wilderness management objectives.
