Introduction
The United States Congress designated the Spirit Mountain Wilderness (
map) in 2002 and it now has a total of
33,518 acres.
All of this wilderness is located in
Nevada and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service.
The Spirit Mountain Wilderness is bordered by
the
Nellis Wash Wilderness to the north and the
Bridge Canyon Wilderness to the south.
Description
The 5,639 foot summit of Spirit Mountain is located in the Newberry Mountains. Spirit Mountain is know as Avikwame by native Americans and has very high religious and cultural importance. Rugged granite boulders and steep canyons are found through most of the Wilderness. Vegetation is creosote, blackbrush, yucca, and desert willow. The northernmost extent of smoke tree is found in the Wilderness. Pinyon is found at the higher elevations. Bighorn sheep, bobcats, coyotes, Gila monster, and rattlesnakes inhabit the area.
