Visit Wilderness

Search for a wilderness as the destination for your next outdoor adventure.

Bob Marshall Wilderness Area, Minnesota

Why Visit Wilderness?

While wilderness can be appreciated from afar—through online content, television, or books—nothing compares to experiencing it firsthand. Activities like camping, hiking, or hunting allow you to fully enjoy the recreational, ecological, spiritual, and health benefits that wilderness areas offer. These areas provide “outstanding opportunities for solitude or a primitive and unconfined type of recreation,” chances to observe wildlife, moments to renew and refresh, and the physical benefits of outdoor exercise. In many wilderness areas, you can even bring your well-behaved dog.

Learn more about the diverse ways in which we benefit from wilderness and threats wilderness areas face today.

The Jimbilnan Wilderness contains mountainous terrain representing the northeast extremities of the Black Mountains. They contrast directly with the flat surface of the waters of Lake Mead in the distance and reach up to 3,025 feet. Deep canyons and washes cut across the mountains and flow southeast into the Overton Arm of Lake Mead.

South of the Black Mountains, an extensive area of white gypsum mudhills slopes south towards the Virgin Basin section of Lake Mead. Closer to the lake, the land is defined by thick layers of alluvial outwash.

The colorful sand dunes in this area are known habitat for two rare plants, the Beaver Dam milkvetch and the sticky buckwheat. Vegetation primarily consists of typical Mojave Desert Scrub species. The flats and bajadas are dominated by Creosote Bush, White Bursage, Fremont's Dalia (Indigo Bush), Mojave Yucca, a few Beavertail Pricklypear Cactus, and many other low-growing desert shrubs. The mountain slopes include species such as Creosote Bush, White Bursage, Nevada Jointfir, Schott's pygmycedar, Desert Stingbush, Sweetbush, Goldenhills (brittlebush), and Barrel Cactus.

Wildlife in the Jimbilnan typically includes desert bighorn, black-tailed jackrabbits, coyotes, white-tailed antelope squirrels, and side-blotched and zebratail lizards. Wild horses, who seem to have invaded the area, are also present.

If you turn your gaze upwards, you may spot a variety of bird species including red-tailed hawk, common raven, black-tailed gnatcatcher, house finch, black-throated sparrow, white-crowned sparrow, Say's phoebe, canyon wren, and bald eagle. Down by the lake you can find species such as American coots, double-crested cormorants, and various ducks and grebes. Striped bass and carp are common inside the lake.

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 Jimbilnan Wilderness.

Plan Ahead and Prepare
Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
Dispose of Waste Properly
Leave What You Find
Minimize Campfire Impacts
Respect Wildlife
Be Considerate of Other Visitors

For more information on Leave No Trace, Visit the Leave No Trace, Inc. website.

Location

Maps

Digital and paper maps are critical tools for wilderness visitors. Online maps can help you plan and prepare for your visit ahead of time. You can also carry digital maps with you on your GPS unit or other handheld GPS device. Having a paper map with you in the backcountry, as well as solid orienteering skills, however, ensures that you can still route-find in the event that your electronic device fails.

Online Maps

Interactive Map of the Jimbilnan Wilderness
Google Earth

Nevada Wildernesses

Printed Maps

Fetching MyTopo from Database

USGS Store

Rules & Regulations

Motorized equipment and equipment used for mechanical transport is generally prohibited in all wilderness areas. This includes the use of motor vehicles, motorboats, motorized equipment, bicycles, hang gliders, wagons, carts, portage wheels, and the landing of aircraft including helicopters.

Wilderness-Specific Regulations

Learn more about why regulations may be necessary in wilderness.

Contacts

Applicable Wilderness Law(s)

Public Law 107-282

Date: November 6, 2002
Acreage: 18,879 acres

Clark County Conservation of Public Land and Natural Resources Act of 2002 - Public law 107-282 (11/6/2002) To establish wilderness areas, promote conservation, improve public land, and provide for high quality development in Clark County, Nevada, and for other purposes

For more information (To download or see all affected wilderness areas) visit our law library for 107-282 or special provisions for 107-282 or legislative history for 107-282.

Want to Volunteer for Wilderness?

People who volunteer their time to steward our wilderness areas are an essential part of wilderness management. Contact the following groups to inquire about volunteer opportunities. Groups are listed alphabetically by the state(s) in which the wilderness is located.