This project is currently full with a waitlist. To be added to the list, please email Olivia Wolff at [email protected]

Help Restore a Damaged Stream Habitat

Join us for a hands-on volunteer project to help restore a degraded stream crossing along a 4WD road in a sensitive riparian ecosystem. Over time, the streambed has become deeply rutted and soft, leading drivers to unintentionally widen the crossing area in an effort to avoid getting stuck. This has caused significant impacts to the surrounding habitat and water quality.

Here’s why this work matters:

• Streamside habitat is being damaged, reducing its ability to support native plants and wildlife.

• The disturbed area continues to expand, increasing the footprint of impact on the landscape.

• Loose sediment from vehicle tracks washes into the creek, degrading water quality and harming downstream ecosystems.

We’ll work together to reinforce the original creek crossing by placing rocks in the soft areas. This will create a stable surface that helps keep vehicle use contained while protecting the surrounding environment.

What to expect:

• Meaningful, physical work—lifting and moving rocks to stabilize the crossing.

• A chance to make a direct impact on the health of a desert stream and its surrounding habitat.

• An outdoor experience with a team of like-minded volunteers working toward a shared goal.

If you’re passionate about conservation, stewardship, and protecting the places we love to explore, this is your chance to make a difference.

The Sheldon Refuge is an amazing, beautiful landscape. This project is not one to miss. Let’s work together to restore this crossing and safeguard stream habitat for the future. Sign up today!

Photos from around the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge

Check out our Stewards of Sheldon video and Sheldon Story Map.

Information:

Difficulty: Challenging - See our difficulty rating here. This project is suitable for individuals in good physical condition who participate in a regular exercise routine. This project may be physically challenging to some people, participants need to be in good physical condition and aware of their physical abilities and limits before joining this project. 

Location: Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge, camping at Virgin Valley Campground

Dates: Thursday, June 19th - Sunday, June 22nd

Travel: Leave Reno on Thursday morning, returning Sunday afternoon. A limited number of spots are available in Friends trucks to transport volunteers and carpooling is also an option. 

Food: Breakfast and coffee are provided on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, big group dinner (with dessert) on Friday and Saturday night. Volunteers must bring their own lunches and snacks.

Gear/Clothing: Long sleeves, long pants, sturdy work or hiking shoes. Camping equipment: tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad. Camping gear is available for loan. Check out our suggested Packing List.

Are Dogs Allowed?: Due to the dangerous nature of this project and the travel on UTVs required, no dogs are allowed on this project. 

More Details: In-depth information such as camping location, weather, and project specifics will be sent out about a week before to those who have RSVP'd.

Questions?: Check out our FAQ page here or email [email protected].

RSVP is required to participate.

Friends of Nevada Wilderness and our partners put a great deal of time and resources into organizing volunteer projects. When you RSVP you are committing to join us on that project. We understand circumstances may arise where you need to cancel. So, if you’re no longer able to attend, please cancel your RSVP as soon as possible so other volunteers can join the project. You can cancel your RSVP through the cancellation link in your project confirmation email or by emailing [email protected].

Have you ever wondered what it's like to be part of restoring a trail?! Well, now's your chance!

Hampton Creek on the Southeast side of Mount Moriah Wilderness needs your help! During 2014 a large area of Mount Moriah Wilderness was affected by a wildfire and two floods that damaged the Hampton Creek Trail. We will be restoring the trail within it's original corridor by digging tread, doing rock work, and creating drainage to establish a safe and useable trail for future trail users. This is a great opportunity to learn new trail skills and, of course, it's going to be a fun weekend of volunteering with great people and rewarding results.

Trail work is very important work and is highly rewarding! By maintaining existing trails there is less overall damage to our Wilderness areas and restoring damaged trails creates a safe and durable surface (a key principle of Leave No Trace) for trail users to experience these Wilderness Areas. 

You can see more pictures from the area here.

Learn more about the Mount Moriah Wilderness area here.

Information

Difficulty level: Most Challenging- see our difficulty rating here. Strenuous with longer hikes, off-trail hiking, sometimes with significant elevation changes. These trips are very challenging and require excellent aerobic conditioning, past experience in outdoor settings, and familiarity with backcountry hiking and/or camping. Not for beginners. 

When: Thursday June 26th - Sunday June 29th

Where: Mount Moriah Wilderness Area (roughly 5 hours from Las Vegas and about 6.5 hours from Reno)

Travel: A high-clearance, 4WD vehicle is recommended to reach the campsite. There are limited spots in FNW vehicles from Reno and Las Vegas. Reach out ASAP if you need a ride. 

What to bring: sturdy work or hiking shoes, long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, sun protection, a pack with the ability to carry at least three liters of water, lunch, and snacks. As this is an overnight trip you will need camping gear, dinner for Thursday, lunch and snacks for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, a camp chair, and any entertainment you would like for the evenings. Check out our suggested Packing List.

What to expect: In-depth information such as weather, travel plans, parking/camping, and project specifics will be sent to those who RSVP about 1 week before the project. This is a multi-day project, we will provide breakfast for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and dinner for Friday and Saturday. You will need to provide food for yourself on Thursday, lunches, and any other snacks you would like. We will hike to the project area with all tools, safety equipment, lunch, and whatever else you may need for the day, and we will return to camp in the afternoon to make dinner. 

Are Dogs Allowed? Due to the dangerous nature of trail maintenance, no dogs are allowed on this project. 

What we need from you: If you're interested in joining us for this project, you must RSVP. Friends of Nevada Wilderness and our partners put a great deal of time and resources into organizing volunteer projects. When you RSVP you are committing to join us on this project. We understand circumstances may arise where you need to cancel. If you’re no longer able to attend, please cancel your RSVP as soon as possible so another volunteer can join the project.

Want to bring a friend? All participants must RSVP individually (even partners, spouses, children, etc). Please send them this link and tell them to sign up.

Questions?: Check out our FAQ page here or email [email protected].

We can't wait to see you out there!

Have you ever wondered what it's like to be part of restoring a trail?! Well, now's your chance!

Hampton Creek on the Southeast side of Mount Moriah Wilderness needs your help! During 2014 a large area of Mount Moriah Wilderness was affected by a wildfire and two floods that damaged the Hampton Creek Trail. We will be restoring the trail within it's original corridor by digging tread, doing rock work, and creating drainage to establish a safe and useable trail for future trail users. This is a great opportunity to learn new trail skills and, of course, it's going to be a fun weekend of volunteering with great people and rewarding results.

Trail work is very important work and is highly rewarding! By maintaining existing trails there is less overall damage to our Wilderness areas and restoring damaged trails creates a safe and durable surface (a key principle of Leave No Trace) for trail users to experience these Wilderness Areas. 

You can see more pictures from the area here.

Learn more about the Mount Moriah Wilderness area here.

Information

Difficulty level: Most Challenging- see our difficulty rating here. Strenuous with longer hikes, off-trail hiking, sometimes with significant elevation changes. These trips are very challenging and require excellent aerobic conditioning, past experience in outdoor settings, and familiarity with backcountry hiking and/or camping. Not for beginners. 

When: Thursday June 26th - Sunday June 29th

Where: Mount Moriah Wilderness Area (roughly 5 hours from Las Vegas and about 6.5 hours from Reno)

Travel: A high-clearance, 4WD vehicle is recommended to reach the campsite. There are limited spots in FNW vehicles from Reno and Las Vegas. Reach out ASAP if you need a ride. 

What to bring: sturdy work or hiking shoes, long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, sun protection, a pack with the ability to carry at least three liters of water, lunch, and snacks. As this is an overnight trip you will need camping gear, dinner for Thursday, lunch and snacks for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, a camp chair, and any entertainment you would like for the evenings. Check out our suggested Packing List.

What to expect: In-depth information such as weather, travel plans, parking/camping, and project specifics will be sent to those who RSVP about 1 week before the project. This is a multi-day project, we will provide breakfast for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and dinner for Friday and Saturday. You will need to provide food for yourself on Thursday, lunches, and any other snacks you would like. We will hike to the project area with all tools, safety equipment, lunch, and whatever else you may need for the day, and we will return to camp in the afternoon to make dinner. 

What we need from you: If you're interested in joining us for this project, you must RSVP. Friends of Nevada Wilderness and our partners put a great deal of time and resources into organizing volunteer projects. When you RSVP you are committing to join us on this project. We understand circumstances may arise where you need to cancel. If you’re no longer able to attend, please cancel your RSVP as soon as possible so another volunteer can join the project.

Are Dogs Allowed? Due to the dangerous nature of trail maintenance, no dogs are allowed on this project. 

Want to bring a friend? All participants must RSVP individually (even partners, spouses, children, etc). Please send them this link and tell them to sign up.

Questions?: Check out our FAQ page here or email [email protected].

We can't wait to see you out there!

Click Here to RSVP

Hampton Creek on the Southeast side of Mount Moriah Wilderness needs your help! During 2014 a large area of Mount Moriah Wilderness was affected by a wildfire and two floods that damaged the Hampton Creek Trail. We will be restoring the trail within it's original corridor by digging tread, doing rock work, and creating drainage to establish a safe and useable trail for future trail users. This is a great opportunity to learn new trail skills and, of course, it's going to be a fun weekend of volunteering with great people and rewarding results.

Trail work is very important work and is highly rewarding! By maintaining existing trails there is less overall damage to our Wilderness areas and restoring damaged trails creates a safe and durable surface (a key principle of Leave No Trace) for trail users to experience these Wilderness Areas. 

You can see more pictures from the area here.

Learn more about the Mount Moriah Wilderness area here.

Information

Difficulty level: Most Challenging- see our difficulty rating here. Strenuous with longer hikes, off-trail hiking, sometimes with significant elevation changes. These trips are very challenging and require excellent aerobic conditioning, past experience in outdoor settings, and familiarity with backcountry hiking and/or camping. Not for beginners. 

When: Thursday Sept 4th - Sunday Sept 7th

Where: Mount Moriah Wilderness Area (roughly 5 hours from Las Vegas and about 6.5 hours from Reno)

Travel: A high-clearance, 4WD vehicle is recommended to reach the campsite. There are limited spots in FNW vehicles from Las Vegas. Reach out ASAP if you need a ride. 

What to bring: sturdy work or hiking shoes, long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, sun protection, a pack with the ability to carry at least three liters of water, lunch, and snacks. As this is an overnight trip you will need camping gear, dinner for Thursday, lunch and snacks for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, a camp chair, and any entertainment you would like for the evenings. Check out our suggested Packing List.

What to expect: In-depth information such as weather, travel plans, parking/camping, and project specifics will be sent to those who RSVP about 1 week before the project. This is a multi-day project, we will provide breakfast for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and dinner for Friday and Saturday. You will need to provide food for yourself on Thursday, lunches, and any other snacks you would like. We will hike to the project area with all tools, safety equipment, lunch, and whatever else you may need for the day, and we will return to camp in the afternoon to make dinner. 

Are Dogs Allowed? Due to the dangerous nature of trail maintenance, no dogs are allowed on this project. 

What we need from you: If you're interested in joining us for this project, you must RSVP. Friends of Nevada Wilderness and our partners put a great deal of time and resources into organizing volunteer projects. When you RSVP you are committing to join us on this project. We understand circumstances may arise where you need to cancel. If you’re no longer able to attend, please cancel your RSVP as soon as possible so another volunteer can join the project.

Want to bring a friend? All participants must RSVP individually (even partners, spouses, children, etc). Please send them this link and tell them to sign up.

Questions?: Check out our FAQ page here or email [email protected].

We can't wait to see you out there!

Hampton Creek on the Southeast side of Mount Moriah Wilderness needs your help! During 2014 a large area of Mount Moriah Wilderness was affected by a wildfire and two floods that damaged the Hampton Creek Trail. We will be restoring the trail within it's original corridor by digging tread, doing rock work, and creating drainage to establish a safe and useable trail for future trail users. This is a great opportunity to learn new trail skills and, of course, it's going to be a fun weekend of volunteering with great people and rewarding results.

Trail work is very important work and is highly rewarding! By maintaining existing trails there is less overall damage to our Wilderness areas and restoring damaged trails creates a safe and durable surface (a key principle of Leave No Trace) for trail users to experience these Wilderness Areas. 

You can see more pictures from the area here.

Learn more about the Mount Moriah Wilderness area here.

Information

Difficulty level: Most Challenging- see our difficulty rating here. Strenuous with longer hikes, off-trail hiking, sometimes with significant elevation changes. These trips are very challenging and require excellent aerobic conditioning, past experience in outdoor settings, and familiarity with backcountry hiking and/or camping. Not for beginners. 

When: Thursday Sept 4th - Sunday Sept 7th

Where: Mount Moriah Wilderness Area (roughly 5 hours from Las Vegas and about 6.5 hours from Reno)

Travel: A high-clearance, 4WD vehicle is recommended to reach the campsite. There are limited spots in FNW vehicles from Las Vegas. Reach out ASAP if you need a ride. 

What to bring: sturdy work or hiking shoes, long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, sun protection, a pack with the ability to carry at least three liters of water, lunch, and snacks. As this is an overnight trip you will need camping gear, dinner for Thursday, lunch and snacks for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, a camp chair, and any entertainment you would like for the evenings. Check out our suggested Packing List.

What to expect: In-depth information such as weather, travel plans, parking/camping, and project specifics will be sent to those who RSVP about 1 week before the project. This is a multi-day project, we will provide breakfast for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and dinner for Friday and Saturday. You will need to provide food for yourself on Thursday, lunches, and any other snacks you would like. We will hike to the project area with all tools, safety equipment, lunch, and whatever else you may need for the day, and we will return to camp in the afternoon to make dinner. 

What we need from you: If you're interested in joining us for this project, you must RSVP. Friends of Nevada Wilderness and our partners put a great deal of time and resources into organizing volunteer projects. When you RSVP you are committing to join us on this project. We understand circumstances may arise where you need to cancel. If you’re no longer able to attend, please cancel your RSVP as soon as possible so another volunteer can join the project.

Are Dogs Allowed? Due to the dangerous nature of trail maintenance, no dogs are allowed on this project. 

Want to bring a friend? All participants must RSVP individually (even partners, spouses, children, etc). Please send them this link and tell them to sign up.

Questions?: Check out our FAQ page here or email [email protected].

We can't wait to see you out there!

Click Here to RSVP

Migrating Wildlife Says "Thank You!"

Spend a weekend in the beautiful and pristine Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge while working on restoration projects that will help improve wildlife habitat and re-naturalize the area. This project will directly help improve the natural area, wildlife, and their habitat. 

An article from High Country News says, "Fence ecology research shows that the West is a wiry place, containing enough fencing to circle the equator 25 times. Sage grouse, peregrine falcons, and other birds collide with fences, and ungulates must navigate an endless obstacle course. A 2021 paper found that pronghorn in Wyoming encountered fences an average of 249 times in a single year and changed their behavior around the barriers nearly 40% of the time. Fences often ensnare and kill large animals; woven wire with barbed wire on the top, like that on Horse Prairie, is particularly lethal. Fences also separate mothers from calves, exclude herds from prime habitat, and exhaust and injure animals."

To help with this important issue, we will be removing the barbed wire and pulling out the metal or wooden posts holding it up. It is such a rewarding project to remove these fences and see a significant difference within a few hours.

The Sheldon is a vast and rugged land that provides year-round habitat as well as major wintering areas for the Oregon-Nevada interstate pronghorn herd. This is the largest protected landscape in Nevada, managed exclusively for native wildlife species. The Sheldon Refuge contains some of the highest-quality sage-grouse habitat remaining in North America. Protecting this habitat and enhancing its health is an important part of minimizing the possibility of an Endangered Species Act listing of the sage-grouse. The area's sparse vegetation is dominated by sagebrush, grasses, and other shrubs with local areas of juniper or patches of mountain mahogany. Along the wetter drainages at lower elevations, you can find willow, cottonwood, and aspen. Away from the creeks, water sources are rare, and due to the underlying rock and soil, most upland areas are remarkably dry.

Photos from our two Sheldon fence pulls last year - Fence Removal #1 & Fence Removal #2

Check out our Stewards of Sheldon video and Sheldon Story Map.

Information:

Difficulty: Challenging - See our difficulty rating here. This project is suitable for individuals in good physical condition who participate in a regular exercise routine. This project may be physically challenging to some people, participants need to be in good physical condition and aware of their physical abilities and limits before joining this project. 

Location: Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge

Dates: Friday, September 5 - Monday, September 8

Travel: Leave Reno on Friday Morning, returning Monday afternoon. A limited number of spots are available in Friends trucks to transport volunteers, and carpooling is also an option. 

Food: Breakfast and coffee are provided on Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and a big group dinner (with dessert) on Saturday and Sunday nights. Volunteers must bring their own lunches and snacks.

Gear/Clothing: Long sleeves, long pants, sturdy work or hiking shoes. Camping equipment: tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad. Camping gear is available for loan. Check out our suggested Packing List.

Are Dogs Allowed? Due to the dangerous nature of fence removal, no dogs are allowed on this project. 

More Details: In-depth information, such as camping location, weather, and project specifics, will be sent out about a week before to those who have RSVP'd.

Questions?: Check out our FAQ page here or email [email protected].

RSVP is required to participate.

Friends of Nevada Wilderness and our partners put a great deal of time and resources into organizing volunteer projects. When you RSVP you are committing to join us on that project. We understand circumstances may arise where you need to cancel. So, if you’re no longer able to attend, please cancel your RSVP as soon as possible so other volunteers can join the project. You can cancel your RSVP through the cancellation link in your project confirmation email or by emailing [email protected].

SAVE THE DATE!

Where: Cedarville, CA 

When: Saturday, September 13th

Join Friends of Nevada Wilderness, the BLM Applegate District, Modoc County Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, and local astronomy groups for an evening of family-friendly Dark Sky activities and unbelievable stargazing! 

We hope you will bring your telescope, binoculars, star chart, and appreciation for darkness, as we gather to spend some time staring at the stars. Folks are welcome to set up gear, looks through someone else's, or simply come to look up at the night sky to spot some stars and constellations, and maybe a meteor or two!

Updates will be made to this page as they become available, and all RSVP's will be sent an e-mail with more specific information about location and timing of events as we get the details nailed down!

In partnership with: Bureau of Land Management Applegate Field Office, Modoc County Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, Astronomical Society of Nevada

Please visit our Massacre Rim WSA and Dark Sky Sanctuary page for more information on the Sanctuary and places to stay in the Surprise Valley Area. We encourage you to make accommodations before you arrive, as lodging is limited in the valley and fills up quickly. Camping and RV hookups will be available on a first-come first-serve basis at the Modoc County Fairgrounds.

Citizen astronomers are welcome! Bring your telescope, your knowledge of the night sky, and your enthusiasm to teach... and learn!