Services, Getting There

Getting there:The High Schells Wilderness is just northeast of Ely, Nevada. To access the west side of the wilderness, take Highway 93 North towards the town of McGill. Go through McGill and drive roughly 10 miles north to the Duck Creek Valley turnoff. Following this road leads to the popular Timber Creek campground, and just past there the Berry Creek turnoff. Further south of Berry Creek is the turnoff for Worthington Canyon. The east side of the wilderness can be accessed by taking Highway 893 north. Services: Ely is roughly 20 road miles to the west.

Hikes & Trails

Schell Peaks Trails

Related Areas

Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest

Map Information

USGS topo: Cave Creek, Cave Mountain, Cleve Creek Baldy, Duck Creek Valley, Kalamazoo Creek, Kalamazoo Summit, Majors Place, North Schell Peak, South Schell Peak. Benchmark Gazetteer pages 53, 61.

Wilderness Area Status

Designated Wilderness Area
Year Designated: 2006

Act or Law: White Pine County Conservation, Recreation and Development Act of 2006
Acres: 121497
State Region: Eastern Nevada
County Regions: White Pine   

Management

Managing Agency: Forest Service
Local District: Ely Ranger District
Contact Info: (775) 289-3031
825 Avenue I  Ely, NV89302
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Area Description

The High Schells Wilderness rises majestically about 10 miles east of Ely, Nevada. This long and lofty range, with lingering snowbanks, marches above timberline for miles, reaching 11,880 feet at North Schell Peak. Taft and South Schell Peaks join in dominating the view. Rimrock, talus slopes and cliffs fall away into broad basins where clear streams run. The west-side canyons are lovely. Aspen and conifers line the many creeks that plummet off the high benchlands.

Views
To the east, canyons swoop down into Spring Valley, a vertical mile below. The east-side canyons are deeply incised and often heavily wooded, with riparian thickets along stream banks. Looking southeast is a striking view of Wheeler Peak and the South Snake Range: a mountain island surrounded by desert valleys.

Wildlife
Elk, mule deer, and mountain lion thrive in forests of quaking aspen, Douglas and white fir, Englemann spruce, limber and bristlecone pine, while golden eagles soar the updrafts along the crest. Riparian vegetation provides key habitat for blue grouse, sage grouse, chukar and many other species. Perennial streams throughout the area support populations of rainbow, brook, cutthroat and brown trout. Fishing, big game and upland game bird hunting are popular activities here.

Archeology
Archeological sites include petroglyphs and lithic scatters. The "Labor of Love" cave, containing the 10,000 year old remains of a cave bear, was discovered in 1982.

Wildlife: