Inventoried Land with Wilderness Character (LWC) in the Battle Mountain BLM District
Current LWC Status: Rejected
Acres: 21429
State Region: West Central
County: Esmeralda
Managing Agency:
Bureau of Land Management
Battle Mountain District Office
50 Bastian Rd. Battle Mountain, NV 89820
(775) 635-4000
Battle Mountain District BLM Website
Area Description:
The higher elevations of the Magruder are densely forested with pinion and juniper. This dense woodland also characterizes nearly the entire northern boundary of this unit. This forest provides immense solitude and incredible isolation. Just a few feet into these woods, and one feels completely alone. The entire southeast side of the unit is an expansive alluvial fan populated by an open stands of Joshua trees and Mojave cacti and vegetation. The southwest portion of the unit is a convoluted complex pinion covered hills, deeply dissected by steep canyons and drainages.
This area is the last of the high plateau of central Nevada where the Great Basin desert rapidly transitions to the Mojave Desert. The habitat within this unit is diverse and reflects fauna and flora of both areas. From the summit of Magruder Mountain, at 9044 feet, a hiker has unlimited and spectacular views far into the southern Nevada desert to the south, deep into the Death Valley to the southeast and to the magnificent White Mountain Crest to the north. On clear days, vistas from the summit include the Inyo and Sierra crests to the west and Telescope Peak to the south. There is over 3600 feet of vertical relief to be found within this unit, providing added challenging opportunities for exploration and sightseeing. The nature of the steep and rugged terrain also provides outstanding opportunities for sightseeing, photography, sketching and painting. These rugged opportunities within the core of the unit are offset by more accessible recreational opportunities on the vast Joshua Tree and Mojave Desert alluvial fans on the south east side of the unit. This unit offers plenty of terrain for hiking and adventuring, with numerous scenic vistas and pleasant spots for camping or just day trips. One could wander the forest looking for wildlife, hike the entire crest of the mountains, or climb to the open, exposed summit of the range. Some of the area’s lower elevations are well suited for horseback riding and horsepacking, with similarly pleasant routes and wide open terrain. Other recreation opportunities here include hunting, bird watching, wildlife viewing, rock hounding, and star gazing.
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