Wovoka Wilderness facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wovoka Wilderness
IUCN Category Ib (Wilderness Area)
Wovoka Wilderness Location in the United States
Location	Lyon County, Nevada, United States
Nearest city	Yerington, Nevada
Area	49,018 acres (19,837 ha)
Established	September 15, 2014
Administrator	U.S. Forest Service

The Wovoka Wilderness is a special protected area in Lyon County, Nevada, United States. It is part of the larger Humboldt–Toiyabe National Forest. This wilderness became part of the National Wilderness Preservation System in December 2014. It covers about 49,018 acres (19,837 hectares). This makes it the biggest wilderness area left in Lyon County. The Wovoka Wilderness is named after Wovoka, a famous spiritual leader. About 23,000 acres (9,308 hectares) of this land are protected from mining and other activities.

Why is it Called Wovoka Wilderness?

The Wovoka Wilderness gets its name from Wovoka. He was an important spiritual leader of the Paiute people. Wovoka lived in the early 1900s. He was born and lived right in this area.

History of Wovoka Wilderness

Early Inhabitants: The Paiute People

The Northern Paiute people lived in this area for a very long time. They stayed here until the early 1900s. Their spiritual leader, Wovoka, lived and worked here until he passed away in 1932. The large forests of pinyon and juniper trees were very important to the Paiute. They used these trees to gather many pine nuts.

This wilderness also holds signs of an ancient village. You can find 20 house rings and places where tools were made. There are also petroglyphs (rock carvings) and special spiritual sites.

Exploring the Land

In 1844, a famous explorer named John C. Frémont camped here. He stayed along the East Walker River. This river is now part of the Wovoka Wilderness.

Protecting the Wilderness

In the 2000s, some leaders wanted to protect this land. Senators Harry Reid and Dean Heller suggested making it a protected area. This was part of a plan that also involved a copper mine. Their first plan did not pass.

Later, Congressman Steven Horsford introduced a similar bill in 2013. Local people spoke about the plan at a meeting. On January 28, 2014, a special committee approved the idea. This plan was then added to a bigger proposal for Congress. It included combining the Pine Forest and Wovoka Wilderness areas. The bill was finally passed on September 15, 2014.

Geography of the Area

This wilderness is located in the Humboldt–Toiyabe National Forest. It is in Lyon County, Nevada. The protected land covers about 49,018 acres (19,837 hectares). The wilderness includes the southern part of the Pine Grove Hills. It also has Bald Mountain.

About 13 miles of the East Walker River flow through the wilderness. This river is part of the Walker River State Recreation Area. The highest point in the wilderness is Bald Mountain. It is 9,407 feet (2,867 meters) tall. The lowest point is along the East Walker River, at 5,200 feet (1,585 meters).

Geology and Land Features

There used to be a copper mine in this wilderness. It is now closed.

Plants and Animals

Diverse Plant Life

The Wovoka Wilderness has many pinyon-juniper woodlands. These are forests with pinyon pine and juniper trees. You can also find special plants here. These include Williams combleaf and Bodie Hills cusickiella. Other plants are Mono County phacelia and Jeffrey pine. Along the East Walker River, you will see many willow trees.

Wildlife and Habitats

The Wovoka Wilderness is home to many animals. It is a very important place for the threatened Bi-State sage-grouse. These birds use the area for mating and building their nests.

Other animals living here include Apache silverspot butterflies. You might also see bighorn sheep and Townsend's big-eared bat. There are also mule deer and American black bears. Other bats like the Western small-footed bat live here too. You might spot bobcats, cougars, and golden eagles. This wilderness is also a path for animals migrating. They travel from the Great Basin to the Sweetwater Mountains and the Sierra Nevada.

Recreational Activities

The Wovoka Wilderness is a protected area. This means that vehicles are not allowed. You can only explore the area by walking, by boat, or by riding a horse. There are no marked trails here.

You can enjoy many activities in the wilderness. These include fly fishing in the rivers. You can also go skiing, canoeing, or kayaking. It is a great place for bird watching too.