Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, established June 18, 1984, is located approximately 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas in the Amargosa Valley of southern Nye County, Nevada. To date, over 23,000 acres of spring-fed wetlands and alkaline desert uplands are managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The refuge provides habitat for at least 24 plants and animals found nowhere else in the world. Four fish and one plant are currently listed as endangered.
This concentration of indigenous life distinguishes Ash Meadows NWR as having a greater concentration of endemic life than any other local area in the United States and the second greatest in all of North America. Ash Meadows provides a valuable and unprecedented example of desert oases that are now extremely uncommon in the southwestern United States. Opportunities for observing the endangered Ash Meadows pupfish exist at all springs, but are best at Point of Rocks.
Numerous recreational opportunities are available at Ash Meadows. Wildlife observation, picnicking, and hunting are all popular activities enjoyed by refuge visitors. Swimming is only allowed in Crystal Reservoir. Bird watching is also a popular activity, with a bird list available at the headquarters or online. An active volunteer program provides additional opportunities to enjoy the refuge.
Please contact the Refuge Manager for additional information regarding these activities.
The Ash Meadows photo montage below, includes (clockwise) photos of the restored Jack Longstreet outlaw cabin, a close-up of an Ash Meadows Pupfish, Longstreet Spring, caliche deposits, and the view from the end of Crystal Springs boardwalk.
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