Ash Meadows NWR Ash Meadows NWR is approximately 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas in southern Nye County. The refuge provides habitat for at least 26 plants and animals found nowhere else in the world. Four endemic fishes are currently listed as endangered. This concentration of indigenous life distinguishes Ash Meadows as having a greater concentration of endemic species 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 southwest United States. The refuge is a major discharge point for a vast underground water system stretching more than 100 miles to the northeast. Water-bearing strata come to the surface in more than 30 seeps and springs, providing a rich, complex variety of habitats. North and west are the remnants of Carson Slough, which was drained and mined for its peat in the 1960s. Sand dunes appear in the western and southern parts of the refuge. Numerous stream channels and wetlands are scattered throughout the refuge. Virtually all of the water at Ash Meadows is "fossil" water, believed to have entered the ground water system thousands of years ago.
Ash Springs Wildlife Area One of the few remaining desert oases in the state. Spring-fed mineral pools provide habitat for endangered white fish, great place for bird watching.
Black Rock Desert Recreation Area Spectacular scenic opportunities abound in one of the largest and flattest alkaline playas in the United States. The Playa is a now-dry remnant of ancient Lake Lahontan; it is 44 miles long (oriented north-south), and averages 7 miles in width. Opportunities for solitude are considerable. A variety of interesting geologic features dominate the landscape. The near-pristine Applegate-Lassen section of the California National Historic Trail traverses the Playa.
Blue Mass Scenic Area Elevation 7,000 ft. Scenic wonderland of streams and springs, old cabins, granite cliffs and pinnacles and lush vegetation.
Cleve Creek Campground A group camping site with large barbecue area nestled amongst cottonwood canopy.
