The Wilderness is located in western Humboldt and northern Washoe Counties. Access to the Wilderness is from Washoe County Road 34 and the High Rock Lake Road about 50 miles north of Gerlach and 60 miles southeast of Cedarville, CA. 

Little High Rock Canyon Wilderness consists of a large area of broad volcanic uplands dissected by the deeply cut drainages of Little High Rock and McConnell Canyons. Elevations in the Wilderness range from 5,000 to 6,940 feet on top of Mahogany Mountain. The canyon floors contain a wide variety of multi -colored rock formations with willow and small stands of choke cherry. The many cliffs and rock formations support a wide range of wildlife habitats including a nesting raptor population of golden eagles, prairie falcons, hawks and owls. The canyon floors and walls are home to healthy populations of quail and chukar. Shaded canyons support a small yearlong mule deer population which swells with winter migrants. The sparsely sage brush covered buttes and uplands are home to pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep and wild horses. Little has changed in Little High Rock Canyon since 1911 when four stockmen were killed by a band of Bannock Indians in the canyon. This event resulted in the largest manhunt in Nevada history.