Black Rock Desert-High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area

Fact Sheet

The Black Rock Desert-High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area Act of 2000 gives special designation to 1.2 million acres of public lands in northwestern Nevada. The Act establishes approximately 815,000 acres as national conservation area and about 752,000 acres as wilderness area, of which approximately 380,000 acres are already included in the NCA acreage total.

The Act protects about 120 miles of emigrant trails, from Rye Patch Reservoir, north through the Black Rock Desert and Mud Meadows, and then west through Fly Canyon and High Rock Canyon, ending near Vya, Nevada.

One of the last nationally-significant segments of the historic California emigrant trails, including wagon ruts, historic inscriptions and a wilderness landscape largely unchanged since the days of the pioneers, will remain much as it was in the early 1800s.

Ten wilderness areas surrounding portions of the trail have been designated:

Black Rock Desert Wilderness
North Jackson Mountains Wilderness
South Jackson Mountains Wilderness
Pahute Peak Wilderness
North Black Rock Range Wilderness
East Fork High Rock Canyon Wilderness
High Rock Lake Wilderness
Little High Rock Canyon Wilderness
High Rock Canyon Wilderness
Calico Mountains Wilderness

The Act is more than emigrant trails. The Black Rock Desert Playa (dry lakebed), a remnant of ancient Lake Lahontan, is a large portion of the NCA. The playa is known as the proving grounds for the land speed record, and is popular for many types of recreation. The bill also calls for protecting unique plant and animal species and cultural and natural resources.

Livestock grazing will continue within the NCA. The NCA encompasses 10 livestock grazing allotments managed by BLM’s Winnemucca Field Office and 12 allotments managed by the Surprise Field Office.

Permitted recreation events will continue within the NCA. Except for valid existing rights, NCA lands are withdrawn from mineral development.

There will be changes for off-highway vehicle use. Use of motorized vehicles in the conservation area will be permitted on roads and trails and other areas designated for their use in the RMP.

Maps

The BLM has prepared maps of the NCA and these are available to the public.

Planning

The Act directs the Bureau of Land Management to develop a Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the long-term protection and management of the NCA within three years. The RMP was completed in 2004.

The new NCA, while entirely within Nevada, crosses BLM state jurisdictions. The Black Rock Desert is managed by BLM Nevada’s Winnemucca Field Office and the High Rock Canyon portion is managed by California’s Surprise Field Office. Both offices will continue to work together to develop a management plan to meet legislative requirements in the Act.

There are parcels of private lands within the designation areas totaling about 18,000 acres. There are no proposals by the BLM to acquire those lands.

The bill designating the Black Rock Desert - High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area was signed by president Clinton on December 21, 2000. The legislation was amended on November 6, 2001. Changes included minor boundary changes, wilderness study area release, and provisions for operations of gravel pits in support of road maintenance.