Wilderness Study Areas

In 2009, Congress designated as Wilderness more than 323,000 acres of public lands in the Owyhee County.  Certain lands from 10 former wilderness study areas (WSAs) in the Owyhee Field Office are now part of the Owyhee River Wilderness, the Pole Creek Wilderness, or the North Fork Owyhee Wilderness. 

WSA lands not designated Wilderness were released for multiple use.  All lands previously included in the Big Willow Springs, Squaw Creek Canyon, Middle Fork, West Fork-Red Canyon, and Upper Deep Creek WSAs, along with lands from the other 10 WSAs that were not part of the wilderness designations were released.

Released lands will be managed in accord with the Owyhee Resource Management Plan (RMP).  The BLM is developing specific plans for managing the newly designated Wilderness areas, according to guidelines in the Wilderness Act of 1972.   Travel management planning for routes in non-Wilderness lands in Owyhee County is also underway.