SheldonNational WildlifeRefuge

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Virgin Valley, one of manybeautiful vistas at SheldonNational Wildlife Refuge.

© Linda Dufurrena

Discover the treasuresthat lay hidden inthis vast and ruggedlandscape, whileexperiencing wildnessand solitude that stretchas far as the eye can see.

Welcome

Sheldon National Wildlife Refugeprotects over 900 square miles ofwildlife habitat in the northwesterncorner of Nevada that can easily beaccessed on Highway 140. It is hometo large herds of pronghorn antelope,scattered bands of bighorn sheep anda rich assortment of other wildlife.

The landscape is vast, rugged andpunctuated with scenic treasures.Waterfalls, narrow gorges and lushsprings lay hidden among the rimrocktablelands and rolling hills ofsagebrush and mountain mahogany.

This is the heart of the high desert.Elevations on the refuge range from4,100 to 7,200 feet, while annualprecipitation rarely amounts to morethan a dozen inches. It is a harshenvironment where a wide variety ofwildlife manages to thrive.

Although established for theprotection of wildlife and habitat,the refuge encompasses many otherfeatures of interest. The remainsof old homesteads and ranchesintrigue visitors, fire opals drawminers and rock collectors to theVirgin Valley, and geothermal warmsprings piped into a pool at VirginValley Campground create arefreshing oasis.

Over 270 wildlife species are foundin the varied landscape of SheldonRefuge. This diversity is an indicatorof the health of the environment.Each species is important becauseit fills a niche in this complex andfragile natural system.

Nearly all of the mammals found onthe refuge are year-round residents.Many hibernate or move about therefuge as the seasons change.

A small number of lizard and snakespecies are attracted to the numerousrocky outcroppings, bluffs andcanyons. The western rattlesnake isthe only venomous reptile of whichvisitors should be aware.

Amphibians are limited in numbersand diversity, as the refuge is toocold and dry to support them.

Only two species of native fish(chubs) swim in refuge waters.The sport fish found on the refuge,including the Lahontan cutthroattrout, were introduced in fairlyrecent times.

Most of the birds on the refuge use itfor summer residence or a stop alongtheir spring and fall migrations.

Wildlife Diversity

Fish

Birds

Waterfowl onDuferrena Ponds

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Nevada

SheldonN.W.R.

Features ofInterest

Meadow Southof Badger

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Mammals

Snakes

Amphibians

Distinguished Species

Through the history of the refuge, afew species have been distinguisheddue to their cultural and biologicalsignificance.

Around the turn of the 20th century,pronghorn (antelope) populationswere dwindling in North America.Conservation efforts, such as theestablishment of refuges, have helpedthem rebound. Large numbers ofpronghorn gather at Sheldon Refugeperimeter in late summer and fall towater and feed on greenery aroundSwan Lake. They spend winters onBig Springs Table. Pronghorn rely onkeen eyesight and remarkable speedfor safety.

Greater sage-grouse prefer habitatwith gentle hills and valleys whereopenings of low sage intersperse bigsagebrush patches. In the spring,they gather on traditional matingground (called leks) and performelaborate courtship dances. Malesstrut and thump their unique airsacks to impress prospective mates.

California Bighorn sheep were oncecommon in northwestern Nevada,as documented by numerouspetroglyphs. Due to human activities,sheep disappeared from the area inthe early 1900s. Thanks to severalreintroductions, nearly 150 sheepnow call the refuge’s canyons androcky table lands home.

Refuges do more than just preserveopen space. Habitat on the SheldonRefuge is being restored and managedfor the greatest benefit of the wildlifethat call this wild area home.

Fire is the primary managementtool used to revitalize refuge habitat.While burned areas may lookdevastated immediately after afire, grasses and flowering plantsquickly recover as the habitat isreborn, leading to improvedbiological diversity.

Historically, sheep and cattle grazedon refuge lands, a practice thatcontinued until the mid 1990s.Removing the demands and impactsof livestock is an important part ofrefuge habitat restoration today.

Free-roaming horses frequent refugewaterholes and streamsides betweenthe Badger and Catnip Mountains.Just like livestock, they impact theenvironment and compete with nativewildlife for water and food. Burrosare also common to the refuge,especially the flats east of ThousandCreek. Horses and burros areperiodically relocated off the refugeto keep their numbers in check.

Managing Habitat

Fire

Sheep and Cattle

Feral Horsesand Burros

Pronghorn

Greatersage-grouse

Californiabighorn sheep

Wildlife Viewing

Viewing wildlife in its nativeenvironment is a richly rewardingactivity. Here are some tips thatwill help you see and enjoyrefuge wildlife.

Your car makes an excellentobservation blind. Many types ofwildlife can be approached moreclosely in a car than on foot.

Because road access is very limitedon the refuge, hiking into moreremote areas may provide excellentopportunities to view animals, take inthe beautiful scenery and experiencethe solitude and wildness of therefuge. Hike quietly to improve yourodds of wildlife encounters.

Binoculars or spotting scopes arevery important for viewing wildlifeacross the great expanses ofrefuge habitat.

Wildlife are most active and easiestto spot in the early mornings andlate evenings, especially in the heatof the summer.

Pronghorn are commonly seen inlarge numbers near Swan Lake in thelate summer and fall. During springand early summer, they dispersethroughout the refuge in small bands.During winter, look for them onremote tabletops where the windprevents snow from accumulating ingreat depths.

You may catch occasional glimpses ofbighorn sheep along the rocky, steepwalls above Thousand Creek, HellCreek and the IXL Ranch, and nearthe west approach to old refugeheadquarters at Little Sheldon. Theseillusive animals are difficult to see withthe naked eye; use binoculars to spottheir white rump patches.

Grouse have excellent camouflage,which makes them challenging to see.Watch for them along the road fromCatnip Reservoir to Last ChanceRanch where they may flush whenapproached by humans.

Dufurrena Ponds and Big SpringsReservoir host a wide variety of waterbirds that are easily viewed from caror on foot. Swan Lake and CatnipReservoir are popular destinations forCanada geese. The water at the IXLRanch is being carefully managed tobenefit waterfowl.

Mule deer seek the protection of thejuniper and mountain mahoganypatches in the higher elevations of the

refuge. Lookfor them in theearly morningand lateevening nearBadgerMountain,CatnipReservoir orLittle Sheldon.

Where to See Wildlife

From Your Car

Hike a RemoteArea

Get a Closer View

Best Times of Day

Pronghorn

Bighorns

Sage-grouse

Waterfowl

Mule deer

Campgrounds1 Catnip Reservoir2 Little Catnip Spring3 West Rock Spring4 Gooch Spring5 Fish Spring6 North Hell Creek7 Badger8 Wheeler Spring9 Cottonwood Creek10 Bateman Spring11 Devaney12 East Rock Spring13 Big Spring Reservoir14 Virgin Valley15 Royal Peacock (private campground, full hookups available

Historical SitesA IXL RanchB Little SheldonC Last Chance RanchD Andy's PlaceE Virgin Valley RanchF Kinney Camp

To Highway 140

Bald Mountain

Bitner Butte

Catnip Mountain

Round Mountain

Big Spring Butte

Dessert Trail Corridor

Big Spring Reservoir

Big Mountain

Alkali Peak

Mahogany Mountain

Badger Mountain

Blowout Mountain

Fish Creek Mountain

To Cedarville, California 46 miles

To Cedarville, California 43 miles

To Adel, Oregon 35 miles

Onion Lake

Alkali Reservoir

Swan Lake

Swan Reservoir

Bald Mountain Lake

Round Mountain Lake

Catnip Reservoir

Dufurrena Ponds

Thousand Creek Gorge

Railr

oad

Poin

t

Big Spring Table

Rock Spring Table

Rock Spring Table Reservoir

Gooch Table

Gooch Lake

Fish Creek Table

Was

hoe

Coun

ty

Hum

bold

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nty

Off-Road Driving is Prohibited!

To Lakeview, Oregon 68 miles

To Winnemucca, Nevada 106 miles

To Denio, Nevada 14 miles

Catnip Canyon Creek

Fish Creek

Badger Creek

Hell Creek

Mud Creek

Virg

inCr

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Sage

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To Summit Lake Indian Reservation 7 miles

OREGON

Refuge Sub-Headquarters

NEVADA

Area Enlarged

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0 10

0 10

Kilometers

Miles

8A

34A

34A

34

8A

140

Mines open to public

Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge

Jeep Trail

Refuge Boundary

Graded Road

Paved Highway

Areas Closed to HuntingOpen to FishingVirgin Valley Mining District

NEVADA

1

2

2

6

7

89 10

11

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14

15

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3F

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Echoes of the Distant PastEchoes of the Distant Past

As you gaze around the arid andrugged landscape of Sheldon Refuge,it is difficult to imagine NativeAmericans living a life of relativecomfort here. But ten thousand yearsago, lakes, marshes, creeks and largesprings were abundant, providingideal sites for villages. Forests alsogrew here, as evidenced by petrifiedlogs found on the refuge. TheKidutokado band from SurpriseValley and the Tsoso’odo tuviwaraiband from Oregon both used the area.

Food Sources

Drier Conditions

Pronghorn antelope were availableduring all seasons, but would havebeen especially abundant in thewinter. Ducks and geese were huntedduring their spring and fallmigrations. Eggs from sage-grouseand nesting waterfowl were collectedin spring and early summer.

As summer progressed, grass seeds,berries and marsh plants becameavailable for harvesting, processingand storing for winter. In the fall,activities turned to hunting andsocializing with other bands.

Over time, drier conditions prevailed.Lakes and marshes shrank and mosteventually disappeared. Springs andcreeks continued to be importantseasonal campsites, but wintervillages were relocated to largevalleys to the west. Hunters traveledinto the area to harvest large gameanimals, but collected plantresources elsewhere.

Top: Bluebird

Above:Rattlesnake

Right: Groundsquirrel

Echoes of the Recent PastEchoes of the Recent Past

In the 1870s, a whirlwind of men,women, and their livestock swept intothe dry sagebrush country ofsoutheastern Oregon and northernNevada. Cowboys and sheepmendrove their herds from horizon tohorizon, displacing the Indians.Ranches and line camps sproutedbeside creeks and springs. With luckand hard work, a home could be hadon the range.

But the whirlwind soon turned tomostly dust. The Great Depression,drought and the evolving economyblew away most of the settlers’ littleempires as well as some of the bigones too. Gone are the cattle barons,homesteaders and lonesome cowboys,but the places where they livedremain, providing a testament tothe struggle and romance of life onthe range.

When the disastrous winter of 1880put many ranchers out of business, abusinessman named George beganacquiring property in the area,eventually founding Last ChanceRanch. The ranch house later becameheadquarters for Sheldon NationalWildlife Refuge and home to the firstresident refuge manager, ErnestGreenwalt. His son, Lynn, who spentthe first years of his life on Sheldon,became director of the Fish andWildlife Service in the 1970s.

Near the turn of the century,stonemasons from Cedarville createdenduring structures of sandstoneblocks and basalt cobbles at KinneyCamp, Thousand Creek Ranch andGooch Camp. The unique pinksandstone, quarried near Dufurrena,gives these historic buildings anuncommon warmth and character.

Cowboys andSheepmen

The End of an Era

McKinney Camp

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Where the air is so pure, thezephyrs so free,

the breezes so balmy and light,I would not exchange my home

on the rangeFor all the cities so bright.

Brewster Higley 1873

Last ChanceRanch

HistoricBuildings

Building the Refuge

Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge wasestablished in 1931 when the AudubonSociety and Boone & Crockett Clubpurchased over 34,000 acres of theLast Chance Ranch. Later, theydesignated the land a NationalAntelope Refuge. In 1936, over540,000 adjacent acres were setaside as the Charles SheldonAntelope Range. The two areas werethen combined into one NationalWildlife Refuge.

Two years after Sheldon Refuge wasestablished, President Franklin D.Roosevelt conducted a bold and wildlysuccessful experiment to curbDepression-era unemployment. TheCivilian Conservation Corps (CCC)was born and enrolled over threemillion young men during its nineyears in operation. Over one thousandof these men served at Camp Sheldonbetween 1936 and 1942.

Sheldon’s remote location requiredworkers to come from as far away asGeorgia and Texas. These youngmen, many of whom had neverexperienced life in the desert, gradedroads, erected fences and telephonelines, built cabins, dug ponds andessentially created the infrastructurethat still serves the refuge today.

Evidence of CCC handiwork can stillbe seen all over the refuge. At thewest entrance (Road 34A), hugeboulders weighing 20 tons weretransported over a mile to form the“Portal.” The Overnight Cabin nearthe Portal, Hobble Springs Dam, theBadger Overnight Cabin and SwanLake Road are a few examples ofsturdy CCC craftsmanship.

Building a refuge built character inyoung men. The effect of Sheldon’sbeautiful and wild landscape on theenrollees is summed-up mostprofoundly in the report of abiological aide who led a crew into theback country to manage rodents andcatalog wildlife:

“The presence of deer, antelope, sagehen and other forms of wildlife whichappear along the route of our workcauses momentary distractionsamong the boys which might bereferred to as serious were it not forthe fact that this situation offers awonderful opportunity to plead thecause of conservation as well aseducation in the habits of theseanimals and birds.”

J.A. Allen, August 1936

Building the Refuge

Photo:

[TBS: Need CCC photo]

CivilianConservationCorps

CCC Sites

Matingsage-grouse

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Kootenai WetlandsRefuge Recreation

Wildlife-dependent recreation is apriority use of National WildlifeRefuges. At Sheldon, public usesare managed to protect wildlifeand maintain the rugged, remoteand undeveloped character of thiswild land.

Camping is permitted only atdesignated camping areas. VirginValley campground is openyear-round. There you will find pittoilets, drinking water, a warmsprings pool and a rustic showerhouse. All other camps are primitive;none have potable water and onlysome have pit toilets.

You are welcome to camp on therefuge for up to 14 days. Observequiet hours between 10 p.m. and 6a.m. Plan to pack out what you packin. Garbage collection and septicdumping facilities are not providedon the refuge. Winter snows andmuddy road conditions in the springlimit access to remote camps.

Campfires and charcoal barbecuesare permitted only in times of lowfire danger. Bring your ownfirewood. Propane stoves may beused year-round.

Observing and photographing wildlifeare the most popular recreationalactivities on the refuge. (See WildlifeViewing section for more information)

Hiking is encouraged throughout therefuge where open terrain providesample cross-country hiking options.No designated trails are maintained,but game trails may be followed upmany drainages and onto plateautabletops. Please exercise extremecaution when entering rocky andrugged terrain.

Horses are allowed on the refuge.Corrals are located at Badger Campand Fish Creek. Pelletized feed isrequired to avoid introducing weedsfrom hay.

Motorized vehicles and bicycles mustremain on established roads. Off-roadriding is prohibited. Please respect allroad closures. Most refuge roads arenot maintained for passenger vehicles.Those who wish to travel off the mainthoroughfares need high clearanceand four-wheel drive. Small amountsof precipitation can make roads verymuddy. During the winter and spring,most refuge roads are impassable dueto snow or wet conditions. Pleaseavoid driving on muddy roads foryour own safety and the protectionof fragile resources.

Refuge Recreation

Camping

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Campfires

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WildlifeObservation andPhotography

Hiking

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Horses

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Transportationand Roads

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Kootenai WetlandsRefuge Recreation Fishing and Hunting

Pets must be leashed except dogsused for hunting during thewaterfowl or upland bird hunts.Hunting dogs must remain understrict voice control.

Up to seven pounds of rocks maybe collected per day for personaluse only.

Please enjoy artifacts in place.Collecting, possessing or damagingarrowheads, petroglyphs or any formof artifact is strictly prohibited.

Weapons possessed for purposesother than in-season hunting must beunloaded and dismantled or cased.Discharge of firearms for targetpractice is not allowed.

Fishing for rainbow and cutthroattrout is enjoyed at Big SpringsReservoir. Cutthroat may be caughtduring a very limited season atCatnip Reservoir. The DufurrenaPonds have bass, crappie and severalother species of warm water fish.

All fishing is regulated by NevadaState law and a fishing license isrequired. Please check currentregulations for seasons, limitsand other guidelines.

Boats may be used on Big Springs,Catnip Reservoir and DufurrenaPonds. Only electric motorsare allowed.

Hunting is permitted in accordancewith state and federal regulations.A very limited number of tags areoffered for deer, pronghorn andbighorn sheep hunts in the latesummer and fall. Several speciesof upland birds may be hunted.

Limited areason the refugeare open forwaterfowlhunting.

No hunting isallowed in theDufurrena areaor on the portionof the refugewest of SwanLake known as“Little Sheldon.”

Pets

u

Rock Hounding

Artifacts

Weapons

R

Hodson’s opal

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Fishing

t

Boats

o

Hunting

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Kootenai WetlandsKeep in Mind For More Information

The high desert is a beautiful andharsh environment where conditionscan be extreme. Please take the timeto be well prepared before visitingthe refuge.

During the summer, plenty ofdrinking water, sun screen, insectrepellent and first aid suppliesshould be kept on hand.

Nighttime temperatures can dipbelow freezing any time of year, sopack accordingly.

Gasoline and groceries are availablein Denio (14 miles east). Lakeview,Oregon (68 miles west), Cedarville,California (46 miles southwest) andWinnemucca, Nevada (100 mileseast) are the nearest full-servicecommunities with overnight lodging,auto repair, retail stores and touristinformation.

Emergency services and roadsideassistance are not readily availableon the refuge. Cellular phonecoverage is extremely limited.Refuge staff are not able to provideor sell gas, phone access, towing orauto repair service.

Plan to pack out what you pack in.Garbage collection and septicdumping facilities are not providedon the refuge.

Drinking water is available at VirginValley Campground.

For further information contact:

Sheldon National Wildlife RefugeP.O. Box 111Lakeview, Oregon 97630Phone: (541)947-3315Fax: (541)947-4414

Dufurrena Maintenance ShopPhone: (775)941-0200

Visit the U.S. Fish and WildlifeService on the Internet atwww.fws.gov

SummerNecessities

TemperatureExtremes

Supplies andServices

Emergencies

Garbage

Water

Right: Arrowleafbalsamroot

Below: MesasNorth fromSummit LakeMountains

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This blue goose,designed by J.N.“Ding” Darling,has become thesymbol of theNational WildlifeRefuge System.

SheldonNational Wildlife RefugeP.O. Box 111Lakeview, Oregon 97620Phone 541/947 3315Fax 541/947 4414http://www.fws.gov

Oregon Relay ServiceTTY 1 800/735 2929ASCI 1 800/735 0644SP 1 800/735 3896

National Wildlife RefugeInformation: 1 800/344 WILD

This brochure will be madeavailable in other formatsupon request.

March 2002