Toiyabe National Forest

The Toiyabe National Forest is within the Intermountain Region of the National Forest System (NFS). It is the largest National Forest outside of Alaska with a net acreage of approximately 4,000,000 acres. The Toiyabe National Forest is headquartered in Sparks, Nevada. The Forest has four Ranger Districts with offices in Carson City, Austin and Tonopah, Nevada, and Bridgeport, California. The Spring Mountain National Recreation Area is located in Las Vegas, Nevada.

To give one an idea of how far flung the various parts of the forest are, it suffices to say that portions of the Carson District and the Spring Mountain Recreation Area are as much as 500 miles apart. This should convey some impressions of the great variation in climate, geology and topography, flora and fauna, scenery and recreation opportunities that can be found on this sprawling National Forest.

Climate
The climate is very different from one part of the Forest to the other. Areas of the Forest are arid and desert-like in character and climate. The foothills of the Spring Mountain National Recreation Area are characteristic of this arid desert. At the other extreme are numerous high-elevation areas, 11,000 feet and above, that are subalpine in every respect, including climatic conditions. Mt. Charleston on the Spring Mountain National Recreation Area is 11,918 feet. Numerous peaks in the Hoover Wilderness, Bridgeport Ranger District and several peaks in central Nevada are 11,000 feet and above. One must be prepared for any kind of weather, especially when hiking or backpacking, particularly in fall and winter.

Topography
Topography is highly variable in the Toiyabe. In various portions of the Forest one can stand upon cool, rugged, pine-covered or subalpine slopes at 11,000 feet and above and look down upon rolling arid foothills covered with pinyon pine, juniper and sagebrush, or Joshua trees, creosote brush and blackbrush. The wide plains of the interrange valleys provide a striking contrast to the overall ruggedness of the high, rocky ranges above.

One must collectively describe the Toiyabe's typical topography as "rugged-mountainous." Most of its reaches can be safely traversed by a reasonably experienced horseman or backpacker. One should have the ability to read topographic maps and a compass, and be well versed in outdoor safety.

At the same time, there are areas where technical climbing equipment and techniques must be employed. However, such areas can be avoided if one chooses their travel routes carefully.

Vegetation
The vegetation of the Toiyabe is also very diverse. Elevations range from approximately 4,100 feet near Mt. Potosi area on the Spring Mountain National Recreation Area, to the 12,374-foot crest of Dunderberg Peak in the Hoover Wilderness. Such an elevational range, coupled with variable climate, soils and hydrological conditions result in the diverse flora of the Toiyabe. Examples are saltbrush of the alkali flats, the Joshua trees and creosote bush near Las Vegas, and the sagebrush, pinyon pine and juniper of the typical mountain foothills. Above the foothills one normally finds the pine-fir community, generally comprised of ponderosa pine or Jeffrey pine, red or white fir and lodgepole pine.

At the upper reaches of the forest communities, one finds a transition into mountain hemlock, western white pine, whitebark pine and on occasion limber pine. The ancient bristlecone pine occupies most ofthe upper reaches on the Spring Mountain National Recreation Area and Tonopah District. Riparian or water-associated vegetation, primarily willow, aspen and cottonwoods round out the wide gamut of tree species the Toiyabe supports. Above timberline, generally 11,000 feet, one finds a subalpine tundra-like vegetation consisting of grasses and sedges, forbs, mosses, lichens and dwarf shrubs.

Wilderness
The Toiyabe has eight designated wilderness areas which capture the imagination with solitude, rugged peaks and endless acres of forest land. The Wilderness areas in the Forest are the Hoover, Carson-Iceberg, Mokelumne, Mt. Rose, Arc Dome, Alta Toquima, Table Mountains and Mt. Charleston Wilderness Areas.

Spring Mountain National Recreation Area
In August of 1993, President Bill Clinton signed legislation designating the Toiyabe National Forest, Las Vegas Ranger District, as the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area. As identified by Congress, a National Recreation Area combines outdoor recreational opportunities, scenic attractions, and proximity to users. This area of nearly 316,000 acres, almost the entire Las Vegas Ranger District, contains many unique geologic and scenic features. The area ranges in elevation from 2,600 feet to 11,918 feet and spans five life zones ranging from Joshua trees in the Mojave Desert to Bristlecone pines near the peaks. The NRA is home to a diverse array of plant and animal wildlife found nowhere else in the world. The purposes of the Spring Mountains National Recreation Act include preserving scenic, scientific, and other values present in the Spring Mountains, as well as conserving and managing biodiversity and natural and recreational resources. Last year more than 1.5 million visitors enjoyed opportunities on the Spring Mountains NRA to hike, picnic, camp, ride horseback, cycle, ski and play in the snow.

Recreation
The Toiyabe offers a variety of recreational opportunities throughout the year, so you will find whatever you seek in an outdoor adventure on the Toiyabe National Forest. Camping, hiking, fishing, hunting, skiing, canoeing, horseback riding and sightseeing are just a few of the activities one can experience on the Forest.

There are 35 developed public campgrounds on the Forest with a total of approximately 900 family and group sites. Other developed recreation opportunities include eight picnic grounds, observation sites, trailheads, a snowplay area, cross-country skiing and two ski resorts.

One can reserve campsites at selected campgrounds by calling the U.S. NATIONAL FOREST RESERVATIONS CENTER. For information about the campground you wish to visit you would call the District office nearest that campground. To make your reservation call 1-800-280-CAMP. You may make reservations up to 12 months for group sites and 120 days for family sites, in advance of your first night of arrival, or as late as 10 days prior to your arrival. The USFS Reservation Center will collect all fees—the reservation fee and the camping fee for all nights of your visit—at the time you make your reservation.

The Toiyabe provides over 1,100 miles of trails for hiking, backpacking and horseback riding. The Forest also offers over 1,600 miles of recreation roads for travel and viewing scenery. For outstanding scenery one should investigate the Pacific Crest National Recreational Scenic Trail, the Toiyabe Crest Trail, Mount Charleston National Recreational Trails and the soon to be completed Tahoe Rim Trail.

There are numerous small caves scattered across the Toiyabe. However, the only accessible caves of any speleological significance are in central Nevada. Perhaps foremost is the Northumberland Cave in the Toquima Range.

Wildlife
The most common of the larger wildlife species of the Toiyabe is the mule deer. These can be seen quite frequently in most sections of the Forest. There are a number of other large wildlife species that are less frequently seen. The black bear inhabits the entire Sierra Range. Mountain lion and bobcat also inhabit the Sierra, as well as the central Nevada districts. Though seldom seen, there are desert bighorn sheep in the southern portion of the Toiyabe Range in central Nevada, and a few antelope inhabit some of the valley bottoms and foothills adjacent to the Monitor Range in central Nevada.

There are elk herds on the Spring Mountain National Recreation Area and the Tonopah Ranger District. Wild burros and horses are found throughout most of central Nevada, as well as in the Excelsior Division of the Bridgeport District. Innumerable small mammals, reptiles and birds (including the golden and American eagle) inhabit the various portions of the Toiyabe.

Fisheries
Many of the easily accessible streams, especially on the Sierra districts, receive heavy fishing impacts, and much of their fishing activity relies on regular stocking. Less accessible streams offer a higher level of fishing experience. In the central Nevada districts, the streams are all small. In these small, high-elevation streams, fish do not often grow to any great size. However, a high quality fishing experience can be had as one catches natural regeneration trout in the solitude of an undisturbed environment. There are also some high mountain lake trout fisheries. These are found on the Sierra Division, especially on the Bridgeport District, some within the Hoover Wilderness. Some of these high lakes are seasonally productive.

Mining
The Toiyabe National Forest is experiencing considerable minerals exploration and development. In 1989, the nine large mines and numerous smaller mines located on the Toiyabe produced well over 260,000 ounces of gold and 150,000 ounces of silver. In addition, the forest provides barite, gravel, crystal gems, and other metals and has the distinction of hosting one of only two geothermal fields in which electrical power is being produced in the National Forest System.

Mining on the Toiyabe has reached a stage where some of the mines are now through with production and are reclaiming the mined-over land. The Toiyabe is proud of the efforts in insisting companies reclaim the mines in a productive manner and are a natural leader in this effort. Many of the techniques developed on mines on the Toiyabe are now used on other mines in the Intermountain west.