Unit 173, Nevada

The Toiyabe Range runs north-south through the unit for roughly 70 miles. The western slope is gradual, rising from Reese River Valley, while the eastern escarpment rises steeply from Big Smoky Valley. Elevation ranges from approximately 6,000 feet in the valley floors to 11,775 feet at Arc Dome, the highest peak in the range. The crest is accessed via the Toiyabe Crest National Recreation Trail, a 72-mile designated NRT. The southern third of the unit falls within the Arc Dome Wilderness (115,000 acres, designated December 5, 1989 under the Nevada Wilderness Protection Act), characterized by rugged basins, cliffs, and steep drainages. The east slope of unit 173 is extremely rugged and steep.

Unit 173 is approximately 97% public land (USFS and BLM), with only roughly 3-4% private land mainly on valley floors. The unit is bounded by US Highway 50 on the north, SR-376 on the east, and SR-89 on the southwest. Major north-south access roads parallel the Toiyabe Range on both sides. Many roads are unimproved two-tracks; high-clearance 4WD is recommended. The southern portion — the Arc Dome Wilderness — prohibits all motorized and mechanized transport including wheeled game carriers, bicycles, and chainsaws. Trailheads on the east side accessed from SR-376 via Big Smoky Valley are the primary staging areas for wilderness access. The Toiyabe Crest NRT and the Cow Canyon Trail (western boundary) provide additional access. A USFS campground exists in Peavine Canyon. The Austin-Tonopah Ranger District and BLM Tonopah Field Office are the primary land management contacts. Full services (lodging, fuel, groceries) are only available in Austin (north), Carvers/Round Mountain, and Tonopah (south).

Vegetation transitions through distinct vertical bands. Valley floors and lower hillsides support big sagebrush and native bunchgrass with alfalfa on private valley floors. From roughly 6,000 to 7,500 feet, dense pinyon-juniper woodland covers hillsides. Above 7,500 feet to approximately 8,500 feet, open sagebrush basins predominate with aspen pockets along water sources and drainages. Above 8,500 feet to the crest, mountain mahogany thickets, limber pine, steep cliffs, and rock formations characterize the terrain. Perennial streams including North Twin and South Twin Creeks and tributaries support riparian corridors. The combination of mountain brush, meadows, aspen pockets, and open ridgelines above 8,500 to 10,500 feet constitutes the highest-quality mule deer habitat in the unit.

Mule deer are the dominant big game species and are present throughout the unit from foothills to ridgelines. During the hunting season, highest densities concentrate above the pinyon-juniper belt at 8,500-10,500 feet in open mountain brush, meadow, aspen, and mountain mahogany habitats. Buck-to-doe ratios inside the Arc Dome Wilderness boundary are historically much higher than surrounding areas. NDOW conducts helicopter surveys for this herd in late November and early March. Toiyabe Bench on the east slope is critical documented winter range. Elk occur in the unit at low density in what NDOW designates as Area 17: elk summer in the southwest portions of Unit 173 and winter in Units 172 and 171, making them difficult to locate without prior scouting. Desert bighorn sheep occupy the east side of the Toiyabe Range between Ophir Canyon on the north and Seyler Peak on the south; highest densities are found in the Seyler Peak and Toiyabe Dome areas. A pioneering desert bighorn population also exists in the southern portion (173 South), concentrated near Liberty Spring on the north end of that range when dry and warm. Pronghorn antelope are found in Ione Valley and Big Smoky Valley, concentrated near water sources in August; three wildlife water developments exist in the southern half of Ione Valley; alfalfa farms in Big Smoky Valley and northern Reese River Valley attract animals during drought. Mountain lion are present throughout the unit. The unit also contains rainbow, cutthroat, and brown trout in Toiyabe Range streams.