Unit Closed - Nellis Air Force Range/Nevada Test Site

Pahute Mesa dominates the northern section as a major geographic reference point. Multiple named flats provide visual orientation across the basins: Yucca Flat, Frenchman Flat, and Gold Meadows. Notable peaks for navigation include Obsidian Butte, Stonewall Mountain, and Cactus Peak.

Sedan Crater, Teapot Crater, and other atomic test landmarks are visible from distance. Ridge systems like Cathedral Ridge, Jet Ridge, and Table Ridge create navigational breaks across the terrain. Gap features such as Prow Pass, Yucca Pass, and Jackass Divide mark natural passage routes through mountain barriers.

Groom Lake and associated installations serve as geographic anchors despite restricted access.

Terrain ranges from lower desert basins around 2,700 feet to alpine peaks exceeding 9,360 feet, creating distinct elevation zones. Lower elevations feature creosote and bursage desert scrub on broad flats like Yucca, Frenchman, and Stonewall. Mid-elevation slopes support scattered juniper and pinyon pine transitioning to sparse sagebrush.

Higher ridges and peaks in the 8,000 to 9,000-foot range support montane vegetation including mountain mahogany and mixed conifers. The majority of the complex occupies mid-elevation desert and semi-arid terrain with minimal forest cover and high exposure to sun and wind.

Access is completely restricted due to military and nuclear testing operations. Approximately 20 miles of roads exist within the complex, but civilian travel is prohibited. No public entry is permitted, eliminating hunting pressure entirely because no hunting is allowed.

The terrain remains roadless and trackless for civilian purposes despite sparse military road networks. Multiple military installations, including Tonopah Test Range, Nevada Test and Training Range, Area 400, and associated airfields, maintain active security and surveillance. The complex represents one of the most closed and inaccessible areas in Nevada for any recreational purpose.

This unit encompasses the Nellis Air Force Range and Nevada Test Site complex, a vast restricted area spanning multiple basins and mountain ranges in south-central Nevada. The landscape includes notable features like Pahute Mesa, Yucca Flat, Frenchman Flat, and numerous mountain ranges including the Belted, Cactus, Halfpint, and Yucca ranges. Multiple named valleys—Mercury, Monotony, Pluto, Big Burn, and Kawich—characterize the basin topography.

Tonopah Test Range, Nevada Test and Training Range, and Groom Lake installations occupy portions of the area. The complex terrain and restricted status make civilian access prohibited.

Water sources are severely limited throughout the complex, a critical factor constraining movement and survival. Named springs include Wildhorse Spring, Antelope Springs, Cactus Spring, and Topopah Spring, though availability and reliability vary seasonally. Reservoirs and tanks—Railroad Tanks, Perkins Number Two Reservoir, Iron Tank, Antelope Reservoir—exist but access is restricted.

Major washes and arroyos including Endless Draw, Winapi Wash, Buttonhook Wash, and Rocket Wash provide drainage corridors but carry water only during rare precipitation events. The arid climate and high evaporation rates mean surface water is sparse and unpredictable. Any hunting operation would depend entirely on reliable spring sources.

Hunting is strictly prohibited throughout this entire unit. The area is closed to all public access due to ongoing military operations and Nevada Test Site activities. Historically, the diverse terrain would support elk in higher elevations, pronghorn in open basins, mountain sheep on ridge systems, mule deer in mixed terrain, and black bear in timbered sections.

Desert bighorn sheep habitat exists in isolated mountain ranges. However, no hunting opportunity exists due to permanent closure. Any attempt to access this complex for hunting is illegal and dangerous due to active military training, weapons testing, and radiological hazards.