View source for Mount Moriah Wilderness

{{Short description|Wilderness area in the American state of Nevada}}
{{other uses|Moriah (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Mt. Moriah Wilderness
| iucn_category = Ib
| photo = MtMoriahNV.jpg
| photo_caption = Mt. Moriah in Mt. Moriah Wilderness
| map = USA
| relief = 1
| map_caption = 
| location = [[White Pine County, Nevada|White Pine County]], [[Nevada]], [[United States]]
| nearest_city = [[Ely, Nevada|Ely, NV]]
| coordinates = {{coord|39|16|N|114|12|W|region:US|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| coords_ref = 
| area = {{convert|89790|acre}}
| established = December 5, 1989
| governing_body = [[United States Forest Service|U.S. Forest Service]] &<br />
[[U.S. Bureau of Land Management]]
}}

The '''Mt. Moriah Wilderness''' is a {{convert|89790|acre|adj=on}} [[wilderness area]] in the northern part of the [[Snake Range]] of [[White Pine County, Nevada|White Pine County]], in the eastern section of the state of [[Nevada]] in the western [[United States]].

The Mt. Moriah Wilderness was designated in 1989 and is administered by the [[Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest]] and the [[U.S. Bureau of Land Management]], as some {{convert|8700|acre}} in the northern portion of the Wilderness lies on BLM land.<ref name="wildernet">[http://www.wilderness.net/index.cfm?fuse=NWPS&sec=wildView&wname=Mt.%20Moriah Mt. Moriah Wilderness] - Wilderness.net</ref>

==Topography==
[[Mount Moriah (Nevada)|Mount Moriah]], the namesake of the Wilderness, rises {{convert|12050|ft}} above the [[Snake Valley (Great Basin)|Snake Valley]] on its east flank and the [[Spring Valley, Nevada|Spring Valley]] on the west.  At {{convert|11000|ft}} and stretching north and west of the peak is a unique plateau called the Table.<ref>[http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/htnf/recreation/wilderness/mt_moriah.shtml Mt. Moriah Wilderness] - Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest</ref>  Much of the area is composed of [[limestone]] and shallow caves are common in the Wilderness.<ref name="wildernet"/>

==Archeology==
Archaeological sites including caves utilized by Native Americans, [[pictographs]], and [[Lithic Studies Society|lithic]] scatters are found in the Wilderness.<ref name="gorp">[http://www.gorp.com/parks-guide/travel-ta-humboldt-national-forests-mount-moriah-wilderness-area-sidwcmdev_069256.html Mount Moriah Wilderness] - GORP</ref>

==Vegetation==
:''See: [[:Category:Flora of the Great Basin]]''
The Mount Moriah Wilderness lies within the [[Intermountain West|Intermountain]] [[sagebrush]]/[[ponderosa pine]] [[ecosystem]] and [[vegetation]] varies with the elevation.  [[Pinyon pine]] and [[juniper]] dominate the lower slopes, while [[aspen]], [[mountain mahogany]], [[white fir|white]] and [[Douglas fir]], [[limber pine]], and [[bristlecone pine]] are found in the upper elevations.<ref name="gorp"/>

==Wildlife==
{{Category see also|Fauna of the Great Basin}}

A variety of wildlife and fish species inhabit the Mt. Moriah Wilderness.  The majority of the area is summer range for [[mule deer]], although some of the lower elevation benches and riparian areas are used year-round.  [[bighorn sheep|Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep]] can be found throughout the year in the area, as well as [[blue grouse]], [[sage grouse]], and [[chukar partridge|chukar]].  [[Rainbow trout]], [[brook trout]], and the unique [[Bonneville cutthroat trout]] are found in the area's perennial streams, including Hampton Creek, Hendry's Creek, and Smith Creek.<ref name="gorp"/>

==See also==
* [[Nevada Wilderness Areas]]
* [[List of wilderness areas in Nevada]]
* [[List of U.S. Wilderness Areas]]
* [[Wilderness Act]]

==References==
{{reflist|22em}}

==External links==
* [http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/htnf/recreation/wilderness/mt_moriah.shtml Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest:  official '''Mount Moriah Wilderness''' website]
* [http://www.nevadawilderness.org/eastern/moriah.htm Friends of Nevada Wilderness: Mt. Moriah Wilderness]
* [https://wilderness.net/visit-wilderness/?ID=395#contacts Mt. Moriah Wilderness] - Wilderness Connect
* [http://www.gorp.com/parks-guide/travel-ta-humboldt-national-forests-mount-moriah-wilderness-area-sidwcmdev_069256.html GORP: Mt. Moriah Wilderness]
* [http://www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.asp?trailid=HGS261-020 Trails.com: Nevada Hikes - Mount Moriah]
* [http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/htnf/ official Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20111017091355/http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/pdf/fedlands/NV.pdf National Atlas: Map of Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest]

{{Protected Areas of Nevada}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Humboldt–Toiyabe National Forest|Moriah Wilderness]]
[[Category:Wilderness areas of Nevada|Moriah Wilderness]]
[[Category:Protected areas of White Pine County, Nevada|Moriah Wilderness]]
[[Category:Bureau of Land Management areas in Nevada|Moriah Wilderness]]
[[Category:Great Basin National Heritage Area|Moriah Wilderness]]