86%

of Nevadas 70 million acres are controlled by the Federal Government.
Much of this is controlled by agencies such as the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service and the National Park Service.

The Federal Governments largest acreage is in Nye County, the home of Pahrump. Nye county supplies the Federal Government with over 11 million acres. Yes, Nye County is huge! Our county government seat is over 2 hours away by car!

Clark County, where Las Vegas is, contributes only 4 million acres(Everyone knows they are slackers over there....just kidding). This includes Nellis AFB at 379,000 acres for the base. Nye county contributes nearly 2.5 million acres just between the Department of Defense and the Department Energy.

Today I went to explore the BLM land east of Pahrump. It is actually in Clark County but it is on this side of the "hump".

This is a view of the mountains I went into:


Two years ago a young man died here:


The road I was on is called Wheeler Pass. I can only assume it goes through the mountains to the Vegas side.


Danger Will Robinson!!!


I wonder if I can ttrade one of these beauties in for Cash For Clunkers?




Somewhere along South Branch Wheeler Pass headed down into the wash:










I think this is a Cresole Bush:










A Red Tailed Hawk...I think.