USFS · Nevada

Alta Toquima Wilderness

The 35,860-acre Alta Toquima Wilderness, designated in 1989 and managed by the Forest Service as part of the Humbolt-Toiyabe National Forest, protects a stellar example of Nevada's Basin-and-Range high...

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.

Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Alta Toquima Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net
DesignationWilderness
Managed byU.S. Forest Service
StateNevada
Size35,581 acres (Wilderness Connect)
Designated1989, by Congress
Center point38.7892, -116.9249
Night skyVery dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 21)

Boundary map

1 outline

Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground Forest Service recreation site

The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Alta Toquima Wilderness20°30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 0.68 inches of precipitation, 3.9 inches of snowFebruary: 0.49 inches of precipitation, 1.3 inches of snowMarch: 0.61 inches of precipitation, 0.8 inches of snowApril: 0.46 inches of precipitation, 0.8 inches of snowMay: 0.56 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 0.37 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 0.56 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 0.52 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 0.44 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 0.65 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowNovember: 0.50 inches of precipitation, 0.8 inches of snowDecember: 0.58 inches of precipitation, 2.0 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 29.7°F averageFebruary: 34.4°F averageMarch: 41.7°F averageApril: 47.1°F averageMay: 56.1°F averageJune: 65.5°F averageJuly: 73.3°F averageAugust: 71.3°F averageSeptember: 62.7°F averageOctober: 50.8°F averageNovember: 38.7°F averageDecember: 29.2°F average0 in1 in2 in3 in4 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Smoky Valley - Carvers, 13 miles from the center point at 5,647 feet, station USC00267620 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 6 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 10 inches a year on the same inches scale. The station sits about 4,900 feet lower than the center point, so temperatures on the ground run cooler.

Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.

Where to camp

Campsite Atlas →

No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 1 is within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.

Trailheads and sites

Forest Service directory · 1

The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 trailhead. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.

Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.

10 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 54 miles in all.

TrailMiles
Mount Jefferson15.4
Pine Creek11.4
Windy Pass4.7
North Summit Mt. Jefferson4.4
Pasco Canyon4
Trail Canyon Creek3.8
Bucks Canyon3.5
Red Rocks2.6
Middle Summit Mt. Jefferson2
Windy Pass Trail1.9

Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas, refreshed September 18, 2026. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Register listings within 15 miles · 2 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Alta Toquima Wilderness?

35,581 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Alta Toquima Wilderness?

The U.S. Forest Service.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Alta Toquima Wilderness in?

Nevada.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Alta Toquima Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1989.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at Alta Toquima Wilderness?

No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Pine Creek Campground, 0 miles out. 1 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.

Source: Where to camp

Where are the trailheads in Alta Toquima Wilderness?

The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site here, including 1 trailhead. Each one links to its Forest Service page.

Source: Trailheads and sites

How do I get to Alta Toquima Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 38.789, -116.925. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

How dark is the night sky at Alta Toquima Wilderness?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 21 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, very dark ground, a faint glow at most.

Source: NASA Black Marble

Are there historic places near Alta Toquima Wilderness?

2 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Berg, William H., House and Manhattan School.

Source: Register Atlas

Sources

  • Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
  • Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
  • Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
  • Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
  • Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
  • Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.