Overview

A portion of the Ibex Hills and parts of the Dublin Hills and Black Mountains are preserved in this Wilderness. The Ibex Hills form a craggy, north-south divide between the alluvial slopes of Greenwater Valley on the east and the raggedy Black Mountains on the west. From a low of about 3,000 feet, elevations climb to 4,752 feet on the summit of Ibex Peak on the western boundary. Horizontal rock layers in the mountains are highlighted with distinctive bright red, yellow, and black hues.

The ruins of at least a half-dozen old talc mines are scattered forlornly throughout the area, and a non-Wilderness road corridor extends from the southeast to the major mining region. Visitors have spotted desert bighorn sheep frolicking about, and can occasionally draw water from several springs. Death Valley National Park lies to the west and south.

For more information about this wilderness, please visit Wilderness Connect.

Leave No Trace

How to follow the seven standard Leave No Trace principles differs in different parts of the country (desert vs. Rocky Mountains). For more information on any of the principles listed below, please visit Leave No Trace, Visit the Leave No Trace, Inc. website.

• Plan Ahead and Prepare
• Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
• Dispose of Waste Properly
• Leave What You Find
• Minimize Campfire Impacts
• Respect Wildlife
• Be Considerate of Other Visitors

Rules and Regulations

Motorized equipment and equipment used for mechanical transport are generally prohibited on all federal lands designated as wilderness. This includes the use of motor vehicles (including OHVs), motorboats, motorized equipment, bicycles, hang gliders, wagons, carts, portage wheels, and the landing of aircraft including helicopters, unless provided for in specific legislation. In a few areas some exceptions allowing the use of motorized equipment or mechanical transport are described in the special regulations in effect for a specific area. Contact the agency for more information about regulations.