RUBY LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

(aka Ruby Marsh)

Located 75 miles south of Wells on County Road 788 (45 miles paved two lane, 30 miles improved gravel two lane road). 85 miles southeast of Elko, on I-80, take Exist 321 to reach State Route 229. This is a beautiful scenic drive over Secret Pass to reach Ruby Valley. When SR229 ends, a well maintained county road travels the legth of Ruby Valley along the eastern edge of the Ruby Mountains. SR 229 also intersects Highway 93 about 28 miles south of Wells, Nv. Both routes are well signed to lead you to the Refuge. In good weather, late June thru Fall, the Marshes can be accessed from Elko over Harrison Pass a summer maintained gravel road, 65 miles (before traveling this way check both road and weather conditions).

The Refuge lies along the eastern flank of the beautiful Ruby Mountains at 6,000ft Elevation. The 37,632 acre Refuge provides 17,125 acres of wetland habitat in a region where wetlands are rare. Water for the Refuge comes from direct precipitation, mountain snow runoff, and over 150 springs emanating from the base of the Ruby Mountains. Water quality is outstanding and, due to pristine habitat conditions and abundance of wildlife, the 7,000 acre South Marsh has been designated a NATIONAL NATURAL LANDMARK. The Refuge is also listed in the Nevada Wildlife Viewing Guide as a WATCHABLE WILDLIFE VIEWING SITE.

The Refuge provides visitors with outstanding wildlife observation in a beautiful pristine setting. The Refuge supports over 270 different species of vertebrate wildlife and 207 bird species. It also provides nesting habitat for 14 species of waterfowl. Trumpeter Swans, Sandhill Cranes, Canada Geese and a host of other waterfowl species nest and rear their young in this picturesque valley. The Refuge Marshes provide excellent habitat for nesting Canvasbacks and Redheads in addition to colonial nesters such as White-Faced Ibis, Great Blue Heron, and Black-Crowned Night Heron.

SOUTH RUBY CAMPGROUND: Adjacent to the Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge, (as camping in the Refuge is prohibited). Fee camping/ reservations recommended/35 sites in two loops/rv & tents/in Pinyon-Juniper woodland, at the base of a steep slope rising to majestic Pearl Peak, the home of an extensive stand of Bristlecone Pine Trees, one of the oldest living organisms on the earth! The parking spurs and campground roads are gravel. The campground is used by visitors to the Refuge and provides accommodations for fishermen, bird-watchers and hunters. South Ruby Campground opens late April and closes in November. No reservations or special refuge permits are needed.

One of NevadAdventureS Editors......

"Roughing It"

at the camp grounds......

The campground contains two vault toilet buildings, a picnic table and fire ring with grill at each site, a gravity fed water system with twelve potable water hydrants, tent pads in eight sites and two information boards. Across the road the campground is the host site, a fish cleaning station and a RV sanitary station with a potable water hydrant and a rinse water hydrant.

BOATING: JAN 1- JUNE 14, NO boats are permitted on the refuge. ONLY foot propelled flotation devices (float tubes are allowed in Unit 21 and designated areas of the South Marsh, including the mouth of the Collection Ditch at the west end of Brown Dike, the Main Boat Landing and Narciss Boat Landing--from JAN 1- JUNE 14.

JUNE 15- JULY 31 South of Brown Dike (South Marsh) ONLY, motorless boats and boats propelled with battery powered electric motors are permitted.

AUG 1- DEC 31 In the South Marsh, motorless boats and boats propelled by motors with a total of 10 HP or less are permitted.

 NevadAdventureS Crew!
Narciss Boat Landing, wading and shore fishing allowed, but they didn't say sun bathing!

Launching: Boats on trailers can be launched ONLY at the Main Boat Landing and Narciss Boat Landing. Canoes or cartop boats can be launched ONLY at the Main Boat Landing, Narciss Boat Landing, Gravel Pit Pond and Brown Dike. State Law requires Personal flotation Devices MUST be on board for each person.

Boats can be stored at the Main Boat Landing Narciss Boat Landing, Gravel Pit Pond and Brown Dike from JUNE 1- DEC 31.

FISHING: The Refuge supports a productive population of Largemouth Bass that provide anglers with plenty of action when water temperatures warm in late May or June. Trophy size Rainbow, Brown and Brook Trout are often taken on the Refuge and Tiger and Cutthroat Trout have also been stocked. The Refuge is open to fishing year-round. However, like most National Wildlife Refuges some areas are closed to public access and special public use and fishing regulations apply.

Size and bag limits are listed in the State of Nevada Fishing Regulations. Possession or use of Live or Dead bait fish is PROHIBITED anywhere on the refuge. All anglers 12 years of age and older must have a valid Nevada State Fishing License. A Nevada Trout Stamp is also required to take or possess trout.

ICE FISHING: Refuge waters are open to ice fishing; however, hazardous ice conditions exist at all times due to numerous springs and areas of ground water inflow.

HUNTING: Hunting on the refuge is permitted daily during the waterfowl season as established by the State of Nevada. Only Ducks (including Mergansers), Dark Geese (including White-Fronted and Canada Geese), Coots, Common Moorhens and Snipe may be hunted. ALL OTHER SPECIES OF WILDLIFE ARE PROTECTED.

Licenses and state stamps are NOT available in Ruby Valley. Federal stamps are available at the Refuge Headquarters. All hunters 12 years of age or older must possess a valid Nevada Hunting License. Children under 14 years of age must be accompanied by an adult licensed to hunt. Waterfowl hunters 12 to 65 years of age must possess a signed State Duck Stamp. Waterfowl hunters 16 years of age or older must possess a signed Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (Duck Stamp).

Hunting of ALL WHITE waterfowl is CLOSED due to the once endangered Trumpeter Swan habitat here.

FOR INFORMATION/EMERGENCIES CONTACT:

RUBY LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Headquarters, HC 60 Box 860 Ruby Valley, Nv 89833 (775) 779-2237

RUBY LAKE CAMP HOST: (775) 779-2271

NOTE: No services at SHANTY TOWN even though this town is listed on maps, it is actually a residential community for locals but no store or gas station is there.

Return to Hunting Map-Fishing Map-Hiking Map-Watersports Map-Wintersports Map