A recognized wetland of international importance, Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge is one of the first in the United States designated a Ramsar site. Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge was named after the galleries of ash trees described in expedition notes from 1893. This desert oasis, a very rare and unique ecosystem, is recovering and playing an important role in global conservation efforts. The refuge strives to promote conservation management and awareness through environmental education, outreach programs, volunteerism, and visitor services programs.

Latest News

People standing on a platform above water
Young people earn their ranger badges at Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
Junior Refuge Ranger Day 2023 at Ash Meadows NWR
A smiling uniformed refuge ranger hands junior ranger badges out to a group of children.
Ash Meadows Junior Refuge Ranger Day
It's time for our annual Junior Refuge Range Day at Ash Meadows! This is a family-friendly event for all ages. Come on out to learn about your National Wildlife Refuges. Through crafts and hands-on activities, participants can earn their very own Junior Refuge Ranger Badge.
Man looking through scope to find birds
Christmas Bird Count
Red Rock Audubon Society conducts one of its counts within the Corn Creek Circle
Montage of photos showing people, air force jets, and smokey bear
SNAP Team Out in Force at Aviation Nation
Representatives of the Southern Nevada Agency Partnership (SNAP) set up shop at Nellis Air Force Base on November 4-6, 2022, during the annual Aviation Nation spectacle on the base.
three scuba divers in water
Endangered Species Act
Devils Hole pupfish population at 19-year high
AMARGOSA VALLEY, Nevada – Agency biologists are excited to report increased numbers of one of the world’s rarest fishes. Scientists counted 263 Devils Hole pupfish, which is the most they’ve observed in 19 years.
A man with a white mustache wearing overalls and a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service volunteer cap standing next to a sign with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service logo on it
Our People
A great honor
The National Wildlife Refuge Association announced the winners of its annual awards for 2022. The Pacific Southwest Region had a strong representation by winning three of the five categories. The mission of the National Wildlife Refuge Association is to conserve America’s wildlife heritage for...
View All News

Visit Us

Top reasons to visit Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge!

Ash Meadows is . . .

· the largest remaining oasis in the Mojave Desert.

· an internationally recognized wetland and designated Ramsar site.

· home to relict species of desert fish that have existed here since the Pleistocene.

· a place for the whole family to unwind and reconnect with nature.

Ash Meadows has . . .

· the highest concentration of endemic species in the United States.

· four endangered fish species and eight threatened or endangered plant species.

· diverse habitat including dune fields, alkali seeps, and groves of mesquite and ash trees.

· spring systems fed by fossil water that originated from the last ice age.

Ash Meadows offers . . .

· friendly staff and volunteers to answer questions.

· a state-of-the-art visitor center with interactive learning stations.

· three points of interests with wheelchair accessible boardwalks, restrooms, interpretive signs, views, and picnic areas.

· opportunities for education, photography, wildlife observation, and hunting.

What are you waiting for?

A small Spring in a desert habitat, mountains in the background
Image Details
Discover the story of Ash Meadows NWR in this visually stunning film by Bristlecone Media. Click on link to watch video. 

ASH MEADOWS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

WHERE THE DESERT SPRINGS TO LIFE!

 

Location and Contact Information

      About Us

      Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge is a desert oasis named after the galleries of ash trees described in expedition notes from 1893. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service strives to conserve, restore, and protect this unique ecosystem through environmental education, outreach programs, voluntarism, and visitor services.

      Fish & Wildlife, in partnership with Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics (LNT), encourages visitors to practice the LNT 7 principles to minimize impact to Ash Meadows. For more information, visit Leave No Trace.

       

       

      What We Do

      The National Wildlife Refuge System is a series of lands and waters owned and managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Wildlife conservation is at the heart of the refuge system. It drives everything we do from the purpose a refuge is established, to the recreational activities offered there, to the resource management tools we use. Selecting the right tools helps us ensure the survival of local plants and animals and helps fulfill the purpose of the refuge.

      Our Species

      One yellow-brown water beetle
      Image Details
      Ash Meadows Naucorid

       

      Endemic Species of Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
      Common Name Scientific Name Status
      Ash Meadows Blazing Star Mentzelia leuciphylla Threatened
      Amargosa Niterwort Nitrophila mohavensis Endangered
      Ash Meadows Milk-vetch Astragalus phoenix Threatened
      Ash Meadows sunray Enceliopsis nudicaulis corrugata Threatened
      Ash Meadows gumplant Grindelia fraxinopratensis Threatened
      Ash Meadows ivesia Ivesia kingii var. eremica Threatened
      Ash Meadows lady's tresses Spiranthes infernalis  
      Tecopa birdsbeak Cordylanthus tecopensis  
      Spring-loving centuary Zeltnera namophila Threatened
      Ash Meadows naucorid Ambrysus amargosus Threatened
      Warm Springs naucorid Ambrysus relictus  
      Devils Hole warm spring riffle beetle Stenelmis calida calida  
      Ash Meadows pebble snail Pyrgulopsis erythropoma  
      Crystal springs snail Pyrgulopsis crystalis  
      Distal-gland springsnail Pyrgulopsis nanus  
      Elongate gland springsnail Pyrgulopsis isolatus  
      Fairbanks Spring snail Pyrgulopsis fairbanksinsis  
      Longstreet Spring snail Pyrgulopsis spp. Extinct
      Median-gland Nevada spring snail Pyrgulopsis pisteri  
      Amargosa tryonia Tryonia variegata  
      Minute tryonia Tryonia erica  
      Point of Rocks tryonia Tryonia elata  
      Sportinggoods tryonia Truonia angulata  
      Devils Hole pupfish Cyprinodon diabolis Endangered
      Warm Springs pupfish Cyprinodon nevadensis pectoralis Endangered
      Ash Meadows Amargosa pupfish Cyprinodon nevadensis mionectes Endangered
      Ash Meadows speckled dace Rhinichthys osculus nevadensis Endangered
      Ash Meadows killifish Empetrichthys merriami Extinct
      Ash Meadows montane vole Microtus montamus nevadensis Extirpated