Can you fly a drone at Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge?

No. Drones may not be launched, landed or flown on Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge.

National wildlife refuge

Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge

Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in Nye County, Nevada, established in 1984, run by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex. It is open from sunrise to sunset, year-round. Camping is not allowed.

Check current closures and fire restrictions for Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge on the managing agency's own page.

Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge map

Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge boundary from USGS PAD-US or the managing agency, simplified for display. Not for navigation or legal boundaries.

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Closures

Undeveloped areas are closed to all travel, including on foot, except for hunting; stay on boardwalks, roads signed open to foot traffic, and designated public areas (as of September 27, 2026). Current notice

Fire restrictions

No fire restriction recorded for this unit as of Sept. 30, 2026. Restrictions change with the season, so check the current orders below before you go.

Nevada Fire Info, BLM Nevada's interagency fire site, keeps the Nevada fire restrictions map and signed orders for every fire zone, and a Nevada fire map of active fires.

Common questions

: Yes. Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge is open from sunrise to sunset, year-round.
: No. Camping is not allowed on Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. Day use only; overnight camping is prohibited. The refuge names the Longstreet Inn (hotel and RV) and the hotel at the Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction.
: Yes. Hunting is allowed on Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge for waterfowl, upland game birds, and small game. Where, per the refuge: Designated areas only; the open and closed areas are mapped on the refuge hunting flyer at hunting kiosks and the visitor center. Seasons, limits and methods are set by the refuge regulation and Nevada Department of Wildlife rules, which change every year: read them before you go.
: No. Fishing is not allowed on Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. Fishing is strictly prohibited on the refuge.
: Yes. Dogs are allowed on Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge on a leash no longer than 6 feet. Allowed on boardwalks; off leash only when used for legal hunting in designated areas.
: No. Drones may not be launched, landed or flown on Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge.

Hours, fees, and visitor center

Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge is open from sunrise to sunset, year-round.

Ash Meadows Visitor Center9 a.m. to 4 p.m.8757 Spring Meadows Road S, Amargosa Valley, NV 89020-9632775-372-5435

What visitors do here: wildlife viewing, birding, photography, an auto tour route, hunting, environmental education, interpretive programs.

Sources: fws.gov/refuge/ash-meadows/visit-us, checked 2026-09-27; fws.gov/refuge/ash-meadows/visit-us/activities/ranger-led-programs, checked 2026-09-27.

Wildlife

Fish, endangered, found nowhere elseDevils Hole pupfishSmallest and rarest pupfish in the world, found only in Devils Hole
Fish, endangered, found nowhere elseAsh Meadows Amargosa pupfishWhen: springSeen in Kings Pool on the Point of Rocks Boardwalk; males turn brighter blue in spring
Fish, endangered, found nowhere elseWarm Springs pupfish
Fish, endangered, found nowhere elseAsh Meadows speckled dace
Plant, endangered, found nowhere elseAmargosa niterwort
Plant, threatenedAsh Meadows sunrayEndemic to Ash Meadows
Plant, threatenedSpring-loving centauryEndemic to Ash Meadows
Invertebrate, threatenedAsh Meadows naucoridEndemic to Ash Meadows
MammalDesert bighorn sheepWhen: fallSometimes seen in the Devils Hole Hills near Point of Rocks
BirdMigratory birdsWhen: March to May, September to NovemberThe refuge lies between two major flyways; rarities visit the wetlands during migration
BirdWaterfowlWhen: winterLarge numbers and variety around the springs and marshes
BirdGreater roadrunner, Gambel's quail and phainopeplaWhen: year-roundPoint of Rocks is the best place to see these desert residents
PlantLeather-leaf ashWhen: fallThe refuge's namesake tree turns orange and gold in fall

Source: fws.gov/refuge/ash-meadows/species, checked 2026-09-27.

Hunting

Hunting is allowed on Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge for waterfowl, upland game birds, and small game. Where, per the refuge: Designated areas only; the open and closed areas are mapped on the refuge hunting flyer at hunting kiosks and the visitor center. Seasons, limits and methods are set by the refuge regulation and Nevada Department of Wildlife rules, which change every year: read them before you go.

Hunting rules for Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge

Source: fws.gov/refuge/ash-meadows/visit-us/rules-policies, checked 2026-09-27.

Fishing and boating

Fishing is not allowed on Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. Fishing is strictly prohibited on the refuge.

Boats are not allowed. Prohibited year-round on all refuge reservoirs and waterbodies, including during waterfowl season.

Source: fws.gov/refuge/ash-meadows/visit-us/rules-policies, checked 2026-09-27.

Camping

Camping is not allowed on Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. Day use only; overnight camping is prohibited. The refuge names the Longstreet Inn (hotel and RV) and the hotel at the Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction.

Campfires: Fire, fireworks, or smoking outside vehicles or designated smoking areas is prohibited.

Sources: fws.gov/refuge/ash-meadows/visit-us, checked 2026-09-27; fws.gov/refuge/ash-meadows/visit-us/rules-policies, checked 2026-09-27.

Pets

Dogs are allowed on Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge on a leash no longer than 6 feet. Allowed on boardwalks; off leash only when used for legal hunting in designated areas.

Source: fws.gov/refuge/ash-meadows/visit-us/rules-policies, checked 2026-09-27.

Trails

Crystal Springs Boardwalk(0.9 mi round trip, easy)Behind the visitor center to a blue spring pool; benches, scopes and panels; wheelchair accessible
Point of Rocks Boardwalk(0.5 mi round trip, easy)Through mesquite to Kings Pool and a hilltop scenic area with scopes; wheelchair accessible
Longstreet Boardwalk(0.2 mi round trip, easy)Short walk to Jack Longstreet's stone cabin and spring; wheelchair accessible

Source: fws.gov/refuge/ash-meadows/visit-us/trails, checked 2026-09-27.

Places on the refuge

SpringCrystal SpringBlue spring pool about 15 feet deep producing 2,800 gallons a minute at a constant 87 degrees F
PlaceDevils HoleWater-filled cavern inside the refuge, part of Death Valley National Park since 1952; 93 degrees F, seen from a platform
SpringKings PoolSpring pool on the Point of Rocks Boardwalk where Ash Meadows Amargosa pupfish can be watched from benches
OverlookPoint of RocksHilltop scenic area with viewing scopes, grinding holes used by ancient peoples, and a covered picnic area
Historic siteLongstreet Spring and CabinStone cabin built in 1896 by Jack Longstreet beside a spring whose sand makes it look like it is boiling
MarshCarson SloughLarge spring discharge area mined for peat in the 1960s, destroying about 2,000 acres of wetland