Where are the Virginia Mountains?
The Virginia Mountains are just west of Pyramid Lake and north of the Pyramid Lake Highway, in Washoe County. The Virginias are one of three mountain ranges that surround Pyramid Lake, along with the Lake Range and the Pah Rah Range. The Virginia Mountains are often confused with the Virginia Range which is farther south near Virginia City.

How do you get to the Virginias?
From downtown Reno take I-80 east. Merge onto US-395 North toward Susanville. Take the North McCarran Blvd. / Clear Acre Lane exit-Exit 70. Merge onto North McCarran Blvd. towards Sparks. Turn Left onto Pyramid Hwy. (NV-445). Continue on NV-445 for approximately 22 miles. The Virginias are located on the NW (left) side of the highway near Mullen Pass. Take the first dirt road on the left that is protected by a cattle guard, after passing the Washoe County Shooting Range. Follow this dirt road to the north to several access points into the Virginia Mountains.

What makes the Virginias worth protecting as Wilderness? 
The Virginias are one of the most beautiful mountain ranges in western Nevada. From the “glowing” balanced boulders of the Incandescent Rocks area, to the stunning vistas of Pyramid Lake seen from the ridge tops and summits, the Virginias are a special place. On a average day one can see north across Pyramid Lake to the Lake Range and south all the way to the snowcapped summits of Job’s and Freel Peaks near Minden: a view of more than 80 miles. There are almost 25,000 acres that are essentially in a natural state with great opportunities for solitude, with primitive and unconfined types of recreation. The Virginias are perfect for hiking, photography, camping, horseback riding, rock climbing, and hunting.  There are several important archaeological sites located in the Virginias. The Virginias are an important primitive recreation resource to the expanding metropolis of Reno / Sparks. The best news for residents of Washoe County is that this spectacular area is located within a forty-minute drive from downtown Reno. The location makes the Virginia Mountains the perfect destination for an all-day event, or simply for an afternoon getaway.

What kinds of plants and animals are found in the Virginias?
The Virginias consist of numerous plant and animal communities such as pinion-juniper woodland, low montane shrubland, mountain sagebrush, sagebrush steppe, and sagebrush semi-desert. If you have a keen eye you can observe antelope grazing in the lowlands and watch raptors as they glide effortlessly in the thermals high above the peaks of Big Momma and the Needle.

Why do the Virginias need Wilderness Protection?
See the Slide Show.

The Virginias are being used by some as a cheap dumping ground. One doesn’t have to go very far up the side canyons near Hwy. 445 to find old refrigerators, shattered glass and mounds of trash. The Virginias are used by others for indiscriminate shooting. Thousands of spent rounds can be found littering the ground in areas where shooters have blasted the old refrigerators, stoves, and bottles, fragmenting the debris and further polluting the landscape. At the same time they endanger the lives of other visitors to the mountains and give responsible gun owners a bad name. Every weekend some reckless and selfish drivers in off-road vehicles head out to the Virginias Mountains, not keeping to established routes, but blazing new trails, tearing up the pristine landscape, concerned only with the thrill of the moment. All this wanton destruction is happening at a frightening pace. Each visit to the Virginias presents new trash piles, more signs of out-of-control gunfire, and additional off-road vehicle damage. The Virginia Mountains are an important primitive recreation resource for our community, especially as Reno-Sparks continues to grow while the Wild areas and open spaces decrease. If something is not done soon the Virginias will not survive the next five years. We must take action now to save the Virginias.
It's up to us. Do we want the Virginias to be an ugly and dangerous trash heap, or a beautiful outdoor attraction?
YOU can help make a difference.

Are there other photos of the Virginia Mountains I can look at?
Links to all the Virginia Mountains outings galleries from the Great Basin Group of the Sierra Club may be found here.

What can I do to help the Virginias?

• Write a letter or send an email to the Washoe County Commission. Ask them to recommend the Virginias for Wilderness protection in the upcoming Washoe County Lands bill.
• Write or call your United States Senators. Tell them the Virginias are important to you and need protection.
• Write a letter to the editor and inform your follow citizens about the plight of the Virginias.  
• Visit the Virginias. Take a trip out there to see their beauty and experience the solitude that can only be found in these wild hills. Join us on a trip: the Great Basin Group of the Sierra Club has hikes scheduled regularly in the Virginias. See the Outings link to see a list of upcoming trips or give us a call for some trip ideas.

See the contacts page for the names and address of our elected officials and newspaper editors. Remember that your representatives don’t know what you want if you don’t tell them.

For the Wild Virginias, please take action today.