Austin-Tonopah Ranger District

The Austin-Tonopah Ranger District is comprised of two districts that merged in 2015; there are offices in both cities, with land in Eureka, Lander and Nye counties.   

Located in central Nevada, the Austin-Tonopah Ranger District is more than 2.1 million acres, the largest district on the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest and the lower 48 states. The portion of U.S. Route 50 that was named “The Loneliest Road in America” provides travelers an opportunity to experience the District’s scenic vistas, including views of the Toiyabe Range near Austin and the northern Toquima and Monitor Mountain Ranges between Austin and Eureka.

Linear chains of mountains, separated by long valleys, stretch north-to-south across central Nevada forming the Austin-Tonopah Ranger District’s rocky-mountainous terrain. In the lower elevations, the valleys vary from lush fertile fields to barren playas created from evaporated minerals such as salt. Elevations on the District range from approximately 5,000 feet on the valley floor to 11,941 feet at Mount Jefferson’s South Summit, the highest peak located in the Alta Toquima Wilderness area.