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.