Gold Butte National Monument
Gold Butte National Monument is in Clark County, Nevada, northeast of Las Vegas and near Mesquite and Bunkerville. It covers about 296,900 acres of desert landscapes and was established on December 28, 2016. The monument is managed by the Bureau of Land Management.
The area protects a variety of natural and cultural resources. You can find rock art, sandstone towers, and important wildlife habitats for species like the Mojave Desert tortoise (a threatened species), bighorn sheep, and mountain lions. It also supports Gambel’s quail and chukar partridge. Cultural sites include ancient rock art, rock shelters, hearths, agave roasting pits, and projectile points, as well as the historic ghost town of Gold Butte and old mining remnants.
Gold Butte helps create a wildlife corridor between Lake Mead National Recreation Area and Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, linking protected lands. The landscape also shows weathered red sandstone and remains of past human activity. Before it became a monument, some sites were damaged by vandalism and neglect.
People can enjoy many recreational activities here. The area is open for hiking, hunting, horseback riding, camping, picnicking, and sightseeing. You can also drive on designated off-road routes and trails, gather minerals and other materials important to Native peoples, and participate in other recreational uses. Industrial development is not allowed, and grazing permits were retired in 1998—no new grazing permits are planned.
Within the monument are two official wilderness areas, Lime Canyon and Jumbo Springs. There are also two areas managed like wilderness: the Million Hills Wilderness Study Area and the Virgin Peak Instant Study Area.
Support for the designation came from local conservation groups, Nevada and Clark County lawmakers, and the Moapa Band of Paiute Indians, as well as some politicians. Some Republican leaders opposed it and called for revoking the designation.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 15:11 (CET).