Becky Peak stands tall in White Pine County, Nevada, and comes at number 111 on the Nevada Prominence List. This peak is seldom scaled by climbing enthusiasts, which makes it all the more valued to those who seek a challenge and solitude when exploring paths less traveled. As soon as you pass White Horse Pass to the Southwest, you can catch a glimpse of the peak majestically rising above the horizon.
Becky Peak has two summit humps, one is slightly higher than the other and offers a breathtaking 360-degree view of the Becky Peak Wilderness area once you make it to the top. The 18,189 acres of the wilderness came into existence on December 20, 2006, as a part of the White Pine County Conservation, Recreation, and Development Act of 2006. The Becky Peak Wilderness is now managed and maintained by the Bureau of Land Management.
The main attraction of the wilderness is the peak itself, which climbers attempt to climb so they can enjoy the view of the Cherry Creek Range and Schell Creek Range in the distance.
The north-facing slopes of Becky Peak hold snow long enough to give exploratory skiers a nice opportunity for first descents. Activities aren’t organized in the wilderness, yet explorers still find a way to conduct some basic hikes and take guided hunting trips. The wilderness does offer a chance to camp in the wild, without any basic facilities, to keep the experience authentic.
Before you head to this journey, remain mindful that Becky Peak is in the middle of the expansive Nevada desert and the closest town of McGill is 40 miles away. Make sure to stock up on gas and food before heading there. Bring plenty of water with you and take all the precautions since cell phone signals are also very rare in this wilderness.
The Becky Peak Wilderness is located in northern White Pine County, and 50 miles from Ely, Nevada. From Ely, take highway 93 for 40 miles. Take a right onto Schellbourne Pass Road in order to reach Becky Peak Wilderness.
Becky Peak Wilderness offers primitive camping for up to 14 days. Removing and cutting vegetation is not permitted. When gathering firewood, only dead and down wood can be collected.
It is advised to park your vehicles and RVs in previously used sites to protect Nevada’s fragile environments. Practice the ‘Leave No Trace’ ethics and clean up after yourselves. Camping is permitted year-round and no reservation is required to claim a campsite.
If primitive camping is not your cup of tea, then an hour and a half away from the wilderness, you can find the state-maintained East Creek Campground. There are 25 single campsites and one double campsite. Five of the 26 campsites are accessible. Tent camping and RV camping are accommodated, and the maximum length of RV is 20 feet. The campground has a bathroom, vault toilets, picnic tables, and garbage cans.
Hunting and non-commercial trapping are permitted at the Becky Peak Wilderness. To retrieve game or check traps, only go by foot or via horseback within the wilderness. Nevada’s game species include mountain goat, bighorn sheep, and pronghorn antelope. There are some unprotected species, such as jackrabbit and coyote, that can be hunted without the need for a license. However, a trapping license is still needed.
Rock climbers can head straight to the Becky Peak if they wish to climb the summit and find utter peacefulness once they reach one of the two summit humps. The 360-degree view that you see at the top will leave you speechless. If you have a high clearance vehicle, you can drive up to 8950 feet along the northeast side of the peak.
If you don’t have one, park your vehicle at the west side of the peak and take the dirt road on the east side of Highway 93. You can climb Becky Peak any time of the year; however, climbing it during snow season between November and May might require some extra effort. This is a bone-dry barren desert, so make sure to bring plenty and plenty of water during the summers.
Hundreds of species of birds, including migratory birds, frequent the desert wilderness surrounding Becky Peak. Pinyon jays are one of the most beautiful residents of the wilderness. Other species of rare, exotic and beautiful birds include the white-breasted Nuthatch, Gray-headed Junco, northern goshawk, peregrine falcon, flammulated owl and a variety of songbirds.
Angling enthusiasts might not find something for them at Becky Peak Wilderness but they will just an hour’s drive away. Bassett Lake is full of a variety of fish including panfish, largemouth bass, and northern pike amongst many others. The beautiful lake waters allow for anglers to drop in a line and relax by the shore or take to the waters on a boat for more solitude.
Located far away from human interference, this wilderness region offers the perfect habitat for many species of wildlife. The visitors are requested to respect the wildlife and maintain their distance to best observe them in their most natural surroundings. Wildlife that is frequently seen here include pronghorn antelope, mule deer, wild horses, western fence lizards, Great basin collared lizards, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, and mountain lion to name but a few.
Many visitors with a keen interest in botany pay a visit to this wilderness area. The vegetation here is diverse, and you’ll find yourself fascinated by the difference in flora in the lower and upper elevation. You’ll find desert shrubs and grasses on the ground level, but as you go uphill, you’ll see pinyon pine and juniper stands.
On the very top of the summit, you’ll find limber pine trees and bristlecone. In addition to these, you’ll find wildflowers in abundance with larkspur, lupine, paintbrush, sego lilies, yarrow, prickly poppy, and prickly pear cactus coloring your vision vividly.
