Unit 133 Unit 133
A vast, roadless Lincoln County desert-mountain block built around the Worthington Mountains and Garden and Coal Valleys.
Eastern Nevada — Lincoln County · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
1,811
sq mi
Public land
99%
approx.
Elevation
4,800–8,968
feet
Motorized
limited
access
Overview
Unit 133 is a huge, remote block of northwestern Lincoln County wrapping the Worthington Mountains, Golden Gate and Seaman ranges and the broad flats of Garden, Coal and Sand Spring Valleys. It is almost entirely public — better than 98% — and holds genuine BLM wilderness and roadless desert backcountry. Tags are few and prized: it fishes as a quality mule deer unit, a strong pronghorn draw on the valley flats, and a premium once-in-a-lifetime desert bighorn tag in the Worthington range.
Terrain
Classic Basin-and-Range: wide, open sage and greasewood basins ringed by short, steep desert ranges. Roughly 4,000 feet of relief from valley floors up to the rocky crest of the Worthington Mountains, with alluvial fans, dry washes and broken cliff bands defining how the country hunts.
Cover: Sagebrush, greasewood and grassy flats on the basins, grading into pinyon-juniper and mountain mahogany on the mid-slopes and rimrock, with scattered springs the only reliable water.
Landmarks: Worthington Mountains · Worthington Mountains Wilderness · Golden Gate Range · Seaman Range · Garden Valley · Coal Valley · Sand Spring Valley · Weepah Spring Wilderness
Access
Overwhelmingly BLM ground, with congressionally designated wilderness in the Worthington Mountains and Weepah Spring where motorized travel is prohibited — plan to hike into that country. Long, unimproved dirt and gravel roads reach the range fronts from the surrounding valleys; a high-clearance 4x4, spare tires and full water and fuel are essential.
Managers: BLM, USFS Humboldt-Toiyabe NF
Access points: State Route 375 (Extraterrestrial Highway) corridor · U.S. Highway 93 to the east · Garden Valley and Coal Valley backroads · Sand Spring Valley road to the Worthington front
Species notes
Pronghorn
common qualityA strong antelope draw on the open valley flats, with recent success in the mid-90s percent for the handful of tag holders. Bucks are patternable off the sage basins.
- →Glass the open sage and grass flats of Garden, Coal and Sand Spring Valleys from high vantage points.
- →Hunt water and long sightlines in the heat of early season; antelope hold to the same basins.
- →Judge horns carefully through a spotting scope before committing to a long stalk over open ground.
Mule Deer
common qualityPrimarily a migratory desert mule deer unit that hunts well across the seasons, with recent success near 70% — high for Nevada. The best bucks live in the less-accessible roadless pockets.
- →Work the pinyon-juniper and mahogany transition benches at first and last light.
- →Hike away from the roads into the wilderness and rimrock to find older bucks.
- →For late tags, glass the routes off the higher ranges as weather nudges deer toward the flats.
Bighorn Sheep
limited trophyA premium, essentially once-in-a-lifetime desert bighorn tag. The steep, broken Worthington Mountains hold a native-style desert sheep herd on the rugged escarpments.
- →Focus on the steepest cliff bands and rimrock of the Worthington range.
- →Invest heavily in pre-season glassing to locate rams before opening day.
- →Plan a self-supported, multi-day effort — water and services are far off.
Pro tips
- →This is water-and-wilderness country — find the reliable springs and you find the game.
- →Split effort by elevation: valley flats for antelope, mid-slope benches and rimrock for deer.
- →The Worthington and Weepah Spring wilderness areas are non-motorized — budget time to hike in.
- →Low tag numbers mean low pressure; a drawn tag here is worth a hard, prepared effort.
Watch out for
- !Genuinely remote with no close services — a breakdown or injury is a long way from help.
- !Designated wilderness prohibits motorized and mechanized travel; know the boundaries.
- !Deep, soft dirt roads and long distances between water — carry extra tires, fuel and water.
- !No cell coverage; bring paper maps, GPS and a satellite communicator.
Logistics
There are no services inside the unit. Rachel on SR-375 is a tiny stop; Alamo and Hiko on U.S. 93 have limited fuel and supplies, and Ely is the nearest full-service town. Treat this as a self-supported desert hunt: carry all water, extra fuel, two spare tires and recovery gear, and expect no cell coverage across most of the unit.
Nearest towns: Rachel, Hiko, Alamo, Ely
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Nevada sources:
Research sources: GOHUNT — Nevada Unit 133 Profile · Worthington Mountains Wilderness (BLM / Wilderness.net) · Worthington Mountains — Wikipedia (wildlife, elevation)
FAQ
- How big is Unit 133 in Nevada?
- Unit 133 (Unit 133) covers about 1,811 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,800 to 8,968 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 133?
- Approximately 99% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM, USFS Humboldt-Toiyabe NF. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 133?
- Pronghorn, Mule Deer, Bighorn Sheep. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Nevada agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 133 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.