The Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge headquarters is your destination for refuge information. Personnel are generally at this location daily, Monday thru Friday, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Informational brochures are available outside the office for weekend visitors. The refuge office is located in Ruby Valley, in Elko County, about 65 miles south and east of Elko, or 90 miles north and west of Ely. Some roads are inaccessible in winter. Please note that there is limited or no cellular service on the refuge.
- Hunting
Waterfowl, including ducks, dark geese, coots, snipe, and common moorhens may be hunted in designated areas and the use of non-toxic shot is mandatory. Hunting of white birds in Ruby Valley is prohibited to protect Trumpeter Swans. All other species of wildlife are protected. Hunting is permitted daily during the waterfowl season as established by the state of Nevada. Areas open to hunting are as posted including south of Brown Dike to the White Pine County line. In White Pine County, open areas include the west edge of the South Marsh to Narciss Boat Ramp, as posted. Please remove your spent shotgun shells and other trash. Hunting licenses are not sold in Ruby Valley. - Fishing
The Refuge is open year-round to fishing except in areas posted as closed. Possession or use of live or dead baitfish, crayfish, or amphibians is prohibited. Largemouth Bass are found primarily in the South Marsh and the marsh units north of Brown Dike. Bass tend to bite best in summer. Trout, primarily Rainbow but also Brown and Tiger, are mostly found in the Collection Ditch and the spring ponds along the southwest side of the Refuge. Angling for trout tends to peak during the cooler months. Please remove all trash, particularly discarded fishing line which can entangle wildlife. Be aware of special regulations as boating and bag limit rules vary by location and date. Fishing licenses are not sold in Ruby Valley. - Wildlife Observation and Photography
Any time of year you can see wildlife on the refuge, whether it be flocks of swans on the ice in Winter, nesting ducks in Spring, migrating snakes in Summer, or grazing Pronghorns in Fall. The Ruby Mountains provide a stunning backdrop to all of this and sunsets are picture-worthy almost every evening, but don’t be surprised if your camera just can’t take it all in. - Environmental Education and Interpretation
Ruby Lake NWR provides a great opportunity to view and learn about plants and wildlife native to the Great Basin. In addition to our lengthy auto tour, the Refuge constructed a new handicap accessible wildlife observation platform at Narciss Boat Landing in spring of 2011. During 2012, thirteen new interpretive panels were placed along the auto tour and boat landings to share information with visitors regarding our native wildlife, cultural history, and the unique hydrological cycle supporting our marsh ecosystem. The Refuge receives several school visits each year, and visiting students are issued binoculars and given a guided tour from the comfort of their own bus. Additionally, our staff enjoys visiting schools, summer camps, and other local venues where they have delivered a variety of wildlife presentations to young and old alike.
How to Get Here
Visitors must travel 13 to 30 miles of gravel road to reach the Refuge from any direction. Harrison Pass, a steep, rough, and winding road, is not passable in winter and is never recommended for large trailers or motor homes. Routes from Highway 50 can be very muddy to impassable in wet weather or during snow-melt. Drifting snow can make travel on any route impossible except for the largest of 4WD vehicles. Visitors should check with Refuge headquarters about road conditions, especially November through May.
Use this link for directions to Ruby Lake NWR
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Courtesy S. Ward – Road signs for wildlife traffic control