3-D satellite terrain of Unit 194, served by Wayward — the free iPhone GPS app from the people behind Sleeper Units. Drag to turn, scroll or pinch to zoom. Get Wayward and the whole unit rides on your phone, offline.
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Unit 194 covers the country immediately south of Reno along the Sierra Nevada eastern flank, including pieces of the Carson Range and the country toward Genoa and Minden. Elevations span from about 4,500 feet in the Carson Valley to over 10,700 feet on Mount Rose. The Carson Range carries dense Sierra-style timber—Jeffrey pine, white fir, red fir—with alpine rock and meadow above 9,000 feet. Below it's sage and bitterbrush.
Humboldt-Toiyabe NF on the high country, BLM and significant private development on the flanks. The Mount Rose Wilderness restricts motors above the boundary. State Route 431 (Mount Rose Highway) and US 395 provide paved access. Reno, Carson City, and Minden have full services. Cell service is good near the urban edge. Mule deer is the primary draw, with California bighorn on the rocky east faces (very limited tags). The unit gets significant recreation pressure because everything is right there—but the wilderness terrain filters it. Weather varies dramatically with elevation; the Sierra gets buried in snow by November.
Unit Stats
Hunting Season Temps (3-yr avg)
Sep
70°
51°
Oct
57°
41°
Nov
44°
30°
Dec
37°
26°
Jan
36°
24°
Feb
36°
23°
Recent Trophy Scores · 2020–2025
Trophy score data is tracked by county, so the overlap with GMU boundaries is approximate. These numbers tell you whether the area is capable of growing big animals — they do not indicate public vs. private land. Big elk can come from anywhere; most elk in the lower 48 trace back to Yellowstone stock that was transplanted west after the species was nearly extirpated in the early 1900s.
County
Species
Method
Count
Avg Score
Top Score
Douglas
Mule Deer
Archery
1
153
153
Washoe
Mule Deer
Archery
1
154
154
Washoe
Mule Deer
Rifle
1
185
185
Washoe
Pronghorn
Archery
2
76
78
Washoe
Pronghorn
Rifle
4
82
84
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Nearest Towns
Austin
Tiny (pop ~200); one gas station, motel, café. Gateway to Toiyabe Range.
Tonopah
Larger hub; gas, motels, restaurants, Nye Regional Medical Center.
Eureka
Small town; gas, motel, basic supplies. Gateway to Monitor Range.
Ely
Full services: William Bee Riordan Hospital, gas, grocery, lodging. Eastern edge of central zone.
Hawthorne
Army depot town; gas, motel, basic supplies. Walker Lake access.
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Campgrounds
Kingston Campground
USFS (Humboldt-Toiyabe NF)
Toiyabe Range near Austin; 12 sites; 6,800 ft.
Columbine Campground
USFS (Humboldt-Toiyabe NF)
Toiyabe Range; streamside; 5 sites.
Hickison Petroglyph BLM
BLM
US-50 east of Austin; 16 sites; free; vault toilets.
Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park
Nevada State Parks
Near Gabbs; 14 sites; remote; historic mining ghost town.
Ward Charcoal Ovens State Park
Nevada State Parks
Near Ely; 14 sites; access to eastern central units.
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Statewide Outfitters & Directories
These outfitters operate statewide or in multiple regions. Check each one's website to confirm they cover Unit 194.
Ruby Mountains, Areas 10, 6. Henry Krenka, president of NV Outfitters & Guides Assn. 30+ years. 125-year family ranch base camp. Elk, deer, sheep, goat, lion.