{{Short description|Mountain range in Nevada, United States}} {{For|the California wine region with a similar name|Spring Mountain District AVA}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Use American English|date=February 2026}} {{No footnotes|date=April 2009}} {{Infobox mountain | name = Spring Mountains | image = Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area (32016619400).jpg | image_size = 200 | image_caption = Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area | map = Nevada | map_caption = | map_size = 200 | location = Near Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | coordinates = {{coord|36|17|53|N|115|39|51|W|region:US-NV_type:mountain_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | coordinates_ref = }} The '''Spring Mountains''' are a mountain range of Southern Nevada in the United States, running generally northwest–southeast along the west side of Las Vegas and south to the border with California. Most land in the mountains is owned by the United States Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management and managed as the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area within the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest and the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.
==Geography== The Spring Mountains range is named for the number of springs to be found, many of them in the recesses of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, which is on the eastern side of the mountains.
The Spring Mountains divide the Pahrump Valley and Amargosa River basins from the Las Vegas Valley watershed, which drains into the Colorado River watershed, by way of Las Vegas Wash into Lake Mead, thus the mountains define part of the boundary of the Great Basin. The Great Basin Divide, (one of the Great Basin region borders) continues north through the Indian Springs Pass region, then turns due east at the perimeter mountain ranges north of Las Vegas.
===Mount Charleston=== left|thumb|View of Mount Charleston (village) in Kyle Canyon The highest point is Mount Charleston (officially Charleston Peak), at {{convert|11918|ft|abbr=on}}. The area around Mount Charleston is protected in the Mount Charleston Wilderness. The main town in the area is also named Mount Charleston (Nevada), which lies in Kyle Canyon. The area is typically 30-40 °F cooler than the valleys below, and it is a popular getaway for Las Vegas residents and visitors. The Lee Canyon (Ski and Snowboard Resort) lies in Lee Canyon on State Highway 156.
===Strawberry Valley=== '''Strawberry Valley''' is the gap pass on the north point of the Spring Mountains. U.S. Route 95 in Nevada goes through the pass. Nevada State Route 160 is just west of the Strawberry Valley pass.<ref>[https://www.nyecountynv.gov/DocumentCenter/View/29129 Nye County, Nevada Improvements ''nyecountynv.gov'']</ref>
===Other peaks===
In addition to Mount Charleston, other major summits in the Spring Mountains range include Bonanza Peak, McFarland Peak, Mummy Mountain, Griffith Peak, Bridge Mountain, Mount Wilson and Mount Potosi.
== Biological diversity == The Spring Mountains are a sky island ecosystem. With an area around {{convert|860|sqmi}}, and a vertical range of nearly {{convert|2|mi}}, the mountains encompass a wide variety of habitats, and the biological diversity is probably greater than anywhere else in Nevada; 37 species of trees are known (more than any other Nevadan range), and 600 species of vascular plants have been reported from the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area alone.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.blm.gov/programs/national-conservation-lands/nevada/red-rock-canyon/natural-and-cultural-plants-and-flowers|title=Natural and Cultural Resources|work=Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area|publisher=US Bureau of Land Management|access-date=2026-04-02}}</ref>
The bases of the mountains are part of the Mojave zone dominated by creosote bush and white bursage, then rising to a blackbush scrub zone, followed by a pygmy conifer zone with juniper, pinyon pine, and mountain mahogany, and topped by a montane zone with many species of conifers around Mt. Charleston and its connecting ridges.
There are over 20 endemic species native to the Spring Mountains, including eight species of butterflies.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=Mt Charleston |title=Endemic Butterfly Species of the Spring Mountains |url=https://www.gomtcharleston.com/endemic-butterfly-species-of-the-spring-mountains/ |access-date=2026-04-02 |website=Go Mt. Charleston |language=en-US}}</ref> Other endemic fauna include Palmer's chipmunk, the Spring Mountains Springsnail<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wildlife Around Las Vegas, Spring Mountains Springsnail (Pyrgulopsis deaconi) |url=https://www.birdandhike.com/Wildlife/Invert/Ph_Mollusca/Cl_Gastropoda/Pyrgul_dea/_Pyr_dea.htm |access-date=2026-04-02 |website=www.birdandhike.com}}</ref>, and the Mount Charleston Ant.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=Mt Charleston |title=Endemic Animals of the Spring Mountains |url=https://www.gomtcharleston.com/endemic-animals-of-the-spring-mountains-08-10/ |access-date=2026-04-02 |website=Go Mt. Charleston |language=en-US}}</ref>
<gallery mode="packed" heights=144px> File:Charleston peak2.jpg|Mount Charleston in the Spring Mountains, Nevada File:UpperKyleCanyonSMNRA.JPG|The cool, forested slopes of upper Kyle Canyon File:Spring Mountains aerial from south.jpg|The sandstone reefs of Red Rock are seen to bridge the northern and southern parts of the Spring Mountains, in this aerial view from the south. File:Populus fremontii ssp fremontii 2.jpg|''Populus fremontii'' tree in the Spring Mountains </gallery>
== See also == {{Portal|Nevada}} * Carpenter Canyon
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == {{commons and category|Spring Mountains}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110527154228/http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/!ut/p/c5/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gjAwhwtDDw9_AI8zPyhQoYAOUjMeXDfODy-HWHg-zDrx8kb4ADOBro-3nk56bqF-RGGGSZOCoCAPi8eX8!/dl3/d3/L2dJQSEvUUt3QS9ZQnZ3LzZfMjAwMDAwMDBBODBPSEhWTjJNMDAwMDAwMDA!/?navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&cid=fsm9_026952&navid=170120000000000&pnavid=170000000000000&ss=110417&position=Not%20Yet%20Determined.Html&ttype=detail&pname=Humboldt-Toiyabe%20National%20Forest%20-%20Offices USDA Spring Mountain Page] * [http://www.birdandhike.com/Areas/MtChar_Area/_MtC_Area.htm Overview of the Spring Mountains] * [https://lasvegashiking.org/hike-comparison-chart/ Spring Mountains Peaks: photos, elevations, mileage, and GPS coordinates]
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Category:Spring Mountains Category:Humboldt–Toiyabe National Forest Category:Mountain ranges of the Mojave Desert Category:Mountain ranges of Nevada Category:Mountain ranges of Clark County, Nevada Category:Mountain ranges of the Great Basin