U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Upper Carson Slough Backcountry Trail

WSB, through its legacy firm Alta Science & Engineering, Inc., partnered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to expand outdoor access within Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, creating opportunities for hiking, hunting and nature exploration in a unique and sensitive desert environment.

Building on previously developed conceptual plans, our team facilitated site visits and collaborative workshops with USFWS staff and tribal representatives to refine the trail alignment and supporting infrastructure. This approach balanced user experience, long-term maintenance and protection of the surrounding ecosystem, while also creating opportunities to interpret the area’s distinct ecology and the cultural legacy of Indigenous communities.

Following impacts from Hurricane Hilary, the team returned to the site to reassess conditions and update design plans to address storm-related damage.

WSB delivered 35% design drawings, probable construction costs and an interpretive storyboard outlining the trail experience. The design includes more than eight miles of trail, three overlooks, five stream crossings, a vault toilet and parking areas. Ongoing collaboration with tribal partners is helping shape a series of interpretive panels that tell the story and history of the area.

This work supports responsible access to a rare habitat that is home to 26 plant and animal species found nowhere else in the world, while highlighting the significance of the landscape and the communities connected to it.