Dry Mountain RNA

Dry Mountain Research Natural Area (RNA) was established to represent Big Sagebrush/Bluebunch wheatgrass (Artemisia tridentata/ Pseudoroegneria spicata) and Mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus)/bunchgrass (Festuca) plant communities. The terrain varies from gradual rolling hills in the southwest corner to steep slopes in the northeast corner with a series of narrow canyons. The RNA contains the headwaters of several unnamed seasonal tributaries that feed into the Silver Creek drainage. Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) associations dominate roughly two thirds of the RNA while mountain mahogany associations dominate the remaining areas of shallow and rocky soil.