Semi-desert shrubland dominates the upland habitat. Approximately 7,612 acres of semi-desert shrubland exists on the Refuge. The dominant plant species are shadescale, Wyoming big sagebrush, greasewood, needle and thread grass, and the non-native, invasive cheatgrass. Refuge species that rely on the semi-desert shrubland for breeding include sage grouse, Brewer’s sparrow, loggerhead shrike, Ord’s kangaroo rat, and sagebrush vole. The shrubland also provides winter range for mule deer, elk, and, to a lesser extent, pronghorn.
The upland habitat also consists of about 1,083 acres of pinyon pine and Utah juniper, as well as interspersed areas of exposed rock along the southern boundary of the Refuge. Many species depend on this arid environment away from the river, including gray flycatchers, pinyon jays, several species of bats, and lizards.