The Trust Has Purchased Over 400 Acres of Land in the California
Desert
So far this year, the Trust has preserved 415
acres of land in one proposed and six designated wilderness
areas in the California desert.
Cady Mountains Proposed Wilderness 20 Acres Preserved in San Bernardino County
The Cady Mountains proposed wilderness area
is located between I-15 and I-40 and is easily accessed from
Los Angeles and from the developing area of Barstow. The mountain
area is an island of key wildlife habitat for a herd of desert
bighorn sheep, prairie falcons, golden eagles, Mojave fringed-toed
lizards, coyotes, bobcats, jackrabbits, and antelope ground
squirrels.
Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness 10 Acres Preserved in Riverside County
The Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness is located
southeast of Joshua Tree National Park. The diverse wildlife
in the region, characteristic of the Mojave and Colorado desertlands,
includes bighorn sheep, deer, wild burros, birds of prey,
snakes, foxes, and coyotes. The Wilderness also contains critical
habitat for the desert tortoise.
Domeland Wilderness 40 Acres Preserved in Tulare County
The Domeland Wilderness, which contains a portion
of the Sequoia National Forest, is located 25 miles northwest
of Ridgecrest. The landscape of the Wilderness varies from
pinyon-covered mountains to dry, rugged land with sparse vegetation.
The Pacific Crest Trail crosses the Wilderness and follows
a portion of the Wild and Scenic South Fork of the Kern River.
Jacumba Wilderness 20 Acres Preserved in Imperial County
The southern boundary of the Jacumba Wilderness,
which lies approximately 30 miles west of El Centro, is California’s
border with Mexico. The Wilderness contains four regions with
distinct characteristics: Smugglers Cove with mule deer, bighorn
sheep, golden eagle and kangaroo rat habitat; the Myer Valley
and Pinto Canyon with areas of California fan palms; the mountainous
ridges separating the Myers and Davis Valleys; and the Eastern
Mountains and Skull Valley with a dry lake bed in its secluded
basin.
Old Woman Mountains Wilderness 165 Acres Preserved in San Bernardino County
The Old Woman Mountains Wilderness is located
about 35 miles southwest of Needles and consists of the massive
Old Woman Mountains and bajadas, which are extensive flat
aprons of alluvium. The landscape, which contains a variety
of habitats, is a transition zone between the Lower Colorado
Desert and the Mojave Desert. The wildlife of the region is
characteristic of the Mojave Desert.
Palen/McCoy Wilderness 120 Acres Preserved in Riverside County
The Palen/McCoy Wilderness, located 25 miles
northwest of Blythe, contains the Granite, McCoy, Palen, Little
Maria and Arica Mountain ranges, each separated by sloping
bajadas. The Wilderness contains a great variety of landscapes
and landforms and the largest ironwood forest in the California
Desert can be found in the valley between the Palen and McCoy
Mountains.
Rice Valley Wilderness 40 Acres Preserved in Riverside County
The Rice Valley Wilderness, located to the
east of the Palen/McCoy Wilderness, contains the plains of
Rice Valley and the northwestern tip of the Big Maria Mountains.
The valley is part of an immense sand sheet that extends from
Cadiz Valley to Ward Valley. This sheet of sand is part of
one of the largest systems of dunes in the California Desert.
