Providence Mountains State Recreation Area 38200 Essex Road Or P.O

Our Mission Providence The mission of California State Parks is to provide for the health, inspiration and In the middle of the education of the people of California by helping Mountains to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological Mojave Desert, Jack and diversity, protecting its most valued natural and State Recreation Area cultural resources, and creating opportunities Ida Mitchell shared with for high-quality outdoor recreation. thousands of fortunate visitors the cool beauty of the caverns’ magnificent “draperies” and “coral California State Parks supports equal access. pipes” formations. Prior to arrival, visitors with disabilities who need assistance should contact the park at (760) 928-2586. If you need this publication in an alternate format, contact [email protected]. CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS P.O. Box 942896 Sacramento, CA 94296-0001 For information call: (800) 777-0369 (916) 653-6995, outside the U.S. 711, TTY relay service www.parks.ca.gov Providence Mountains State Recreation Area 38200 Essex Road or P.O. Box 1 Essex, CA 92332 • (760) 928-2586 © 2010 California State Parks (Rev. 2017) V isitors to Providence Mountains State that left abundant shell-covered organisms Recreation Area are greeted by the sight on the sea floor. of jagged slopes of gray limestone, topped The shells and plant materials that settled by volcanic peaks of red rhyolite. Located on the sea bottom eventually became on the eastern slope of the Providence limestone. As the restless land heaved Mountains Range, the park lies within the upward, these formations were pushed boundaries of the 1.6-million acre Mojave above the level of the former ocean bed. National Preserve. From its vantage point Fountain Peak and Edgar Peak, at the at 4,300 feet above the valley floor, the park westernmost edge of the park, stand nearly headquarters offers stunning views of the 7,000 feet above sea level. These peaks surrounding Mojave Desert. On extremely are composed of Jurassic-aged Fountain clear days, the distant granite peaks of Peak Rhyolite, which intruded into the Arizona’s Hualapai Mountains are visible. limestone about 150 million years ago. Over time, the overlying rocks eroded and were PARK HISTORY transported bit by bit to the expansive Geology Travertine (limestone cave deposits) forms basins of today’s Mojave Desert. “draperies” on the walls at Mitchell Caverns. The park has the oldest known rocks of About 12 million years ago, this area was the State Park System—pre-Cambrian much wetter than today and covered with the limestone parent rock. As the water granitoids as old as 1.7 billion years. These luxuriant vegetation. Rainwater seeped evaporated, it left behind thin layers of ancient rocks can be seen as outcroppings through the soil, absorbing carbon dioxide calcite crystals. Over millennia, these on the slopes below the dark to creamy gray and forming a weak solution of carbonic countless drops of water created the fanciful limestone of the Bird Spring Formation. The acid. The acid dissolved the underlying and intricate formations that make up contact between the pre-Cambrian rocks limestone, enlarging cracks and pockets Mitchell Caverns. (gneiss) and the overlying Paleozoic Bird that eventually joined to form subterranean Spring Formation was created by movement chambers and passageways. Over thousands Native People along the East Providence fault. The Bird of years, the water table dropped, emptying The Chemehuevi (pronounced Chem-e- Spring Formation represents a 50-million- the caverns and leaving the area intensely WAY-vee) people, a branch of the Southern year period of quiet stability—when this dry. Small amounts of groundwater became Paiute, have lived in the area of region was covered by a warm, shallow sea saturated with dissolved calcium from Providence Mountains SRA for at least 500 effectively. Some eventually took years. Known among themselves as Nüwü, menial jobs in mining camps. or the People, they migrated into the area The years of greatest prosperity beginning about 1,000 years ago. for the mining industry were When the Spanish arrived in the late from 1870 to 1893, when the U.S. 1700s, they were the first to document the government was buying up most Chemehuevi as a distinctive group of people. of the silver ore at high prices. Modern local Chemehuevi live and work in When the government stopped Twentynine Palms, Banning, and Indio. buying large amounts of silver, the industry began its decline. Europeans Small mines closed, and in the Father Francisco Garcés, the first European in economic recession of 1907, mining the area, crossed the Mojave Desert in 1776 investment stopped. on his way to the San Gabriel Mission. Fifty During the late 1920s and early years later, Jedediah Smith and a party of Jack and Ida Mitchell at cavern entrance, ca. 1940 1930s, people periodically attempted trappers took the same route. The proximity to prospect in the abandoned mines. of water sources governed the construction of of prospectors arrived, seeking their share of A few would-be miners brought their families wagon roads and settlements, and remnants the silver, lead, gold, and copper they had with them, taking up residence in abandoned of some wayside camps are visible today. heard about. Soon the area was home to mine buildings. Mining tent cities—some of which became Jack Mitchell permanent settlements. The Providence Mountains were named by In 1929 amateur silver miner Jesse E. The arrival of miners devastated the culture travelers who believed that abundant water “Jack” Mitchell, on a trip to the Providence of the native people. Water and food sources sources had been “sent from Providence.” Mountains, visited two limestone caverns were overtaken by the new arrivals, and Around the early 1860s, word got out that the locally known as the “Crystal” or “Providence” the Chemehuevi were powerless to resist area was rich in mineral deposits. Thousands Caverns. The idea of turning these caverns into a tourist attraction (hollow, crystal-lined rocks), petroglyphs mountain lions, coyotes, gray foxes, and excited Mitchell. (rocks covered with prehistoric art work), bobcats hunt in the dark hours. Plentiful Mitchell staked mineral claims on what are speleothems (cavern limestone), limestone bird species include Gambel’s quails, piñon now the Mitchell Caverns in 1930. In 1932, with fossils, and bits of glass. jays, roadrunners, and cactus wrens. nearly ruined by bad business ventures, A New State Park Inside the caverns, Jack and his wife Ida moved to the desert to elusive cave species include Beginning in the 1940s, Ida Mitchell try prospecting for silver. To keep his claims ringtails—small, carnivorous petitioned the California Division of valid according to mining law, Mitchell raccoon-like mammals—and Beaches and Parks to add Mitchell Caverns needed to show ongoing progress. He built Townsend’s big-eared bats. to its inventory of parks. Following Jack tunnels, shipped ore, and hired an attorney Many cavern dwellers are Mitchell’s death in 1954, the State to file patents on the claims. nearly invisible. Tiny crab- of California agreed to accept Mitchell’s dream of sharing the beauties like creatures are called Mitchell Caverns as a state Niptus of the caverns stayed alive, and lack stingerless pseudoscorpions. reserve. In 1972 the caverns beetle of money did not stop him. While he Spider-like Niptus beetles are and reserve became part of constructed stone houses and other found only in the El Pakiva Cave at the Providence Mountains State buildings, he and Ida lived in the caverns but nowhere else on Earth. Recreation Area. mines. The rocky, dry terrain was nearly impassable, so Mitchell moved Vegetation rocks with hand tools, creating a The plants growing in the four-mile trail from an existing road Mojave Desert are tough to his property. To bring water to his survivors, and many are property, he laid pipe from a spring ¾ prized for their medicinal of a mile away in a steep canyon down Barrel cactus properties. Drought-resistant to the house he had built. piñon pines, junipers, and Over the next 20 years, Jack and Ida did scrub oaks thrive in the canyon above not amass much wealth; most of their income Crystal Springs. Drifts of wildflowers, such came from the $1-per-person fees they as the perennial Mormon tea, can be charged tour groups, and from the meals seen in spring. Other species include the that Ida cooked for their visitors. evergreen cliff rose, Mojave and banana Four of Jack’s buildings, made from found yucca, and barrel cactus. materials, still stand in today’s park. The Wildlife Mitchells’ native-stone home is now the The animal species occupying this visitor center. Mitchell built three other guest landscape include badgers—aggressive buildings—two stone guest dwellings and a carnivores that prey on the park’s antelope small, rounded stone structure sometimes squirrels, cottontail rabbits, and small called “the igloo” that Jack Mitchell termed rodents. Various lizard and snake species “the Honeymoon Cottage.” The rocks he do well in this habitat. Rarely, bighorn used for the buildings included geodes sheep are seen, and predators such as RECREATION Reservations for group tours should be Visitor Center—Both the visitor center and the Climate—Dress in layers and carry made three weeks in advance. route of travel between the parking lot and the water on outdoor walks. Spring and fall Trails—The Mary Beale Nature Trail, near visitor center are accessible. temperatures reach the 70s and 80s. the visitor center, is a self-guided moderate Cavern Tours—Visitors may need assistance June through August temperatures often walk. The half-mile Niña Mora Trail is with slopes and uneven surfaces on the 1.5- exceed 100 degrees. The caverns maintain named for the child of a Mexican silver mile round trip tour.

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