Chemehuevi Valley South Endangered Desert Legacy

Location: The Chemehuevi Valley South area is located in the Mojave Desert, in San Bernardino County, west/southwest of Havasu Lake. The area has the Chemehuevi Mountains Wilderness to its north and BLM land to its south. It has Highway 95 to the west and Havasu Lake Road to the northeast.

Management Agency: Bureau of Land Management, Needles Field Office

Description: The area is dominated by a broad bajada cut by washes flowing south from the Chemehuevi Mountains. These washes then drain into the Chemehuevi wash. Elevations range from about 1,100 feet to about 1,700 feet.

Wildlife and Plants: The importance of the Chemehuevi Valley to the continued viability of the threatened California desert tortoise (photo above) cannot be exaggerated. This area has been designated as a critical habitat for the desert tortoise. When a species is proposed for listing as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act, consideration is also given to whether there are areas of habitat believed to be essential to the species' conservation and thus should be designated as "critical habitat".

Scientists have found that the region contains some of the highest tortoise population densities in the eastern Mojave Desert. Biologists have also determined that it is feasible to create corridors for the Chemehuevi Valley tortoise population and the populations in other nearby habitats. The Chemehuevi Valley is not only habitat for the California desert tortoise, but also for the protected desert bighorn sheep and golden eagle, and other species of special concern such as Bendire’s thrasher, loggerhead shrike (photo above) and prairie falcon.

Activities: This area is enjoyed by campers, cross-country hikers, equestrians, nature enthusiasts, bird watchers, wildflower viewers, star gazers, and others seeking the beauty and solitude of the desert. Rockhounds also enjoy collecting chalcedony, agate, and jasper in and around this area. Off-roaders enjoy traversing the nearby War Eagle Mine Trail and the North Chemehuevi Trail.

Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan – California Wilderness Coalition Like us on facebook For more information contact: Linda Castro, 760.221.4895, [email protected] to get involved