Iron Mountains Endangered Desert Legacy
Location: The Iron Mountains area is located in the Mojave Desert, in both San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, south of the town of Cadiz. The area is located north of Highway 62, northeast of Joshua Tree National Park, south of the Cadiz Dunes Wilderness and southwest of the Old Woman Mountains Wilderness. The area abuts the eastern side of the Cadiz Valley.
Management Agency: Bureau of Land Management, Needles Field Office
Description: The terrain includes rugged mountains, playas, sand dunes, bajadas, washes and dozens of other geologic features. The area also contains a portion of Danby Lake (dry). Elevations range from about 600 feet to about 3,200 feet.
Wildlife and Plants: The Iron Mountains area is habitat for the endangered desert tortoise, the protected desert bighorn sheep (photo above), and several species on the state watch-list, including the Mojave fringe-toed lizard, hepatic tanager, and prairie falcon. Emory's crucifixion-thorn and Harwood's eriastrum can also be found here. In 1999, a Gila monster was also seen in the area. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife recognizes this area as a wildlife migration corridor, which is an area connecting wildlife populations that have been separated due to human activities. Corridors help avoid inbreeding and may help to re-establish populations that have been reduced or eliminated due to random events such as fire or disease. Desert bighorn sheep have also been found to migrate between the Iron Mountains and the Old Woman Mountains, which can be an important factor in trying to ensure that the species does not die out. Activities: Rockhounds flock to this area to collect epidote, garnet, hematite, jasper, marble, nodules, gypsum, halite, trilobites and other fossils in and around this area. The Lake’s ancient shoreline has also yielded several meteorite fragments, causing it to be a favorite among meteorite hunters. The remoteness of this area makes it an ideal get-away for anyone who wishes to enjoy the beauty and solitude of nature.
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