Big Maria Mountains Wilderness

Gently sloping bajadas, or desert slopes, rise to numerous rough and craggy peaks separated by steep canyons in Big Maria Mountains Wilderness. The Big Marias lie just south of a major drainage called Big Wash and just west of the Colorado River and the Arizona border. The northwest boundary follows a power line south, then turns southeast to trace the contours of the base of the mountains. Foxtail cactus and California barrel cactus dot the dry and desolate landscape, and a small herd of deer depend on the waters of the river for survival. There are no trails, but several unmaintained two-track primitive routes provide foot access into the Wilderness.