Bigelow Cholla Garden Wilderness

The Bigelow Cholla Garden Wilderness lies at the northern end of the Sacramento Mountains, which consist of very dark, highly eroded volcanic rock. Elevations range from 1,400 feet to 3,314 feet atop Bannock Peak. The Wilderness takes its name from the densest concentration of Bigelow cholla cactus in the California Desert, found within it and in the surrounding area. Vegetation is predominantly creosote bush desert scrub and desert wash scrub. Wildlife is typical for the Mojave Desert: coyote, black-tailed jackrabbits, ground squirrels, kangaroo rats, quail, roadrunners, rattlesnakes, and several species of lizards. The area provides habitat for migrating desert bighorn sheep, and the western half provides critical habitat for the threatened desert tortoise. All of this Wilderness is in California and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Congress designated it in 1994 under the California Desert Protection Act.