Bigelow Cholla Garden Wilderness facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bigelow Cholla Garden Wilderness |
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IUCN Category Ib (Wilderness Area)
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| Location | Mojave Desert, San Bernardino County, California |
| Nearest city | Needles |
| Area | 14,645 acres (59.27 km2) |
| Established | 1994 |
| Governing body | Bureau of Land Management |
The Bigelow Cholla Garden Wilderness is a special protected area. It's located in the eastern part of the Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County, California. This wilderness is part of the larger Mojave Trails National Monument. It's a place where nature is kept safe for everyone to enjoy.
Exploring the Bigelow Cholla Garden Wilderness
Where is this amazing wilderness located?
This wilderness area is found in the northern part of the Sacramento Mountains. It's east of the Piute Mountains. The city of Needles is about 18 miles to the east. Interstate 40 forms the northern border of the wilderness.
The Bigelow Cholla Garden Wilderness covers about 14,645 acres. That's like more than 11,000 football fields! The land here ranges from 1,400 feet high to 3,314 feet high. The highest point is Bannock Peak in the Sacramento Mountains.
What plants and animals live here?
The plants in this wilderness are mostly from the creosote bush scrub plant community. This means you'll see lots of creosote bushes. But the most famous plant here is the Bigelow cholla (Cylindropuntia bigelovii). This area has the most Bigelow cholla plants in all of California's deserts! They look soft and fuzzy, like teddy bears, but they have very sharp spines.
You can find many animals that are common in the Mojave Desert here. These include the clever coyote and the fast black-tailed jackrabbit. You might also spot ground squirrels and kangaroo rats. Birds like quail and the speedy roadrunner live here too. Be careful, as there are also rattlesnakes and different kinds of lizards.
The wilderness is also an important home for some special animals. Desert bighorn sheep migrate through this area. The western half of the wilderness is a very important home for the desert tortoise. This tortoise is a threatened species, which means it needs protection to survive.
