Castle Mountains (California) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Castle Mountains |
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 1,567 m (5,141 ft) |
| Geography | |
 Location in California
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| Country | United States |
| State | California and Nevada |
| Range coordinates | 35°19′28.968″N 115°4′43.932″W / 35.32471333°N 115.07887000°W |
| Topo map | USGS Hart Peak |
The Castle Mountains are a mountain range found in the eastern part of the Mojave Desert. They are located in both California (specifically northeastern San Bernardino County) and Nevada (in Clark County).
These mountains are situated near other ranges like the New York Mountains and the Piute Range. The Castle Mountains stretch mainly from southwest to northeast, with most of the range being in California. The highest point in the range is Hart Peak, which stands at 5,543 feet (about 1,689 meters) above sea level.
For many years, there was an open pit gold mine in the southern Castle Mountains. A company held the rights to mine gold there until 2025. However, mining activities at this site were stopped in 2001 because gold prices were low.
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Castle Mountains National Monument
What is the National Monument?
The Castle Mountains National Monument is a special protected area within the Castle Mountains. It was created by President Obama on February 12, 2016. This monument helps protect a large part of the Castle Mountains and the land around them.
The monument covers 20,920 acres (about 8,466 hectares). It is located between two major highways, I-15 and I-40. The old mining town of Hart, which is very close to the California-Nevada border, is also inside the monument.
How is the Monument Protected?
The National Park Service manages the Castle Mountains National Monument. This means they work to keep the area safe and natural for everyone to enjoy. The monument is almost completely surrounded by the Mojave National Preserve, which is another large protected area managed by the National Park Service.
The national monument was designed to include the area where the gold mine was located. The plan was that after any mining and land restoration were finished, or after 10 years if no mining happened, the land from the 8,340-acre mine area would become part of the National Park Service's protected lands. This means the land was expected to be transferred to the National Park Service around 2026.
Images for kids
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The Castle Mountains with Joshua trees in the foreground.
