McCoy Mountains facts for kids
Quick facts for kids McCoy Mountains |
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North-central McCoy Mountains
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 834 m (2,736 ft) |
| Geography | |
 Location in California
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| District | Riverside County |
| Range coordinates | 33°41′20.079″N 114°50′39.874″W / 33.68891083°N 114.84440944°W |
| Topo map | USGS McCoy Peak |
The McCoy Mountains are a mountain range found in southeastern California, United States. They are located near the western edge of the Parker Valley, which is part of the Lower Colorado River Valley.
Exploring the McCoy Mountains
These mountains stretch about 18 miles (29 km) long. They run in a northwest-to-southeast direction. You can find them east of the Palen Mountains and south of the Little Maria Mountains.
The McCoy Mountains are just north of Interstate 10. They are also about seven miles (11 km) northeast of the Chuckawalla Valley State Prison. The highest point in the range is McCoy Peak, which reaches 2,054 feet (626 meters) above sea level. This peak is at the southern end of the mountains. The city of Blythe, California is about 10 miles (16 km) to the east.
Discovering the Palen/McCoy Wilderness Area
The McCoy Mountains are part of a special protected place called the Palen/McCoy Wilderness Area. The Bureau of Land Management helps to take care of this area.
What Makes This Wilderness Special?
This large wilderness area includes five different mountain ranges. Besides the McCoy Mountains, it also has the Granite, Palen, Little Maria, and Arica Mountains. These ranges are separated by wide, gently sloping areas called Alluvial fans, or bajadas.
Because this area has so many different natural features, it has a huge variety of plants and landforms. You can find desert wash woodlands here. These woodlands provide food and shelter for animals like burro deer, coyotes, bobcats, gray foxes, and mountain lions. The landscape is always changing. You might see flat areas covered in rocks (desert pavement), sloping plains (bajadas), inner valleys, deep canyons, thick ironwood forests, and rugged mountain peaks.
