Providence Mountains State Recreation Area facts for kids
The Providence Mountains State Recreation Area is a special park located in the Providence Mountains. It's part of the huge Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. This park is also home to the amazing Mitchell Caverns Natural Preserve, which are underground caves!
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Exploring the Land
This park is on the east side of the Providence Mountains. From here, you can see amazing views of the vast Mojave Desert all around. As you get closer to the park, you'll notice layers of gray rocks that are tilted. These rocks are very old limestone, formed during a time called the Paleozoic period. The lowest part of the park is about 4,300 feet high. The Providence Mountains themselves reach up to 7,000 feet!
Amazing Plants and Animals
The plants you see change as you go higher up the mountains.
Plants of the Lower Mountains
At the lower parts of the mountains, you'll find a dry, scrubby area. Here, plants like the Creosote bush, California Barrel Cactus, and Mojave yucca grow. These plants are tough and can live in the desert.
Plants of the Higher Mountains
As you climb above 4,000 feet, the plant life changes a lot! This area is like a "sky island." The mountains catch more moisture, so many different animals and plants can live here. You'll find forests of Single-leaf Pinyon trees and California Juniper. There are also areas with Oaks and Manzanita shrubs.
Special Insects
The Mitchell Caverns are home to two kinds of insects that are found nowhere else in the world! They are unique to these caves.
Visiting the Park
The Providence Mountains State Recreation Area is at the end of Essex Road. You can get there from Interstate 40. The visitor center is inside an old stone building built in 1934. The campground is currently closed.
Park Closure and Reopening
The park was temporarily closed for almost seven years. This happened because it needed big upgrades to its buildings and facilities. Luckily, the Providence Mountains State Recreation Area and Mitchell Caverns officially reopened on November 3, 2017!
