This beautiful desert country is made up of the Little Chuckawalla, Mule, and
Palo Verde Mountains; the Black Hills; and numerous washes. Paloverde trees in
the washes give an impression of water and cool shade. The hills are dotted
sparsely with desert plants. Winter rains coax colorful flowers from the
cactus and other vegetation, making it a beautiful place to spend time in
January or February. The district is also rich in history, from the gold rush
days to General Patton's tank training days during World War II. It contains
ancient fossils as well as artifacts from early Native Americans, pioneers,
conquistadors, ranchers, and military troops.

This beautiful desert country is made up of the Little Chuckawalla, Mule, and Palo Verde Mountains; the Black Hills; and numerous washes. Paloverde trees in the washes give an impression of water and cool shade. The hills are dotted sparsely with desert plants. Winter rains coax colorful flowers from the cactus and other vegetation, making it a beautiful place to spend time in January or February. The district is also rich in history, from the gold rush days to General Patton's tank training days during World War II. It contains ancient fossils as well as artifacts from early Native Americans, pioneers, conquistadors, ranchers, and military troops.

Bird's eye view of the park

Wiley Well District Geode Beds

The Little Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness is 28,034 acres. Rugged mountains
surrounded by a large, gently sloping bajada laced with a network of washes
describes the terrain and landforms found within the Little Chuckawalla
Mountains Wilderness. To the north, a bajada gently rises to 400 feet, while
the rugged mountains crest at 2,100 feet. Habitat for bighorn sheep and desert
tortoise can be found in portions of this region, and the southern bajada has
been identified as crucial desert tortoise habitat. Several sensitive plant
species grow here, including the California snakeweed, Alverson's foxtail
cactus and the barrel cactus. In 1994 the Little Chuckwalla Mountains
Wilderness became part of the now over 109 million acre National Wilderness
Preservation System and is managed by the BLM's Palm Springs-South Coast Field
Office. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and
extraordinary opportunities for solitude. In an age of _"...increasing
population, accompanied by expanding settlement and growing
mechanization,..."_ you play an important role in helping to _"...secure for
the American people of present and future generations the benefits of an
enduring resource of wilderness"_ as called for by Congress in the Wilderness
Act of 1964. Please follow the regulations in place for this area, and use
Leave No Trace techniques when visiting to ensure protection of its unique
natural and experiential qualities.

How to follow the seven standard Leave No Trace principles differs in
different parts of the country (desert vs. Rocky Mountains). Click on any of
the principles listed below to learn more about how they apply.

**Leave No Trace principles:**

  1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
  2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
  3. Dispose of Waste Properly
  4. Leave What You Find
  5. Minimize Campfire Impacts
  6. Respect Wildlife
  7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors

**Regulations:**  
Motorized equipment and equipment used for mechanical transport are generally
prohibited on all federal lands designated as wilderness. This includes the
use of motor vehicles (including OHVs), motorboats, motorized equipment,
bicycles, hang gliders, wagons, carts, portage wheels, and the landing of
aircraft including helicopters, unless provided for in specific legislation.
In a few areas some exceptions allowing the use of motorized equipment or
mechanical transport are described in the special regulations in effect for a
specific area. Contact the agency for more information about regulations.

The Little Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness is 28,034 acres. Rugged mountains surrounded by a large, gently sloping bajada laced with a network of washes describes the terrain and landforms found within the Little Chuckawalla Mountains Wilderness. To the north, a bajada gently rises to 400 feet, while the rugged mountains crest at 2,100 feet. Habitat for bighorn sheep and desert tortoise can be found in portions of this region, and the southern bajada has been identified as crucial desert tortoise habitat. Several sensitive plant species grow here, including the California snakeweed, Alverson's foxtail cactus and the barrel cactus. In 1994 the Little Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness became part of the now over 109 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System and is managed by the BLM's <a href="https://www.blm.gov/office/palm-springs-south-coast-field-office" rel="nofollow">Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office</a>. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. In an age of "...increasing population, accompanied by expanding settlement and growing mechanization,..." you play an important role in helping to "...secure for the American people of present and future generations the benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness" as called for by Congress in the <a href="http://www.wilderness.net/index.cfm?fuse=NWPS&sec=legisact" rel="nofollow">Wilderness Act of 1964</a>. Please follow the regulations in place for this area, and use Leave No Trace techniques when visiting to ensure protection of its unique natural and experiential qualities.How to follow the seven standard Leave No Trace principles differs in different parts of the country (desert vs. Rocky Mountains). Click on any of the principles listed below to learn more about how they apply.Leave No Trace principles:<ol><li><a href="http://www.lnt.org/programs/principles_1.php" rel="nofollow">Plan Ahead and Prepare</a></li><li><a href="http://www.lnt.org/programs/principles_2.php" rel="nofollow">Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces</a></li><li><a href="http://www.lnt.org/programs/principles_3.php" rel="nofollow">Dispose of Waste Properly</a></li><li><a href="http://www.lnt.org/programs/principles_4.php" rel="nofollow">Leave What You Find</a></li><li><a href="http://www.lnt.org/programs/principles_5.php" rel="nofollow">Minimize Campfire Impacts</a></li><li><a href="http://www.lnt.org/programs/principles_6.php" rel="nofollow">Respect Wildlife</a></li><li><a href="http://www.lnt.org/programs/principles_7.php" rel="nofollow">Be Considerate of Other Visitors</a></li></ol>Regulations: Motorized equipment and equipment used for mechanical transport are generally prohibited on all federal lands designated as wilderness. This includes the use of motor vehicles (including OHVs), motorboats, motorized equipment, bicycles, hang gliders, wagons, carts, portage wheels, and the landing of aircraft including helicopters, unless provided for in specific legislation. In a few areas some exceptions allowing the use of motorized equipment or mechanical transport are described in the special regulations in effect for a specific area. Contact the agency for more information about regulations.

Little Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness

The Palo Verde Mountains Wilderness now contains a total of 30,562 acres and
is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. All of the Wilderness is in the
state of California. In 1994 the Palo Verde Mountains Wilderness became part
of the now over 109 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. In
wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and
extraordinary opportunities for solitude. In an age of _"...increasing
population, accompanied by expanding settlement and growing
mechanization,..."_ you play an important role in helping to _"...secure for
the American people of present and future generations the benefits of an
enduring resource of wilderness"_ as called for by Congress in the Wilderness
Act of 1964. Please follow the regulations in place for this area, and use
Leave No Trace techniques when visiting to ensure protection of its unique
natural and experiential qualities.

How to follow the seven standard Leave No Trace principles differs in
different parts of the country (desert vs. Rocky Mountains). Click on any of
the principles listed below to learn more about how they apply.

**Leave No Trace principles:**

  1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
  2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
  3. Dispose of Waste Properly
  4. Leave What You Find
  5. Minimize Campfire Impacts
  6. Respect Wildlife
  7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors

**Regulations:**  
Motorized equipment and equipment used for mechanical transport are generally
prohibited on all federal lands designated as wilderness. This includes the
use of motor vehicles (including OHVs), motorboats, motorized equipment,
bicycles, hang gliders, wagons, carts, portage wheels, and the landing of
aircraft including helicopters, unless provided for in specific legislation.
In a few areas some exceptions allowing the use of motorized equipment or
mechanical transport are described in the special regulations in effect for a
specific area. Contact the agency for more information about regulations.

The Palo Verde Mountains Wilderness now contains a total of 30,562 acres and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. All of the Wilderness is in the state of California. In 1994 the Palo Verde Mountains Wilderness became part of the now over 109 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. In an age of "...increasing population, accompanied by expanding settlement and growing mechanization,..." you play an important role in helping to "...secure for the American people of present and future generations the benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness" as called for by Congress in the <a href="http://www.wilderness.net/index.cfm?fuse=NWPS&sec=legisact" rel="nofollow">Wilderness Act of 1964</a>. Please follow the regulations in place for this area, and use Leave No Trace techniques when visiting to ensure protection of its unique natural and experiential qualities.How to follow the seven standard Leave No Trace principles differs in different parts of the country (desert vs. Rocky Mountains). Click on any of the principles listed below to learn more about how they apply.Leave No Trace principles:<ol><li><a href="http://www.lnt.org/programs/principles_1.php" rel="nofollow">Plan Ahead and Prepare</a></li><li><a href="http://www.lnt.org/programs/principles_2.php" rel="nofollow">Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces</a></li><li><a href="http://www.lnt.org/programs/principles_3.php" rel="nofollow">Dispose of Waste Properly</a></li><li><a href="http://www.lnt.org/programs/principles_4.php" rel="nofollow">Leave What You Find</a></li><li><a href="http://www.lnt.org/programs/principles_5.php" rel="nofollow">Minimize Campfire Impacts</a></li><li><a href="http://www.lnt.org/programs/principles_6.php" rel="nofollow">Respect Wildlife</a></li><li><a href="http://www.lnt.org/programs/principles_7.php" rel="nofollow">Be Considerate of Other Visitors</a></li></ol>Regulations: Motorized equipment and equipment used for mechanical transport are generally prohibited on all federal lands designated as wilderness. This includes the use of motor vehicles (including OHVs), motorboats, motorized equipment, bicycles, hang gliders, wagons, carts, portage wheels, and the landing of aircraft including helicopters, unless provided for in specific legislation. In a few areas some exceptions allowing the use of motorized equipment or mechanical transport are described in the special regulations in effect for a specific area. Contact the agency for more information about regulations.

Palo Verde Mountains Wilderness

Cibola National Wildlife Refuge, located in the floodplain of the lower
Colorado River, was established in 1964 as mitigation for the straightening,
channelization, and armoring of the banks of the Colorado River by the Bureau
of Reclamation to prevent flooding. The purpose of the 18,444-acre refuge is
to protect and recreate the marshes, backwaters, and meanders that
historically provided wintering grounds for migratory waterfowl and other
wildlife that natural flooding would have formed.

Cibola was part of the ancestral and traditional home of the Yuma Tribes of
the Colorado River, mainly the Mohave and Quechan. The tribes farmed the river
floodplain, which flooded annually and deposited rich soils for crops.
Following each harvest, the people left the river to hunt and gather wild
plants in the neighboring desert uplands, returning to plant crops after the
spring floods had subsided.

In the 1800s, steamer ships constantly travelled the Colorado River carrying
supplies to the small military outposts of the frontier and later to the
miners, settlers and farmers that came into the region. The refuge’s name,
Cibola, refers to the legendary Seven Golden Cities of Cibola, which early
Spanish explorers believed existed in the Southwestern United States. Though
it is unknown why this name was chosen exactly, it likely suggests great
wealth due to the numerous mines in the region.  
Cibola began as a simple steamboat landing where ships unloaded cargo and
loaded wood needed for their boilers. Since then, Cibola has developed into a
small farming community that also houses the Cibola National Wildlife Refuge.
At the refuge, visitors can enjoy wildlife-focused recreation, such as
wildlife watching, photography, hunting, fishing, and environmental education
programs.

Cibola National Wildlife Refuge, located in the floodplain of the lower Colorado River, was established in 1964 as mitigation for the straightening, channelization, and armoring of the banks of the Colorado River by the Bureau of Reclamation to prevent flooding. The purpose of the 18,444-acre refuge is to protect and recreate the marshes, backwaters, and meanders that historically provided wintering grounds for migratory waterfowl and other wildlife that natural flooding would have formed.  Cibola was part of the ancestral and traditional home of the Yuma Tribes of the Colorado River, mainly the Mohave and Quechan. The tribes farmed the river floodplain, which flooded annually and deposited rich soils for crops. Following each harvest, the people left the river to hunt and gather wild plants in the neighboring desert uplands, returning to plant crops after the spring floods had subsided. In the 1800s, steamer ships constantly travelled the Colorado River carrying supplies to the small military outposts of the frontier and later to the miners, settlers and farmers that came into the region. The refuge’s name, Cibola, refers to the legendary Seven Golden Cities of Cibola, which early Spanish explorers believed existed in the Southwestern United States.  Though it is unknown why this name was chosen exactly, it likely suggests great wealth due to the numerous mines in the region.  Cibola began as a simple steamboat landing where ships unloaded cargo and loaded wood needed for their boilers. Since then, Cibola has developed into a small farming community that also houses the Cibola National Wildlife Refuge. At the refuge, visitors can enjoy wildlife-focused recreation, such as wildlife watching, photography, hunting, fishing, and environmental education programs.

Wiley Well District Geode Beds

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Nearby Parks

Little Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness

Palo Verde Mountains Wilderness

Cibola National Wildlife Refuge