The Chemehuevi Mountains are found at the southeast border of
San Bernardino County
San Bernardino County (), officially the County of San Bernardino, is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, and is located within the Inland Empire area. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the population was 2,18 ...
in southeastern
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the ...
adjacent the
Colorado River
The Colorado River ( es, Río Colorado) is one of the principal rivers (along with the Rio Grande) in the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The river drains an expansive, arid watershed that encompasses parts of seven U.S. s ...
. Located south of
Needles, California
Needles is a city in San Bernardino County, California, in the Mojave Desert region of Southern California. Situated on the western banks of the Colorado River, Needles is located near the Californian border with Arizona and Nevada. The city is a ...
and northwest of the
Whipple Mountains, the mountains lie in a north–south direction in general, and are approximately in length.
Geography
The mountains are located between
U.S. Route 95 and the
Topock Gorge of the River, just south of
Interstate 40
Interstate 40 (I-40) is a major east–west Interstate Highway running through the south-central portion of the United States. At a length of , it is the third-longest Interstate Highway in the country, after I-90 and I-80. From west to ea ...
. Whale Mountain, at , is found at the northern end of the range about five miles east of Lobecks Pass. The Chemehuevi range reaches at its highpoint, Chemehuevi Peak, located at the range's extreme southwest, bordering
Chemehuevi Valley
The Chemehuevi are an indigenous people of the Great Basin. They are the southernmost branch of Southern Paiute.[Wash
WASH (or Watsan, WaSH) is an acronym that stands for "water, sanitation and hygiene". It is used widely by non-governmental organizations and aid agencies in developing countries. The purposes of providing access to WASH services include achievi ...]
, where the valley turns due-east to meet the Colorado River.
Chemehuevi Mountains Wilderness
The Chemehuevi Mountains Wilderness Area encompasses the rugged, granitic Chemehuevi Mountains. The mountain range is horseshoe-shaped, with the open end facing eastward toward the Colorado River. Contained within the arms of the horseshoe is a large central valley with low rolling hills covered by dense stands of cholla and other cacti, ocotillo, and an occasional agave.
Viewed from the west, the striking light, almost white, granite peaks contrast sharply with the rich green creosote and cactus-covered bajadas. A few miles from the Colorado River, the mountains change dramatically from light-colored granite to dark red and gray volcanic spires and mesas.
[//www.blm.gov/ca/pa/wilderness/wa/areas/chemehuevi_mountains.html . accessed 6/22/2010 . BLM ]Public domain
The public domain (PD) consists of all the creative work to which no exclusive intellectual property rights apply. Those rights may have expired, been forfeited, expressly waived, or may be inapplicable. Because those rights have expired, ...
documents sourced
See also
*
:Mountain ranges of the Mojave Desert
*
:Protected areas of the Mojave Desert
*
:Flora of the California desert regions
References
*California Road and Recreation Atlas, 2005, pg. 115.
External links
Chemehuevi Mountains Wilderness Area website BLM Chemehuevi Mountains Wilderness Map
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Mountain ranges of the Mojave Desert
Protected areas of the Mojave Desert
Mountain ranges of the Lower Colorado River Valley
Mountain ranges of San Bernardino County, California
Bureau of Land Management areas in California
Protected areas of San Bernardino County, California