| Golden Valley Wilderness | |
|---|---|
Photo of the area | |
| Location | San Bernardino County, California |
| Nearest city | Ridgecrest, California |
| Coordinates | 35°24′54″N117°30′36″W / 35.415°N 117.510°W /35.415; -117.510 |
| Area | 37,786 acres (15,291 ha) |
| Established | October 31, 1994 |
| Governing body | U.S. Bureau of Land Management |
Golden Valley Wilderness is a wilderness area located inSan Bernardino County, California, nearRidgecrest. It covers 37,786 acres of theMojave Desert, straddling both the Almond Mountains to the southeast and theLava Mountains to the northwest in the Golden Valley. Steep canyons of sedimentary rocks line the valley walls, rising as much as 5,000 feet on Dome Mountain. In terms of wildlife,creosote bush scrub dominate the vegetation, whileJoshua trees and wildflowers grow intermittently. The area also provides habitat for raptors,Mojave ground squirrels, anddesert tortoises.[1][2]
The area is managed by theBureau of Land Management Ridgecrest Field Office and was established as part of theCalifornia Desert Protection Act of 1994.[3]