The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for 1 in every 10 acres of land in the U.S.
The Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness in California is comprised of over 112,000 acres of desert and mountain rangeland. Inducted into the National Wilderness Preservation System in 1994, the Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness has since grown in size and popularity, and lots of hikers, horseback riders, and rock climbers come to the area to experience its unique rock formations, deep valleys, and untouched scenery every year. If you want to visit some national parks on your trip, Joshua Tree National Park is an hour and five minutes to the northwest, and Saguaro National Park is in Arizona, four hours and 47 minutes southeast of the Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness.
The Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness is owned and operated by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), a government organization that ensures that public lands all over the United States are protected and preserved. The Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness permits dispersed camping, but you must only do so on durable surfaces and limit your stay to 14 days within a 28-day period.
A loop trail, Ladder Canyon Trail is a challenging hiking and rock-climbing route that is popular among locals. It is an hour and 38 minutes northwest of the Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness in Palm Desert.
Length: 4.4 miles
Intensity: Moderate
Calcite Mine Trail, two hours and three minutes southwest of the Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness near Borrego Springs, follows an outdated road that once led to an old calcite mine during America's involvement in World War II when calcite was sought for bomb and weapon-making.
Length: 4 miles
Intensity: Moderate
Bajada Nature Trail is a short path near Joshua Tree National Park that includes interpretive signs about the area's native plants and trees.
Length: 0.3 mile
Intensity: Easy
Rock climbing is a popular activity in the Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness. There is a variety of formations in this wilderness from rock outcroppings to steep canyon walls in between wide ranges of the desert floor. Rock climbers who come to any wilderness area are advised to plan their trip, pack accordingly, and always climb with a partner or group to prevent emergencies since cell phone signals are sparse in the wilderness, and the area is too vast for BLM staff to check daily.
Animals and plants native to the Mojave Desert are commonly found in the Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness area, including bighorn sheep, deer, wild burros, eagles, snakes, foxes, and coyotes. As for flora, moss and cactus species are commonly seen, including ocotillo, cholla, yucca, creosote, barrel cactus, and foxtail cactus.
There are no picnic tables, shelters, or areas set up in the Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness, but visitors are still permitted to eat and drink while visiting. Consider bringing a towel or blanket along with you to sit on the desert floor, and be sure to pack light since motorized vehicles, wagons, bikes, and other equipment with wheels are not permitted to be used in the wilderness area. Bring only what you can carry or store in a backpack, and be sure to pick up after yourself when you are done with your picnic since leaving food and trash behind is also prohibited.
Even though Joshua Tree National Park is known for being the top stargazing destination in Southern California, the Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness sits so close to the park that it should come in a close second place. Far from city lights, the Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness provides visitors with a dark night sky and glimpses of the Milky Way when the moon is either in the new moon phase or out of the sky completely. If you're planning on stargazing in the wilderness, check the status of the moon and upcoming weather before your visit, so you know when the best stargazing times will be.
If you would rather stay at a campground with full hookups instead of Bureau of Land Management campgrounds, you can find RV camping options nearby. Hidden Beaches Resort is approximately an hour and 14 minutes northeast of the Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness in Blythe, CA. It is situated along the Colorado River and offers pull-through sites with 30-/50-amp electricity. There is free Wi-Fi as well as showers and laundry facilities, a boat dock and ramp, and an on-site store. The Cove RV Resort is also in Blythe, and it features pull-through and back-in sites with full hookups. There are also a pool and spa, a playground, Wi-Fi, a store, and restrooms and showers.
The Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness is a Bureau of Land Management free camping option with dispersed, unmarked campsites that visitors choose for themselves. This wilderness is also primitive, meaning there are no electrical hookups or water outlets in the area, and RVs are not allowed on the land since they are motorized vehicles. Therefore, campers who wish to stay in the Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness should bring a tent that they can carry easily and backpacks full of equipment. Searching for "BLM camping near me" will uncover a couple of other places in the area that offer dispersed camping. Corn Springs Campground, 53 minutes north of the Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness, provides nine campsites that come with potable water, tables, grills and access to vault toilets. An hour and eight minutes southeast of the Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness, you will find Wiley's Well Campground. Here, there are 15 campsites that are available on a first-come, first-served basis. They each contain a picnic table, grill and fire ring. There are vault toilets and a dump station but no drinking water.
Whenever you plan to travel to the Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness, you will want to check the weather forecast and plan to wear and bring appropriate clothing. The California desert is notorious for being hot and dry, so wearing light layers and bringing items like extra water bottles and sunscreen is a must.
When camping in the Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness, you will want to pack lightly since you cannot bring items in wagons. However, you will still want to pack the essentials, including water, food, blankets and fire starters. Before you head out on your trip, check out our blog for all you need to know about BLM camping.
All visitors who come to the Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness are asked to follow the BLM's Leave No Trace rules. The purpose of these rules is to keep the wilderness clean of human impact, and they are simple to follow. To comply with these rules, you will need to pack out any supplies you bring in, clean up your trash to dispose of off the land, avoid contact with the wildlife, and bury any human or pet waste at least 200 feet away from water sources.
To reach the Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness from San Bernardino, begin on I-10 E, and follow the road for 130 miles. Then take Exit 201 to Corn Springs Road, and turn right onto Chuckwalla Valley Road. After seven miles, turn right on Dupont Road, and drive for another seven miles. Then you will be able to enter the wilderness area.
Ready to visit the Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness? An RV rental is a great way to experience your destination. Not only will you be close to all the action, but at the end of a long day of exploring, you’ll have your RV to return to for the night, where you’ll enjoy a full kitchen, bathroom, and nice, soft bed. Not sure about renting an RV? Here’s a step-by-step guide to renting an RV with RVshare.
