The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for 1 in every 10 acres of land in the U.S.
The Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness in California is a wilderness area made up of over 39,000 acres of land. The wilderness is located 20 miles north of Joshua Tree National Park and is home to a varying landscape with the Bullion Mountains on the east edge and a bajada, or flat desert, in the west. The name of the area derives from the Cleghorn Lakes, which are dried lake beds in the central area of this wilderness. The highest points in the area measure over 4,000 feet while the low points measure about 1,200 feet above sea level.
The Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness is owned and maintained by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), a US government organization that aims to keep the wilderness free of human touch. The BLM made the Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness a part of the National Wilderness Preservation System in 1994 in order to keep the land clean while preserving it for visitors to enjoy in solitude.
The Wall Street Mill Trail is an out-and-back trail that ends with artifacts of the Mojave Desert.
Length: 2.4 miles
Intensity: Easy
A National Park Service-owned loop trail, this path follows a scenic route to a water dam surrounded by Joshua trees.
Length: 1.1 miles
Intensity: Easy
The Ryan Mountain Trail follows a path up to the top of Ryan Mountain. Along the route, you'll be able to climb staircases and rock scrambles.
Length: 3 miles
Intensity: Moderate
The Bullion Mountains in the east of the wilderness are the perfect spot for rock climbers to enjoy. These mountains are considered rugged with few smooth surface areas, and they rise over 4,100 feet tall with up to four-mile-long peak areas on their tops.
The Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness is popular among wildlife photographers because native Mojave Desert species like bighorn sheep and desert tortoise roam the area. Also commonly seen are birds of prey and unique plants like the crucifixion thorn shrub, which is listed as rare by the California Native Plant Society. Other plants in the area include Parish poppies, barrel cactus, and smoke trees.
There are no designated picnic areas within the Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness, but picnicking is still permitted so long as you do not feed the wildlife or leave any food or trash behind when you're done with your meal. There are lots of flatlands within this wilderness to take advantage of when setting up a picnic, specifically the dry Cleghorn Lakes themselves. Consider bringing a towel or blanket to sit on for your picnic since the desert floor tends to get quite hot during the daytime all year round.
Joshua Tree National Park and the area surrounding it are considered some of the best stargazing regions in California — perhaps even the best in the United States. Visitors to the Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness should take advantage of this by bringing stargazing equipment along with them into the wilderness and by planning to stay well past sunset for some spectacular views of the Milky Way. For the best experience, try planning your stargazing around the travel and phases of the moon because the full moon tends to block out other great views. You can check a moon calendar online to see when the moon will be either dark or out of sight, and then plan on stargazing around those times to ensure you can see stars in the dark sky.
You can stay at the Bureau of Land Management campgrounds in the Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness if you don't mind primitive tent camping, but for RV camping, you can consider staying at another campground near the wilderness area. One option you have is the Banning Stagecoach KOA Journey, which has full hookups, water, and free Wi-Fi. You may also like Indian Oaks Campground, which has a small on-site fishing pond that is perfect for family fishing.
When searching for "BLM camping near me," check out the Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness because it offers dispersed camping options to all visitors. This is an area that offers Bureau of Land Management free camping, too, although only tents and backpack campers are permitted to stay on the land. This is because motorized vehicles and other equipment with wheels are prohibited on land designated as wilderness.
If you're planning on visiting the Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness to go BLM RV camping, be sure to pack for the hot and dry Mojave Desert conditions. You'll need plenty of your own water since there are no water outlets in the wilderness area, as well as sunscreen and light clothes. You may bring your supplies in a bag or backpack, but no wagons or bikes are allowed on the land, so only pack what you can carry.
When you want to camp in the Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness, be sure to pack for a primitive experience. You may benefit from packing batteries and battery-operated fans and heaters, and fire starters are helpful to have since contained campfires are allowed and make cooking a possibility. Before you head out on your trip, check out our blog for all you need to know about BLM camping.
Whenever you visit a BLM-owned wilderness area, you'll be asked to follow the BLM's Leave No Trace rules. These rules include not interacting with the wildlife, picking up all food and trash before you leave, and burying human and pet waste at least 200 feet away from sources of water. By following these guidelines, you'll help the Bureau of Land Management keep the wilderness clean and safe for native wildlife, some of which are rare and endangered species.
To reach Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness from San Bernardino, take I-10 E for about 31 miles, and then take Exit 117. Follow CA-62 E for 39 more miles, and then turn left onto Hillcrest Drive, right onto 2 Mile Road, and right onto Amboy Road. Follow Amboy Road for 39 miles, and then take a slight left onto America Mine Road and travel for about three more miles. From there, you'll use Bagdad Highway for 14 miles until you reach the Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness.
Ready to visit Cleghorn Lakes 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 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.
