El Paso Mountains Wilderness · CA

El Paso Mountains Wilderness, CAEl Paso Mountains Wilderness is a designated wilderness area in California, managed by the Bureau of Land Management.About El Paso Mountains WildernessThe El Paso Mountains drop into this Wilderness from the southeast, with Black Mountain, at 5,244 feet, serving as the highest point. From the foot of Black Mountain, the terrain sinks into the Black Hills and gives rise to numerous dark volcanic mesas and reddish buttes dissected by narrow canyons--in short, badlands topography. Some of the oldest nonmarine fossils ever found in the West were discovered here: ancient camel-like and horse-like animals. Rock hounds also find much to their interest, interrupting their hunt to peer at the occasional desert tortoise, Mojave ground squirrel, or raptor wandering by. Creosote bushes, the most ubiquitous desert plant in the United States, reign supreme over much of the region, while Joshua trees cling to the western side of Black Mountain. For morQuick facts

Managed by: Bureau of Land Management

Designation: designated wilderness area

State: California

Permits, campgrounds and official information on Recreation.govKeep exploring

Browse every park, city guide and collection

All U.S. national parks and their best seasons

The cosmic calendar: what's visible and when

Nature's calendar: seasonal wonders by month

Culture: festivals, celebrations and rituals, and when they happen

Trailwind — Adventure, personalizedTrailwind finds the moment a trip is unusually possible: the right season, a cheap fare, your open dates, and rare skies. Browse by calendar:

Cosmic calendar — meteor showers, eclipses and aurora, and the best time to see each

Nature's calendar — wildlife migrations, blooms and seasonal wonders, and when to go

World culture calendar — festivals, celebrations and rituals, and when they happen (Holi, Diwali, Day of the Dead and more)

Browse all city guides, national parks and collections