About Rice Valley Wilderness
The Rice Valley Wilderness has a total of 41,776 acres and is managed by the BLM's Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office . In 1994 the Rice Valley Wilderness became part of the now over 109 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. The broad, flat plains of Rice Valley and the northwestern tip of the steep and rugged Big Maria Mountains lie within the borders of this wilderness. A system of small dunes rising 30 to 40 feet above the surface form a long, narrow band running through the middle of the valley floor. The valley is part of a massive sand sheet which extends from Cadiz Valley through Ward Valley, representing a part of one of the largest dune systems in the California Desert. The Big Maria Mountains rise above the valley to an elevation of 2,000 feet. In wilderness, y
Things to do
When to go
Weather data & source
Each figure averages the highlighted months. 2018–2023 averages, not a forecast. Wet days estimate days with at least 1 mm of rain or snow using a calibrated ERA5 threshold. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com (AWS Open Data, CC BY 4.0). ERA5 via Open-Meteo AWS Open Data
Plan your visit
Rice Valley Wilderness is managed by Bureau of Land Management. Check current conditions, permits, and reservations before you go.
See it on Recreation.gov →