Last month President Obama designated three new national monuments in Southern California, protecting 1.8 million acres of desert and nearly doubling the total acreage he conserved during his presidency. The new protected areas are the Mojave Trails National Monument, Castle Mountains National Monument and Sand to Snow National Monument.
The White House described the designations as measures that will boost regional economic activity by drawing visitors, supporting tourism and preserving public access for hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, rock climbing and other outdoor recreation for generations to come.
The Mojave Trails National Monument is the largest of the three, covering roughly 1.6 million acres. Its landscape features volcanic spires, sand dunes, wetlands and stretches of desert dotted with Joshua trees, along with numerous petroglyph sites. The monument provides habitat for a wide range of wildlife, including bighorn sheep, desert tortoises, fringe-toed lizards and more than 250 species of birds.
Castle Mountains National Monument preserves two mountain ranges and contains multiple Native American archaeological sites that reflect long-standing cultural connections to the land. Sand to Snow National Monument spans elevation zones from desert valleys to alpine slopes and includes Mount San Gorgonio, Southern California’s highest peak at 11,503 feet.
Together these designations protect diverse ecosystems, cultural resources and recreation opportunities across a vast swath of Southern California desert, ensuring the areas remain available for outdoor enthusiasts and for wildlife conservation well into the future.