Clipper Mountain Wilderness

Clipper Mountain Wilderness is a 33,843-acre protected area in the Clipper Mountains of California’s eastern Mojave Desert, within Mojave Trails National Monument and beside Mojave National Preserve. Covering most of the range’s northern section, it features rugged volcanic mesas, narrow spring-fed canyons, broad alluvial fans, and the 4,625-foot summit of Clipper Mountain, with Castle Dome standing out as a local landmark. Its plant life is typical of the Mojave, including creosote bush scrub and desert wash habitats, with spring wildflowers sometimes covering the fans. The area supports desert bighorn sheep and other wildlife, and the entire wilderness serves as critical habitat for the threatened desert tortoise.

Needles, California · United States