Chuckwalla National Monument

Chuckwalla National Monument is a U.S. national monument in Southern California’s Colorado Desert, established in 2025 to protect 624,270 acres across mountain ranges, wildlife habitat, wilderness areas, and historic routes and sites. Named for the chuckwalla lizard, it also supports desert bighorn sheep and desert tortoise. The protected land includes the Bradshaw Trail, Eagle Mountain Railroad, and World War II training sites. Its creation followed advocacy by tribal nations, lawmakers, and conservation groups, with co-stewardship by Tribal Nations formalized later in 2025. Though politically contested, it remains a major protected desert landscape valued for both ecology and long-standing tribal connections.

Desert Center, California · United States