Big Horn Mountains Wilderness is a protected wilderness area in central Arizona’s Sonora Desert, roughly midway between Phoenix and Quartzsite. Covering 21,000 acres in Maricopa County, it was established by the United States Congress in 1990. About 9 miles of the Big Horn Mountains form its central core, rising sharply from the surrounding desert plains. Big Horn Mountain stands about 1,800 feet above the desert, while Burnt Mountain and Little Horn Peak also define the skyline. Known for its stark desert landscape, the area supports wildlife including bighorn sheep, desert tortoises, kit foxes, gila monsters, golden eagles, prairie falcons, barn owls, and great horned owls.