Malpais Mesa Wilderness
The long, north-south oval of Malpais Mesa (2,300 feet) stands dominant in the middle of this Wilderness area perched at the southern end of the Inyo Mountains. Rugged valleys, deep canyons, sheer mountainsides, and smaller mesas can all be found within close proximity. From Death Valley National Park in the east, the bajada rises gradually to the mesa's summit; the terrain drops away much more steeply in the west. Vegetation takes numerous forms: creosote, low desert shrubs, and grasses in the lower elevations; Joshua trees at middle elevations on the eastern side; piñon pines and junipers higher up. Mule deer abound, and golden eagles nest and forage in the area.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management |
| State | California |
| Size | 31,906 acres |
| Designated | 1994, by Congress |
| Center point | 36.42° N, 117.74° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 25) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
No federal campground is within ten miles of the boundary in the Campsite Atlas index. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from trails and water, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit and group-size rules.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
Guidebooks for California
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Malpais Mesa Wilderness?
31,906 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Malpais Mesa Wilderness?
The Bureau of Land Management.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Malpais Mesa Wilderness in?
California.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Malpais Mesa Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1994.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How do I get to Malpais Mesa Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 36.418° N, 117.742° W. Manzanar National Historic Site is 26 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Which national parks are near Malpais Mesa Wilderness?
Manzanar National Historic Site (26 mi) and Death Valley National Park (30 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.