Soda Mountains Wilderness
This scenic, horseshoe-shaped range includes the terminus of the great Mojave. Creosote, barrel cacti, cholla, and yuccas can be found along with the unique Crucifixion thorn. Two intermittent lakes, East Cronese and West Cronese, provide habitat for wintering and migrating waterfowl and shorebirds, including the endangered Yuma clapper rail. The unusual concentrations of water related birds also make this a choice area for raptors. Desert bighorn sheep live in large swaths of the range, and the southern portion is home to the endangered desert tortoise.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management |
| State | California |
| Size | 80,090 acres |
| Designated | 2019, by Congress |
| Center point | 35.22° N, 116.25° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 26) |
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.
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Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Soda Mountains Wilderness?
80,090 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Soda Mountains Wilderness?
The Bureau of Land Management.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Soda Mountains Wilderness in?
California.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Soda Mountains Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 2019.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How do I get to Soda Mountains Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 35.222° N, 116.255° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
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.