Sawtooth Mountains Wilderness

For the wilderness area in Idaho, see Sawtooth Wilderness. For the wilderness area in Washington, see Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness.

Sawtooth Mountains Wilderness
IUCN category Ib (wilderness area)
Map of the United States
Location	Sawtooth Mountains, San Diego County, California
Nearest city	Borrego Springs, California
Coordinates	32°54′10″N 116°21′14″W
Area	32,136 acres (130.0 km2)
Established	1994 (1994)
Governing body	Bureau of Land Management / DOI

The Sawtooth Mountains Wilderness is a federal wilderness area of 32,136 acres (130.0 km²) in the Sawtooth Mountains in eastern San Diego County, California. It is located in the Colorado Desert, 35 miles (56 km) south of Borrego Springs, near Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

This land was added to the National Wilderness Preservation System when the US Congress passed the California Desert Protection Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-433). The Bureau of Land Management is the agency in charge of the Sawtooth Mountains Wilderness.

Description

Wilderness topography includes ridges, valleys, and canyons that support a wide array of plant and animal life. Wildlife include raptors, such as the golden eagle and prairie falcon. The spotted bat, San Diego horned lizard, and the willow flycatcher are also found here.

Vegetation consists of Sonoran Desert plants, including ocotillo, cholla cactus, and creosote bush.

Although State Route 2 winds along the northern side of the wilderness, there is no legal access due to private lands along the boundary. The only public access is from the Pepperwood Height Trail, at the end of the McCain Valley.

See also

• Flora of the Sonoran Deserts
• Fauna of the Sonoran Deserts

External links

• Bureau of Land Management, Sawtooth Mountains Wilderness page.