Castle Mountains National Monument, Desert nature reserve in San Bernardino County, California.
Castle Mountains National Monument is a nature reserve in the Mojave Desert with rugged peaks and open plains. The landscape consists of dry plateaus, mountain ranges, and valleys covered with desert plants.
The monument was established as a protected area in 2016. This decision was part of a larger effort to protect multiple natural areas in Southern California.
Archaeological sites scattered across the land show that people have lived here for a very long time. The remains of an old mining settlement reveal how people once worked and lived in this harsh desert environment.
Visitors need tough vehicles with four-wheel drive and high ground clearance to explore the area. Unpaved roads wind through the monument and conditions can change with weather.
The grasslands at the base of the mountains are home to Joshua tree forests and plants found nowhere else. These rare habitats give visitors a chance to see ecosystems that exist only in this part of the desert.
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