Sawtooth Mountains Wilderness, Federal wilderness area in eastern San Diego County, California.

Sawtooth Mountains Wilderness covers 32,136 acres of ridges, valleys and canyons in the Colorado Desert of eastern San Diego County, 35 miles south of Borrego Springs. Sonoran Desert plants such as ocotillo, cholla cactus and creosote bush grow across the terrain, which supports golden eagles, prairie falcons, spotted bats, San Diego horned lizards and willow flycatchers.

The area was designated as wilderness in 1994 through the California Desert Protection Act. This protection status integrated the region into a national program for preserving undeveloped landscapes.

The name comes from the serrated ridgelines that rise above the Colorado Desert floor. Visitors today find Sonoran Desert plants such as ocotillo, cholla cactus and creosote bush along the ridges, valleys and canyons, while golden eagles and prairie falcons nest and hunt overhead. The land is managed by the Bureau of Land Management as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System.

The only public entry is the Pepperwood Height Trail at the end of the McCain Valley; State Route 2 runs along the north side but borders private land, so it gives no legal access. Plan for desert heat and carry your own water and sun protection.

State Route 2 runs along the northern boundary, but private land blocks legal entry from that side; the Pepperwood Height Trail at the end of McCain Valley is the only public way in. The spotted bat, San Diego horned lizard and willow flycatcher are among the animals recorded here.