Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness

Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness is a protected desert area in southern California with varied landscapes. The terrain changes from flat sandy valleys to rocky mountain ridges with steep slopes throughout the reserve.

The area became a protected wilderness in 1994 through the California Desert Protection Act. This designation brought it under federal protection as part of the national system of protected wild areas.

Desert bighorn sheep traverse the mountain slopes while desert tortoises inhabit the valley floor, representing the native wildlife of Mojave Desert ecosystems.

The wilderness area is located a short distance northeast of Twentynine Palms and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Visitors should come prepared for extreme heat and bring plenty of water since the environment is very dry.

Rare Crucifixion Thorn shrubs grow in the dry lake beds near the eastern boundary of the area. These adapted plants thrive in extreme desert conditions and represent an important botanical feature of the reserve.