Old Woman Mountains Wilderness, Protected wilderness area in Mojave Desert, California, US

The Old Woman Mountains are a protected wilderness area in the Mojave Desert spanning more than 160,000 acres of granite-based terrain. The landscape ranges from shallow desert washes to steep ridgelines with multiple peaks throughout the region.

The area became an official protected wilderness in 1994 when Congress passed the California Desert Protection Act. Since then, the Bureau of Land Management has managed it for conservation and public access purposes.

The range is named for the Old Woman Statue, a granite monolith about 5,000 feet high whose outline resembles the figure of an old woman. The formation stands within the mountains and gives the wilderness its name.

Bring plenty of water and navigation tools when exploring this remote desert terrain far from any facilities or services. Summer heat regularly exceeds 120 degrees Fahrenheit, so early morning and late afternoon travel is safer and more comfortable.

The 1,275-pound Old Woman Meteorite, found here in 1975, is the largest recovered in California and the second largest in the United States. It was long displayed at the Desert Discovery Center in Barstow before being returned to San Bernardino County for exhibit in 2010.