Dead Mountains

The Dead Mountains form a protected nature reserve in the Mojave Desert covering approximately 47,000 acres of wilderness. The landscape contains jagged peaks, broad alluvial fans, and deep canyons, with Mount Manchester standing as the highest point at about 3,600 feet.

Mining and mineral exploration dominated this region during the late 1800s and early 1900s. The area received protection as a reserve decades later to preserve the remaining wilderness from ongoing industrial development.

Native American groups passed through these mountains seasonally, relying on the rare water sources for survival. The landscape still shows traces of this long relationship with the land.

Access is limited to rough roads and hiking trails, with autumn and spring offering the most comfortable conditions. Visitors should bring ample water and supplies as the reserve has no developed facilities or services.

The northern section holds the only natural population of smoketrees in California's desert regions. These unusual plants thrive in the extreme conditions found nowhere else nearby.