San Gorgonio Wilderness

San Gorgonio Wilderness
IUCN category Ib (wilderness area)
San Gorgonio range from the Dry Lake campground
Location	San Bernardino / Riverside counties, California, USA
Nearest city	Cherry Valley, California
Coordinates
Area	94,702-acre (383.2 km2)
Established	1964
Governing body	United States Forest Service / Bureau of Land Management

The San Gorgonio Wilderness is located in the San Bernardino Mountains, 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Morongo Valley and approximately 10 miles (16 km) northwest of Palm Springs, California. It is managed jointly by the San Bernardino National Forest and the Bureau of Land Management.

The wilderness is part of the eastern slope of the San Bernardino Mountains with topography rapidly changing from low, rolling foothills and canyons to steep, rugged mountains. These mountains include Mount San Gorgonio and several other peaks over 10,000 feet (3,000 m). Elevations range from 2,300 to 11,502 feet (701 to 3,506 m). Because of this elevation gradient, the wilderness reflects a transition between desert, coastal and mountain environments, including the different types of vegetation representative of each elevation.

The United States Congress designated the San Gorgonio Wilderness in 1964. By 1984, it expanded to 23,720 acres (96 km²). In 1994, it was further expanded with additional BLM lands and it now has a total of 94,702 acres (383 km²).

External links

• Recreation.gov
• Wilderness.net
• San Gorgonio Wilderness Association