North Mesquite Mountains Wilderness

The North Mesquite Mountains Wilderness consists of the broad western end of Sandy Valley and the northern portion of Mesquite Mountains. Rolling brown foothills, a few steeper mountains, and medium sized buttes comprise the reddish-brown geologic features in the wilderness. Dominant vegetation includes creosote brush scrub, blackbush, Joshua tree woodland, yucca, cacti, and some grasses. Wildlife is also typical for the Mojave Desert. Due to the lack of naturalwaters, bighorn sheep do not inhabit the area on a permanent basis but do transverse the area. The southern tip of the wilderness provides critical habitat for the desert tortoise. The wilderness is located in the northeastern portion of the sector and consists of 28,955 acres.