Bright Star Wilderness
Encyclopedia
Bright Star Wilderness is a 8190 acres (3,314 ha) wilderness area in Kern County
in the U.S.
state of California
.
The California Desert Protection Act of 1994
(Public Law 103-433) added the wilderness to the National Wilderness Preservation System
and it is administered by the Bureau of Land Management
(BLM).
Bright Star Wilderness surrounds 5090 feet (1,551 m) Kern County's Kelso Peak and drainages to the north, south and east, including Bright Star Canyon and Cortez Canyon. The Wilderness lies within the BLM’s Jawbone-Butterbredt Area of Critical Environmental Concern
in the higher Mojave Desert
and protects much of the Piute Mountains
. (not to be confused with the Piute Mountains
in Mojave National Preserve
, San Bernardino County).
, while the lower slopes are brushy and broken by large granite outcroppings. The valley below the peak is dense with Joshua trees.
Kern County, California
Spreading across the southern end of the California Central Valley, Kern County is the fifth-largest county by population in California. Its economy is heavily linked to agriculture and to petroleum extraction, and there is a strong aviation and space presence. Politically, it has generally...
in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
state of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
The California Desert Protection Act of 1994
California Desert Protection Act of 1994
The California Desert Protection Act of 1994 is a federal law , signed by President Bill Clinton, and passed by the United States Congress on October 8, 1994, that established the Death Valley and Joshua Tree National Parks and the Mojave National Preserve in the California...
(Public Law 103-433) added the wilderness to the National Wilderness Preservation System
National Wilderness Preservation System
The National Wilderness Preservation System of the United States protects federally managed land areas designated for preservation in their natural condition. It was established by the Wilderness Act upon the signature of President Lyndon B. Johnson on September 3, 1964...
and it is administered by the Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately , or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. The BLM also manages of subsurface mineral estate underlying federal, state and private...
(BLM).
Bright Star Wilderness surrounds 5090 feet (1,551 m) Kern County's Kelso Peak and drainages to the north, south and east, including Bright Star Canyon and Cortez Canyon. The Wilderness lies within the BLM’s Jawbone-Butterbredt Area of Critical Environmental Concern
Jawbone-Butterbredt Area of Critical Environmental Concern
The Jawbone-Butterbredt Area of Critical Environmental Concern , is located in the Mojave Desert and Southern Sierra Nevada, northwest of California City and California State Route 14, in Kern County, California....
in the higher Mojave Desert
Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...
and protects much of the Piute Mountains
Piute Mountains
The Piute Mountains are found in southeastern California, in the Mojave Desert. The range crosses Interstate 40 at Mountain Springs Summit, 2,770 feet above sea level....
. (not to be confused with the Piute Mountains
Piute Mountains
The Piute Mountains are found in southeastern California, in the Mojave Desert. The range crosses Interstate 40 at Mountain Springs Summit, 2,770 feet above sea level....
in Mojave National Preserve
Mojave National Preserve
Mojave National Preserve is located in the Mojave Desert of San Bernardino County, California, USA, between Interstate 15 and Interstate 40. The preserve was established October 31, 1994 with the passage of the California Desert Protection Act by the US Congress...
, San Bernardino County).
Vegetation
A wide variety of vegetation grows in the Bright Star Wilderness. The upper slopes of Kelso Peak are dotted with piñon pine and juniperJuniper
Junipers are coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on taxonomic viewpoint, there are between 50-67 species of juniper, widely distributed throughout the northern hemisphere, from the Arctic, south to tropical Africa in the Old World, and to the...
, while the lower slopes are brushy and broken by large granite outcroppings. The valley below the peak is dense with Joshua trees.