Kiavah Wilderness
Encyclopedia
The Kiavah Wilderness is a federally designated wilderness area located in the Mojave Desert
, Scodie Mountains
, and Southern Sierra Nevada Mountains in Kern County, California
, United States
. State Highway 178 connects the town of Lake Isabella, California
to state Highway 14
in the east, crossing Walker Pass
at the north boundary of the wilderness.
The Kiavah Wilderness was created in 1994 with the passage of the California Desert Protection Act
(Public Law
103-433), is jointly managed by the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management
(BLM) and is mostly within the Sequoia National Forest
. This wilderness is part of the National Cooperative Land and Wildlife Management Area and the BLM's Jawbone-Butterbredt Area of Critical Environmental Concern
, which was designated to protect critical wildlife and Native American values.
and 50 miles (80.5 km) northeast of Bakersfield, California
. There are 88290 acres (357.3 km²) of wilderness with 702 acres (2.8 km²) partially roaded nonwilderness.
Located on a broad plateau rising immediately south of the Walker Pass
in the southern Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, are the Scodie Mountains
. The highest peaks are Skinner Peak (7,073 ft) in the south and Pinyon Peak (6,768 ft) in the north. Many canyons cut through the flanks of the plateau except in the north which has an abrupt 3000 feet (914.4 m) escarpment.
Three seasonal spring
s flow from the slope of the plateau; Yellowjacket, McIvers and Willow Springs. Other springs flow from the canyon folds.
s-bajadas of the Scodie Mountains Unit within the Sequoia National Forest—the southern extremity of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. A unique mixing of several different species of plants and animals occurs within the transition zone between the Mojave Desert and Sierra Nevada Mountains.
The Kiavah Wilderness is one of only two protected areas that support a significant woodland of pinyon-juniper in California. Other plant life include Mormon tea, sagebrush
, creosote, burrobush
and shadscale, pinyon pine
, juniper
, canyon oak, grey pine
and Joshua trees.
Spring wildflower displays are from April to June.
A rare and endemic wildflower, the Walker Pass milkvetch
(Astragalus ertterae) of the pea family, grows within the Pinyon-Juniper woodland. It grows in the sandy-loamy to granitic soils associated with pinyon pines and canyon live oaks. It is primarily found on west-facing slopes from 5,600 to 6,200 feet elevation. The Walker Pass milkvetch was first described in 1987 from a collection made in 1982 along a newly constructed section of the Pacific Crest Trail.
There are less than 10 populations of this perennial herb, all of which are located in Kern County. Very little information is known about this plant, nor is it listed under state or federal endangered species
laws.
"If this plant truly is as rare as presently believed, it is crucial that all existing
populations be protected." said M. Elvin of the Bureau of Land Management.
as well as mountain quail
and California quail
(or Valley quail).
Also the rough-legged hawk, yellow-headed blackbird
, gray-crowned rosy finch
, and sage sparrow
have been seen here.
, backpacking, pinyon nut gathering, and nature photography.
Most of the recreation is concentrated along forest road 72S11 in the southeast where off-highway vehicles are frequent.
The Pacific Crest Trail
travels the length of the wilderness for 17 miles (27.4 km).
The other major trail is the Cholla Canyon Trail with a length of over four miles (6 km) and passes three seasonal springs en route.
The Forest Service encourages the practice of Leave No Trace
principles of outdoor travel to minimize human impact on the environment. Hikers need to carry one to two gallons of water, depending on length of trip into the Kiavah Wilderness.
Category: Protected areas of the 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...
, Scodie Mountains
Scodie Mountains
The Scodie Mountains are located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California in the United States. The range lies in an east-west direction directly west of the town of Ridgecrest and southeast of Lake Isabella...
, and Southern Sierra Nevada Mountains in Kern County, California
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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. State Highway 178 connects the town of Lake Isabella, California
Lake Isabella, California
Lake Isabella is a census-designated place in the southern Sierra Nevadas, in Kern County, California, United States, located near Lake Isabella. Lake Isabella is located east-northeast of Bakersfield, at an elevation of 2513 feet...
to state Highway 14
California State Route 14
State Route 14 is a north–south state highway in the U.S. state of California, largely in the Mojave Desert. The southern portion of the highway is signed as the Antelope Valley Freeway. The route connects Interstate 5, or Golden State Freeway, near Santa Clarita and with U.S. Route 395 near...
in the east, crossing Walker Pass
Walker Pass
Walker Pass is a mountain pass by Lake Isabella in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains. It is located in northeastern Kern County, approximately 53 mi ENE of Bakersfield and 10 mi WNW of Ridgecrest...
at the north boundary of the wilderness.
The Kiavah Wilderness was created in 1994 with the passage of the California Desert Protection Act
California Desert Protection Act of 2010
The California Desert Protection Act of 2010 is legislation proposed by U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein. The stated aim of the legislation is to provide for conservation, enhanced recreation opportunities, and development of renewable energy in the California Desert Conservation Area..-Overview:The...
(Public Law
Public law
Public law is a theory of law governing the relationship between individuals and the state. Under this theory, constitutional law, administrative law and criminal law are sub-divisions of public law...
103-433), is jointly managed by the U.S. Forest Service and 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) and is mostly within the Sequoia National Forest
Sequoia National Forest
Sequoia National Forest is located in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains of California. The U.S. National Forest is named for the majestic Giant Sequoia trees which populate 38 distinct groves within the boundaries of the forest....
. This wilderness is part of the National Cooperative Land and Wildlife Management Area and 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....
, which was designated to protect critical wildlife and Native American values.
Geography
It is located west of Inyokern, CaliforniaInyokern, California
Inyokern is a census-designated place in Kern County, California, United States. Inyokern is located west of Ridgecrest, at an elevation of 2434 feet . Located in the Indian Wells Valley. The population was 1,099 at the 2010 census, up from 984 at the 2000 census...
and 50 miles (80.5 km) northeast of Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield is a city near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California. It is roughly equidistant between Fresno and Los Angeles, to the north and south respectively....
. There are 88290 acres (357.3 km²) of wilderness with 702 acres (2.8 km²) partially roaded nonwilderness.
Located on a broad plateau rising immediately south of the Walker Pass
Walker Pass
Walker Pass is a mountain pass by Lake Isabella in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains. It is located in northeastern Kern County, approximately 53 mi ENE of Bakersfield and 10 mi WNW of Ridgecrest...
in the southern Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, are the Scodie Mountains
Scodie Mountains
The Scodie Mountains are located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California in the United States. The range lies in an east-west direction directly west of the town of Ridgecrest and southeast of Lake Isabella...
. The highest peaks are Skinner Peak (7,073 ft) in the south and Pinyon Peak (6,768 ft) in the north. Many canyons cut through the flanks of the plateau except in the north which has an abrupt 3000 feet (914.4 m) escarpment.
Three seasonal spring
Spring (hydrosphere)
A spring—also known as a rising or resurgence—is a component of the hydrosphere. Specifically, it is any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground...
s flow from the slope of the plateau; Yellowjacket, McIvers and Willow Springs. Other springs flow from the canyon folds.
Flora
This wilderness encompasses the eroded hills, canyons and alluvial fanAlluvial fan
An alluvial fan is a fan-shaped deposit formed where a fast flowing stream flattens, slows, and spreads typically at the exit of a canyon onto a flatter plain. A convergence of neighboring alluvial fans into a single apron of deposits against a slope is called a bajada, or compound alluvial...
s-bajadas of the Scodie Mountains Unit within the Sequoia National Forest—the southern extremity of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. A unique mixing of several different species of plants and animals occurs within the transition zone between the Mojave Desert and Sierra Nevada Mountains.
The Kiavah Wilderness is one of only two protected areas that support a significant woodland of pinyon-juniper in California. Other plant life include Mormon tea, sagebrush
Sagebrush
Sagebrush is a common name of a number of shrubby plant species in the genus Artemisia native to western North America;Or, the sagebrush steppe ecoregion, having one or more kinds of sagebrush, bunchgrasses and others;...
, creosote, burrobush
Ambrosia dumosa
Ambrosia dumosa, the burro-weed or white bursage, is a common constituent of the creosote-bush scrub community throughout the Mojave desert of California, Nevada, and Utah and the Sonoran Desert of Arizona and northwestern Mexico....
and shadscale, pinyon pine
Pinyon pine
The pinyon pine group grows in the southwestern United States and in Mexico. The trees yield edible pinyon nuts, which were a staple of the Native Americans, and are still widely eaten...
, juniper
Juniper
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...
, canyon oak, grey pine
Gray Pine
Pinus sabiniana , with the common names gray pine, California foothill pine, and the more historically and internationally used digger pine, is a pine endemic to California in the United States...
and Joshua trees.
Spring wildflower displays are from April to June.
A rare and endemic wildflower, the Walker Pass milkvetch
Astragalus ertterae
Astragalus ertterae is a rare species of milkvetch known by the common name Walker Pass milkvetch. It is endemic to California, where it is known from only three occurrences near Walker Pass in the Sierra Nevada.-Description:...
(Astragalus ertterae) of the pea family, grows within the Pinyon-Juniper woodland. It grows in the sandy-loamy to granitic soils associated with pinyon pines and canyon live oaks. It is primarily found on west-facing slopes from 5,600 to 6,200 feet elevation. The Walker Pass milkvetch was first described in 1987 from a collection made in 1982 along a newly constructed section of the Pacific Crest Trail.
There are less than 10 populations of this perennial herb, all of which are located in Kern County. Very little information is known about this plant, nor is it listed under state or federal endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
laws.
"If this plant truly is as rare as presently believed, it is crucial that all existing
populations be protected." said M. Elvin of the Bureau of Land Management.
Fauna
The semiarid conditions with few reliable water sources restrict wildlife habitat. The U.S. Forest Service has installed water guzzlers and springs to increase water supply for the small number of mule deerMule Deer
The mule deer is a deer indigenous to western North America. The Mule Deer gets its name from its large mule-like ears. There are believed to be several subspecies, including the black-tailed deer...
as well as mountain quail
Mountain Quail
The Mountain Quail, , is a small ground-dwelling bird in the New World quail family. This species is the only one in the genus Oreortyx, which is sometimes included in Callipepla...
and California quail
California Quail
The California Quail, Callipepla californica, also known as the California Valley Quail or Valley Quail, is a small ground-dwelling bird in the New World quail family...
(or Valley quail).
Also the rough-legged hawk, yellow-headed blackbird
Yellow-headed Blackbird
The Yellow-headed Blackbird is a medium-sized blackbird, and the only member of the genus Xanthocephalus....
, gray-crowned rosy finch
Finch
The true finches are passerine birds in the family Fringillidae. They are predominantly seed-eating songbirds. Most are native to the Northern Hemisphere, but one subfamily is endemic to the Neotropics, one to the Hawaiian Islands, and one subfamily – monotypic at genus level – is found...
, and sage sparrow
Sage Sparrow
The Sage Sparrow is a medium-sized sparrow of the western United States and northwestern Mexico.Sage Sparrows are indeed often tied to sagebrush habitats, although they can also be found in brushy stands of saltbush, chamise, and other low shrubs of the arid Interior West.The most widespread...
have been seen here.
Recreation
Activities in the wilderness include day-hikingHiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
, backpacking, pinyon nut gathering, and nature photography.
Most of the recreation is concentrated along forest road 72S11 in the southeast where off-highway vehicles are frequent.
The Pacific Crest Trail
Pacific Crest Trail
The Pacific Crest Trail is a long-distance mountain hiking and equestrian trail on the Western Seaboard of the United States. The southern terminus is at the California border with Mexico...
travels the length of the wilderness for 17 miles (27.4 km).
The other major trail is the Cholla Canyon Trail with a length of over four miles (6 km) and passes three seasonal springs en route.
The Forest Service encourages the practice of Leave No Trace
Leave No Trace
Leave No Trace is both a set of principles, and an organization that promotes those principles. The principles are designed to assist outdoor enthusiasts with their decisions about how to reduce their impacts when they hike, camp, picnic, snowshoe, run, bike, hunt, paddle, ride horses, fish, ski or...
principles of outdoor travel to minimize human impact on the environment. Hikers need to carry one to two gallons of water, depending on length of trip into the Kiavah Wilderness.
See also
Category: Flora of the California desert regions- List of wilderness areas in California
Category: Protected areas of the Mojave Desert
- Environmental ethicsEnvironmental ethicsEnvironmental ethics is the part of environmental philosophy which considers extending the traditional boundaries of ethics from solely including humans to including the non-human world...