Sacramento Mountains (California)
Encyclopedia
The Sacramento Mountains of California
are southwest of Needles
and form part of the towns west and southwest border; the range is east of the Piute Mountains
and northwest of the Chemehuevi Mountains
. The range lies in a northwest-southeasterly direction south of Interstate 40
, and reach an elevation of 3,308 feet above sea level at Eagles Peak. The Sacramento Mountains are approximately 16 miles long.
Eagle Pass and Eagle Peak are in the south-center of the range; an unimproved road through Eagle Pass connects Needles to the Ward Valley. Flattop Mountain at 3029 feet (923 m) lies at the northwest of the range just south of Interstate 40.
The Sacramento Mountains are also named for the Sacramento Wash
and Valley
that drains northwest Mohave County, Arizona
into the Topock Marsh
, across from Needles.
. The southeast of the Sacaramento's merge into a range of equal size, the Chemehuevi Mountains
. Both ranges are bordered on the east by a southeast-flowing Colorado River
which turns back southwest at the Whipple Mountains
.
Needles lies at the east and southeast of the range, as the Colorado River flows along the perimeter of the mountain; the river follows the southwest corner of the Mohave Valley
of the Fort Mojave Indian Reservation
and Mohave Valley, Arizona
. The southeast of the Sacramento Mountains border the Chemehuevi's with higher elevations in the Chemehuevi's along the Colorado. At this southern section of the Mohave Valley, Interstate 40 in California
crosses into Arizona
south of Topock
and the Topock Marsh
.
The Chemehuevi Wash and Valley southwest of the Sacramento Mountains is one of the major washes along the west, California side of the Colorado River. The Piute Wash
drains northwest of Needles. Mostly minor, shorter length washes and valleys are found southward towards Yuma, Arizona
and Winterhaven, California
, many miles downstream.
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...
are southwest of Needles
Needles, California
Needles is a city located in the Mojave Desert on the western banks of the Colorado River in San Bernardino County, California. It is located in the Mohave Valley, which straddles the California–Arizona border. The city is accessible via Interstate 40 and U.S. Route 95...
and form part of the towns west and southwest border; the range is east 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....
and northwest of the Chemehuevi Mountains
Chemehuevi Mountains
The Chemehuevi Mountains are found at the southeast border of San Bernardino County in southeastern California adjacent the Colorado River. Located south of Needles, California and northwest of the Whipple Mountains, the mountains lie in a north-south direction in general, and are approximately 15...
. The range lies in a northwest-southeasterly direction south of Interstate 40
Interstate 40 in California
In the U.S. state of California, Interstate 40 has its western terminus in Barstow. Known as the Needles Freeway, a major east–west route of the Interstate Highway System, it heads east from Barstow across the Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County past the Clipper Mountains to Needles,...
, and reach an elevation of 3,308 feet above sea level at Eagles Peak. The Sacramento Mountains are approximately 16 miles long.
Eagle Pass and Eagle Peak are in the south-center of the range; an unimproved road through Eagle Pass connects Needles to the Ward Valley. Flattop Mountain at 3029 feet (923 m) lies at the northwest of the range just south of Interstate 40.
The Sacramento Mountains are also named for the Sacramento Wash
Sacramento Wash
The Sacramento Wash is a major drainage of northwest Arizona in Mohave County. The wash is east of the Black Canyon of the Colorado and drains into the south-flowing Colorado River 45 mi south of Lake Mohave, and 90 mi south of Hoover Dam at Lake Mead. The wash outfall is in the...
and Valley
Sacramento Valley (Arizona)
The Sacramento Valley of northwestern Arizona is a north-south trending valley west and southwest of Kingman in Mohave County. The valley lies just east of the southern section of the Black Mountains...
that drains northwest Mohave County, Arizona
Mohave County, Arizona
Mohave County is located in the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2010 census, its population was 200,186, an increase of 45,154 people since the 2000 census count of 155,032. The county seat is Kingman...
into the Topock Marsh
Topock Marsh
The Topock Marsh is one of the larger birdwatching sites found in the Lower Colorado River Valley, found from south of Hoover Dam to the Colorado River Delta in Mohave County, Arizona...
, across from Needles.
Geography
The Sacramento Mountains are bordered on the west by the Ward Valley which merges southeasterly into the southeast-draining Chemehuevi Valley and WashChemehuevi Wash
The Chemehuevi Wash is a large wash of northeast San Bernardino County in the southeast Mojave Desert. The wash enters the center-west bank of Lake Havasu on the California–Arizona border...
. The southeast of the Sacaramento's merge into a range of equal size, the Chemehuevi Mountains
Chemehuevi Mountains
The Chemehuevi Mountains are found at the southeast border of San Bernardino County in southeastern California adjacent the Colorado River. Located south of Needles, California and northwest of the Whipple Mountains, the mountains lie in a north-south direction in general, and are approximately 15...
. Both ranges are bordered on the east by a southeast-flowing Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
which turns back southwest at the Whipple Mountains
Whipple Mountains
The Whipple Mountains, 'Avii Kur'utat in the Mojave language, are located in eastern San Bernardino County, California. They are directly west of the Colorado River, Parker Dam, and Lake Havasu; south of Needles, California; north of Parker, Arizona and Vidal, California; and northeast of Vidal...
.
Needles lies at the east and southeast of the range, as the Colorado River flows along the perimeter of the mountain; the river follows the southwest corner of the Mohave Valley
Mohave Valley
The Mohave Valley is a small valley, mostly on the east shore of the south-flowing Colorado River in northwest Arizona; the valley borders southeast California's San Bernardino County; also, the north of the valley borders extreme southeast Clark County, Nevada...
of the Fort Mojave Indian Reservation
Fort Mojave Indian Reservation
The Fort Mojave Indian Reservation is an Indian reservation along the Colorado River, currently encompassing 23,669 acres in Arizona, 12,633 acres in California, and 5,582 acres in Nevada. The reservation was originally established in 1870 and is now home to approximately 1,100 members of the...
and Mohave Valley, Arizona
Mohave Valley, Arizona
Mohave Valley is a census-designated place in Mohave County, Arizona, United States. The population was 13,694 at the 2000 census. It is geographically connected to Needles, California and Bullhead City, Arizona....
. The southeast of the Sacramento Mountains border the Chemehuevi's with higher elevations in the Chemehuevi's along the Colorado. At this southern section of the Mohave Valley, Interstate 40 in California
Interstate 40 in California
In the U.S. state of California, Interstate 40 has its western terminus in Barstow. Known as the Needles Freeway, a major east–west route of the Interstate Highway System, it heads east from Barstow across the Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County past the Clipper Mountains to Needles,...
crosses into Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
south of Topock
Topock, Arizona
Topock is a small unincorporated community in Mohave County, Arizona. Topock has a ZIP Code of 86436; in 2000, the population of the 86436 ZCTA was 1,790....
and the Topock Marsh
Topock Marsh
The Topock Marsh is one of the larger birdwatching sites found in the Lower Colorado River Valley, found from south of Hoover Dam to the Colorado River Delta in Mohave County, Arizona...
.
The Chemehuevi Wash and Valley southwest of the Sacramento Mountains is one of the major washes along the west, California side of the Colorado River. The Piute Wash
Piute Wash
The Piute Wash of extreme southeastern Nevada and northeast San Bernardino County California is the south-flowing drainage of the Piute Valley. The wash and valley are located northwest of Needles, California....
drains northwest of Needles. Mostly minor, shorter length washes and valleys are found southward towards Yuma, Arizona
Yuma, Arizona
Yuma is a city in and the county seat of Yuma County, Arizona, United States. It is located in the southwestern corner of the state, and the population of the city was 77,515 at the 2000 census, with a 2008 Census Bureau estimated population of 90,041....
and Winterhaven, California
Winterhaven, California
Winterhaven is a census-designated place in Imperial County, California. Winterhaven is located east of Pilot Knob, The population was 394 at the 2010 census, down from 529 at the 2000 census. It is part of the 'El Centro, California Metropolitan Statistical Area'...
, many miles downstream.