| Mojave National Preserve | |
|---|---|
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape) | |
Joshua trees along Cima Road in the Mojave National Preserve
| |
 
 Show map of the United States | |
| Location | San Bernardino County, California, USA |
| Nearest city | Baker, California |
| Coordinates | 34°53′N 115°43′W / 34.883°N 115.717°W / 34.883; -115.717 |
| Area | 1,542,776 acres (6,243.39 km2)[1] |
| Created | October 31, 1994 (1994-October-31) |
| Visitors | 585,635 (in 2016)[2] |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
| Website | Mohave National Preserve |
Mojave National Preserve is a United States National Preserve located in the Mojave DesertofSan 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.[3] Previously, it was the East Mojave National Scenic Area, under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management.[4] Mojave National Preserve is vast. At 1,600,000 acres (650,000 ha), it is the third largest unit of the National Park System in the contiguous United States.
Natural features include the Kelso Dunes, the Marl Mountains and the Cima Dome, as well as volcanic formations such as Hole-in-the-Wall and the Cinder Cone Lava Beds. The preserve encloses Providence Mountains State Recreation Area and Mitchell Caverns Natural Preserve, which are both managed by the California Department of Parks and Recreation.
Impressive Joshua Tree forests cover parts of the preserve. The Cima Dome and Shadow Valley forests are the largest in the world.[5] The ghost townofKelso is found in the preserve, with the defunct railroad depot serving as the Visitor Center. The preserve is commonly traversed by 4 wheel drive vehicles traveling on the historic Mojave Road.
The climate varies greatly. Summer temperatures average 90 °F (32 °C), with highs exceeding 105 °F (41 °C). Elevations in the Preserve range from 7,929 feet (2,417 m) at Clark Mountain to 880 feet (270 m) near Baker. Annual precipitation varies from 3.37 inches (86 mm) near Baker, to almost 9 inches (230 mm) in the mountains. At least 25% of precipitation comes from summer thunderstorms. Snow is often found in the mountains during the winter.
The California Desert Protection Act of 1994 (CDPA) designated a wilderness area within Mojave National Preserve of approximately 695,200 acres (281,300 ha). The National Park Service manages the wilderness in accordance with the Wilderness Act, the CDPA, and other laws that protect cultural and historic sites in the wilderness.[6]
The following climate data is for a higher elevation area in the preserve. See also Climate of the Mojave Desert.
| Climate data for Mountain Pass, California. (Elevation 4,740 feet (1,440 m)) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 71 (22) |
76 (24) |
81 (27) |
90 (32) |
104 (40) |
109 (43) |
110 (43) |
109 (43) |
102 (39) |
96 (36) |
89 (32) |
70 (21) |
110 (43) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 50.4 (10.2) |
53.7 (12.1) |
59.0 (15.0) |
66.4 (19.1) |
76.3 (24.6) |
87.0 (30.6) |
92.8 (33.8) |
89.9 (32.2) |
83.9 (28.8) |
72.4 (22.4) |
58.9 (14.9) |
51.1 (10.6) |
70.2 (21.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 29.5 (−1.4) |
32.4 (0.2) |
35.8 (2.1) |
41.0 (5.0) |
49.8 (9.9) |
59.2 (15.1) |
66.5 (19.2) |
64.5 (18.1) |
56.6 (13.7) |
46.3 (7.9) |
36.2 (2.3) |
30.2 (−1.0) |
45.7 (7.6) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 3 (−16) |
6 (−14) |
12 (−11) |
19 (−7) |
28 (−2) |
36 (2) |
42 (6) |
44 (7) |
33 (1) |
21 (−6) |
10 (−12) |
−2 (−19) |
−2 (−19) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.92 (23) |
0.89 (23) |
0.89 (23) |
0.48 (12) |
0.27 (6.9) |
0.20 (5.1) |
1.04 (26) |
1.23 (31) |
0.59 (15) |
0.54 (14) |
0.68 (17) |
0.63 (16) |
8.36 (212) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 2.7 (6.9) |
1.8 (4.6) |
1.4 (3.6) |
0.5 (1.3) |
0.2 (0.51) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0.1 (0.25) |
1.1 (2.8) |
1.5 (3.8) |
9.3 (24) |
| Source: The Western Regional Climate Center[7] | |||||||||||||
