Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument
Spectacular Views • Recreational Trails • Bighorn Sheep Habitat
From sea level to over 10,000 feet, the dramatic landscape of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument forms the scenic backdrop to our desert communities. The rugged slopes and alluvial fans are critical habitat for the endangered Peninsular bighorn sheep. Water in canyons feeds thickets of alders and cottonwoods -- significant streamside habitats in the desert. Recent acquisitions along Highway 74 safeguard bighorn sheep habitat and preserve the spectacular views along the main scenic corridor through the National Monument, part of the Palms to Pines National Scenic Byway. The Palm Canyon watershed has been another focus of acquisition efforts. At the eastern edge of the Santa Rosa Mountains, the broad alluvial fans stretching from the Santa Rosa’s to the Salton Sea are disappearing as urbanization creeps ever eastward. Acquisition efforts here are focused on securing lands in the Martinez Canyon area to protect wildlife habitat and public access to the surrounding Wilderness. Palo verde and smoke tree woodlands along broad washes, the rare elephant tree, and rugged refuge for endangered bighorn sheep are part of the magic of this area. Protecting these lands also protects trails, cultural resources, water quality, and magnificent scenic beauty.
Key lands already preserved:
- Santa Rosa Mountains Wilderness: 454 acres of Peninsular bighorn sheep habitat and rugged mountains lands. June and October 2003.
- Upper Palm Canyon: 1,090 acres in upper Palm Canyon watershed, managed as part of National Monument. April 1997 to April 2004.
- Martinez Canyon: 160 acres near the mouth of Martinez Canyon, palo verde/ smoke tree woodlands and bighorn sheep habitat, Wilderness trail access. November 2004.
- Hwy. 74/Pinyon Flat: Nearly 1,600 acres along Highway 74. Palms to Pines scenic corridor and wildlife habitat. February 2003 to September 2005.
