Wilderness Management Plan

Location and Description

The 19,600-acre Beaver Dam Mountains Wilderness straddles the Arizona-Utah border a few miles southwest of St. George, Utah. It is jointly managed by the BLM's Arizona Strip Field Office and Cedar City District. This wilderness is separated from the Paiute Wilderness to the south by Interstate 15.

The wilderness area consists of rugged mountains and gently sloping alluvial plains. Vegetation is mainly Joshua trees and desert shrubs with scattered grasses, but several rare plant species are also found in the area. The broad alluvial fans provide important habitat for desert tortoise. Notable wildlife species include desert bighorn sheep, raptors, and the endangered woundfin minnow in the Virgin River.

The area is becoming increasingly popular for primitive recreation. The eastern portion contains several miles of the Virgin River, which offers opportunities for river rafting and kayaking.

Access

From St. George, Utah, take Interstate 15, traveling southwest toward Mesquite, Nevada. After about 15 miles, look for the exit to the Cedar Pockets rest area and BLM's Virgin River Campground. The dirt road, north of the Interstate is the Cedar Pockets Road, which legally passes through the wilderness area, dividing it into two units.

Nonfederal Lands

Some lands around the wilderness contain private mining claims. Please respect the property rights of the owner's equipment and structures and use care when crossing these lands.

Related Maps

• 7.5-minute Topographic: Littlefield, Mountain Sheep Spring, Castle Cliff, Jarvis Peak
  Also, Arizona Strip District Visitor Map
• 1:100,000 BLM Surface Management:  Littlefield
• Game and Fish Management Unit 13B

For more information contact: 

  Arizona Strip Field Office 
345 East Riverside Drive
St. George, UT 84790-6714
Phone: (435) 688-3200
Fax: (435) 688-3258
Field Manager:  Lorraine Christian 
Hours: 7:45 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday-Friday
10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., Saturday

"I have seen much that is beautiful, interesting, and commanding in the wild scenery of nature."
James O. Pattie, 1831