Mecca Hills Wilderness

Size: 26,314 acres.

Location: Riverside County; 15 miles southeast of Indio, California (Note: Boundary set backs from roads or trails are 30 to 300 feet)

Area Description : Small, narrow steep-walled canyons wind throughout the Mecca Hills Wilderness, creating a natural maze within this badlands labyrinth. Sandy washes divide this area and contain stands of ironwood, smoke tree and palo verde, while scattered stands of ocotillo grow on the gentler slopes and mesa tops. Uniquely faulted and folded geologic formations are the result of the San Andreas Fault, making the Mecca Hills one of the most unusual geological sites of its kind in the world. Entire regions expose eroded layers of rock, providing important information to scientists about the impact of earthquakes on the earth's crust. Bighorn sheep have been observed crossing into the Mecca Hills from the Orocopia Mountains where they water. Prairie falcon, desert tortoise and spotted bat have also been seen here.

Getting There : Access this wilderness from the east from State Highway 195 (Box Canyon Road) via Interstate 10 or from the south at Mecca via State Highway 111. Painted Canyon Road provides four-wheel drive access at the intersection of State Highway 195 and the Coachella Canal.

Nonfederal Lands: Private lands may lie within the wilderness area. Please respect the landowner and do not use these lands without permission.

Additional Information :

Signs indicating "Wilderness" and "Closed Road" or "Closed Route" are placed at various intervals.  Vehicles can be parked outside the wilderness boundary; however, the boundary is set back 30 feet from unmaintained dirt roads and 300 feet on paved roads.

Maps:

• Desert Access Guide:
  • Palm Springs - #17
  • Chuckwalla - # 18
     
• USGS 7.5 Quadrangle Maps:
  • Cottonwood Basin
  • Mecca
  • Mortmar
  • Thermal Canyon

Contact:

Palm Springs Field Office

Go to BLM Wilderness List