Mopah Range
{{Short description|Landform in San Bernardino County, California}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name = Mopah Range
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| country = United States
| state = California
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| district = San Bernardino County
| topo_map = Savahia Peak SW
| topo_maker = USGS
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| range_coordinates = {{coord|34|16|23|N|114|44|19|W|type:mountain_scale:300000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| highest =
| elevation_m = 923
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| map = California
| map_caption = location of Mopah Range in California{{cite gnis|id=246184|name=Mopah Range |accessdate=2009-05-04}}
}}
The Mopah Range is a desert mountain range, in the Lower Colorado River Valley region, in southeastern San Bernardino County, California.
Geography
The Mopah Range are located directly adjacent to and linked with the larger Turtle Mountains Range. They are in the northern Colorado Desert region of the Sonoran Desert, and the southern reach of Mojave Desert.
The Colorado River and Whipple Mountains are to the east, and the Iron Mountains to the west. Vidal Junction, California is to the southeast, and the Colorado River Aqueduct passes to the south.
Turtle Mountains Wilderness Area
The Mopah Range is part of the Turtle Mountains Wilderness Area.{{Cite web |url=http://www.blm.gov/ca/pa/wilderness/wa/areas/turtle_mountains.html |title=Turtle Mountains Wilderness Area |access-date=2010-06-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100913082639/http://www.blm.gov/ca/pa/wilderness/wa/areas/turtle_mountains.html |archive-date=2010-09-13 |url-status=dead }} The Mopahs include broad bajadas to highly eroded volcanic peaks, spires, and cliffs. The Mopah Range contains the two signature Mopah Peaks, which are rhyodactic or volcanic plugs. The northernmost peak is a landmark known as Mexican Hat. The area has numerous springs and seeps. The Mopahs are considered part of the greater Lower Colorado River Valley region.
= Natural history =
The Mopah Range is located in an ecological transition zone between the Mojave Desert (High Desert) and Colorado Desert region of the Sonoran Desert (Low Desert) and therefore contains a high diversity of plant and animal species. The Turtle Mountain range is a northern or southern 'delimiter of occurrence' for some species; for example the endangered California fan palm (Washingtonia filifera) encounters the northern limit of its range in the Mopah-Turtle Mountains.C. Michael Hogan, 2009, [http://globaltwitcher.auderis.se/artspec_information.asp?thingid=90942 California Fan Palm: Washingtonia filifera, GlobalTwitcher.com, ed. Nicklas Stromberg] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090930184850/http://globaltwitcher.auderis.se/artspec_information.asp?thingid=90942 |date=2009-09-30 }}
Dominate vegetation in the Turtle Mountains Wilderness Area consists of the creosote bush-bur sage with creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) and the palo verde-cactus shrub ecosystems with the palo verde tree (Parkinsonia microphylla). In the washes, Colorado/Sonoran microphylla woodlands can be found. These woodlands include such things as smoke tree (Psorothamnus spinosus), honey mesquite (Prosopis velutina), and catclaw (Acacia greggii).
Wildlife species include desert bighorn sheep, coyote, black-tailed jackrabbits, ground squirrels, kangaroo rats, quail, roadrunners, golden eagles, prairie falcons, rattlesnakes, the desert tortoise and several species of lizards.http://www.blm.gov/ca/pa/wilderness/wa/areas/turtle_mountains.html {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100913082639/http://www.blm.gov/ca/pa/wilderness/wa/areas/turtle_mountains.html |date=2010-09-13}} . accessed 6/22/2010 . BLM public domain sourced
= Recreation =
Hiking, horseback riding, camping, rock hounding, photography, and backpacking can be enjoyed in this wilderness. The area is popular with rock hounding hobbyists and is nationally known for chalcedony specimens in a form known as "Mopah roses". Coffin, Mopah, and Mohawk Springs, natural palm oases, are popular hiking destinations.
References
{{Reflist}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20100913082639/http://www.blm.gov/ca/pa/wilderness/wa/areas/turtle_mountains.html Official Turtle Mountains Wilderness Area website]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110614222416/http://www.blm.gov/ca/pa/wilderness/wilderness_pdfs/maps/1page/needles/turtle_mountains.pdf BLM Turtle Mountains Wilderness Map]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110614222529/http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/prog/wilderness/wa/photos/turtle.html Turtle Mountains Wilderness photographs]
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Category:Mountain ranges of the Colorado Desert
Category:Mountain ranges of the Mojave Desert
Category:Mountain ranges of the Lower Colorado River Valley
Category:Mountain ranges of San Bernardino County, California
Category:National Natural Landmarks in California
Category:Nature reserves in California
Category:Protected areas of the Mojave Desert
Category:Protected areas of the Colorado Desert
Category:Protected areas of San Bernardino County, California
Category:Bureau of Land Management areas in California
Category:Wilderness areas within the Lower Colorado River Valley