U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORBUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
California

 Wilderness

Funeral Mountains

Funeral Mountains (near Death Valley National Park)

Congress designated 69 BLM Wilderness Areas when it passed the California Desert Protection Act of 1994. Fourteen of those are partly or completely within the area managed by BLM's Barstow Field Office. Wilderness within the area totals nearly 563,000 acres. Five other areas covered by the Barstow Field Office are still being considered for wilderness designation; they total more than 270,000 acres. 

Many of these lands are within an easy drive of desert towns. Some are located near Death Valley National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, and Mojave National Preserve.

  Wilderness (acres within the Barstow Field Office Area):

Wilderness Area

Size in Acres 
(Federal only)

Public Law Number

Designation Date

Bighorn Mountain

26,573

103-433

10/31/1994

Black Mountain 20,537 103-433 10/31/1994
Cleghorn Lakes 33,475 103-433 10/31/1994
Funeral Mountains 25,696 103-433 10/31/1994
Hollow Hills 22,037 103-433 10/31/1994
Ibex 28,809 103-433 10/31/1994
Kingston Range 199,525 103-433 10/31/1994
Newberry Mountains 20,308 103-433 10/31/1994
Nopah Range 106,579 103-433 10/31/1994
Pahrump Valley 72,378 103-433 10/31/1994
Resting Spring Range 76,280 103-433 10/31/1994
Rodman Mountains 29,793 103-433 10/31/1994
Saddle Peak Hills 1,528 103-433 10/31/1994
South Nopah Range 17,050 103-433 10/31/1994

Terrain features include dry lake beds, vast alluvial fans, low dry hills, rocky highlands and a few summits above 6,000 feet. Mojave Desert plant communities are typical; spring flower displays are unpredictable, but can be surprisingly showy. Cool season visits are recommended (October - April); leave hot-weather hiking to the initiated.

Visitor use is light; overall wilderness qualities remain very high - solitude, natural conditions, opportunities for unconfined recreation. Hiking, horseback riding, backpacking, primitive camping, rockhounding, nature study, photography, rock climbing and hunting are allowed. Motorized activities, mountain biking, hang gliding and competitive pursuits are accommodated outside wilderness.

Water is extremely limited and critical for wildlife survival; bring your own. Some lands are subject to private property rights, cattle grazing, or valid mining activity. Traditionally, dry washes have been more than adequate travel networks. As a result, we expect that few constructed trails will be needed in the near future.