Sonoran Desert National Monument
| Sonoran Desert National Monument | |||
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| Location: | Arizona , United States | ||
| Specialty: | Desert landscape with mountain ranges | ||
| Next city: | Gila Bend | ||
| Surface: | 2,008.6 km² | ||
| Founding: | January 17, 2001 | ||
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Sonoran Desert National Monument is a nature reserve of the type of a national monument in the south of the US state Arizona . It protects parts of the Sonoran Desert with several mountain ranges. It was established on January 17, 2001 by President Bill Clinton in his final days of office without consultation with the US Congress or the state of Arizona by Presidential Proclamation . The federally owned land was administered by the Bureau of Land Management , an agency under the umbrella of the US Department of the Interior , which continues to administer the protected area after it was designated.
As early as 1990, around 31% of the area of the later National Monument was designated as a wilderness area , the three areas North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness , South Maricopa Mountains Wilderness and Table Top Wilderness are now particularly strictly protected core areas within the protected area.
description
The National Monument is located in Maricopa County in southern Arizona, only about 35 km southwest of Phoenix . Right through the Sonoran Desert National Monument leads the Interstate Highway I-8 and Arizona State Route 238 . The stretch of road west of AZ 238 is not officially part of the State Route System and is referred to as Maricopa County Road 238 . A railway line also runs through the area. An unpaved section of the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trails , the historic route of a train of Spanish soldiers under Colonel Juan Bautista de Anza 1775/76, also runs through the area.
From northwest to southeast, the Maricopa Mountains run through the reserve, a chain of hills with a maximum height of 850 m, in the southeast is the 1333 m high Table Top Mountain , which is thus even visible from Phoenix.
The most conspicuous plant of the desert vegetation is the candelabra or saguaro cactus, several Opuntia cacti are also typical for the high altitudes , in particular of the subgenus Cylindropuntia , also called Cholla, as well as the ocotillo ( Fouquieria splendens ), which is native to the Sonoran desert . Mesquites and creosote bushes grow in flatter areas .
The wildlife includes numerous species. The mammal species in the reserve include cave monkeys , bighorn sheep , puma , coyote , bobcat , gray fox , mule deer and collar pekari . Over 200 species of birds are found in the area. Including several species of toothed quail and birds of prey . Eleven species of owls, including the western screech owl , live there. In addition, various reptile species and the California gopher tortoise .
The sanctuary
Like almost all National Monuments that have been newly established in recent years, Sonoran Desert is still under construction. There is no visitor center, no campsites, developed roads or even sources of drinking water. Visitors can use the area for hiking, natural history excursions, and nature photography. Hunting is also permitted within the framework of the statutory provisions. Everyone is allowed to camp freely in the area, but only the existing sand slopes are allowed to be used. Off-road, trekking is the only way of getting around.
Of the proportion of sand Tank Mountains in the southwest of the reserve a special access permit is required because the National Monument there with the military training area Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range overlaps. The US Air Force uses adjacent areas as training grounds for dropping aerial bombs , and visitors are specifically instructed on how to avoid dealing with duds .
Web links
- Bureau of Land Management: Sonoran Desert National Monument (official site )
- wilderness.net: The Wilderness Areas in the National Monument (English)
- The American Southwest: Sonoran Desert National Monument (English)