Trigo Mountains Wilderness
Encyclopedia
Trigo Mountains Wilderness is a 30300 acres (12,262 ha) wilderness area
in the U.S. state
of Arizona
and was established in 1990. It is located 30 miles (48.3 km) north of Yuma
east of the Colorado River
in an area called the Lower Colorado River Valley
. It is a 15 miles (24.1 km) stretch of ridgeline of the rugged desert Trigo Mountains
and is adjacent to historical mines, the Red Cloud and Hart Mine. These rugged desert mountain ecosystems are home to the Desert Bighorn Sheep
.
The wilderness area is one of the many wildernesses located within the Lower Colorado River Valley. The Trigo Mountains Wilderness is the northeastern mountain border of the Imperial National Wildlife Refuge along the Colorado River. It is also just east of the Cibola National Wildlife Refuge.
This ecoregion portion of the Colorado River Valley, of two waterfowl
refuges, and mountains is associated with the US Army installation of the Yuma Proving Grounds. A major mountain system lies just eastwards, the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge
, (with its adjacent Wilderness Area). It is separated by bajada
plains from the Trigo Mountains, and other ranges; local tribes of burro
s and mustang
s occur; also mountain lions and bobcat
. Free species movements occur, though some animal control is required for the burros and horses along the major route US 95, (north-south route).
National Wilderness Preservation System
The National Wilderness Preservation System of the United States protects federally managed land areas designated for preservation in their natural condition. It was established by the Wilderness Act upon the signature of President Lyndon B. Johnson on September 3, 1964...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
and was established in 1990. It is located 30 miles (48.3 km) north of Yuma
Yuma, Arizona
Yuma is a city in and the county seat of Yuma County, Arizona, United States. It is located in the southwestern corner of the state, and the population of the city was 77,515 at the 2000 census, with a 2008 Census Bureau estimated population of 90,041....
east of the Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
in an area called the Lower Colorado River Valley
Lower Colorado River Valley
The Lower Colorado River Valley is the river region of the lower Colorado River of the southwestern United States in North America that rises in the Rocky Mountains and has its outlet at the Colorado River Delta in the northern Sea of Cortez in northwestern Mexico, between the states of Baja...
. It is a 15 miles (24.1 km) stretch of ridgeline of the rugged desert Trigo Mountains
Trigo Mountains
The Trigo Mountains is a north-south trending mountain range, bordering the Colorado River on the east in the Lower Colorado River Valley and lies north of the Colorado River as it turns east, north of Martinez Lake and the Imperial Reservoir...
and is adjacent to historical mines, the Red Cloud and Hart Mine. These rugged desert mountain ecosystems are home to the Desert Bighorn Sheep
Desert Bighorn Sheep
The Desert Bighorn Sheep is a subspecies of Bighorn Sheep that occurs in the desert Southwest regions of the United States and in the northern regions of Mexico. The trinomial of this species commemorates the American naturalist Edward William Nelson...
.
The wilderness area is one of the many wildernesses located within the Lower Colorado River Valley. The Trigo Mountains Wilderness is the northeastern mountain border of the Imperial National Wildlife Refuge along the Colorado River. It is also just east of the Cibola National Wildlife Refuge.
This ecoregion portion of the Colorado River Valley, of two waterfowl
Waterfowl
Waterfowl are certain wildfowl of the order Anseriformes, especially members of the family Anatidae, which includes ducks, geese, and swans....
refuges, and mountains is associated with the US Army installation of the Yuma Proving Grounds. A major mountain system lies just eastwards, the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge
Kofa National Wildlife Refuge
The Kofa National Wildlife Refuge is located northeast of Yuma, Arizona, southeast of Quartzsite, Arizona, in the southwestern United States. The refuge, established in 1939 to protect Desert Bighorn Sheep, encompasses over of the Yuma Desert region of the Sonoran Desert...
, (with its adjacent Wilderness Area). It is separated by bajada
Bajada
Bajada may refer to:*Bajada a festival common to the Canary islands* Bajada, a compound Alluvial fan* La Bajada, an escarpment of the Caja del Rio, New Mexico, USA* Clint Bajada , Maltese TV and radio personality...
plains from the Trigo Mountains, and other ranges; local tribes of burro
Burro
The burro is a small donkey used primarily as a pack animal. In addition, significant numbers of feral burros live in the Southwestern United States, where they are protected by law, and in Mexico...
s and mustang
Mustang (horse)
A Mustang is a free-roaming horse of the North American west that first descended from horses brought to the Americas by the Spanish. Mustangs are often referred to as wild horses, but there is intense debate over terminology...
s occur; also mountain lions and bobcat
Bobcat
The bobcat is a North American mammal of the cat family Felidae, appearing during the Irvingtonian stage of around 1.8 million years ago . With twelve recognized subspecies, it ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, including most of the continental United States...
. Free species movements occur, though some animal control is required for the burros and horses along the major route US 95, (north-south route).
See also
- WildernessWildernessWilderness or wildland is a natural environment on Earth that has not been significantly modified by human activity. It may also be defined as: "The most intact, undisturbed wild natural areas left on our planet—those last truly wild places that humans do not control and have not developed with...
- List of U.S. Wilderness Areas
- List of Arizona Wilderness Areas
- List of Arizona Wilderness Areas (LCRV)