Bare desert hills in the foreground with snow capped peaks in the background.

Sand to Snow National Monument

CAUTION: The Pacific Crest Trail is severely damaged through Whitewater and Mission Creek in Sand to Snow National Monument (PCT miles 235-239). Visit the PCT Association's website for more info and alternative route options.

Overview

 The Sand to Snow National Monument was created by Presidential Proclamation by former President Barack Obama on February 12, 2016.  The Monument encompasses 154,000 acres and is co-managed by the U.S. Forest Service (71,000 acres), and Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office (73,461 acres) and Barstow Field Office (9,539 acres).

The Monument is an ecological and cultural treasure and is one of the most biodiverse areas in southern California, supporting more than 240 species of birds and 12 threatened and endangered wildlife species.  Its designation protects hundreds of sacred American Indian petroglyphs, archaeological, and cultural sites. 

Sacred Heritage

The Serrano and Cahuilla Indian people lived at the base of San Gorgonio Mountain and considered it a sacred place.  The Mountain provided food, medicinal plants, basket making material, deer and other animals to hunt. San Gorgonio Pass served as a major trade route from Arizona to the California coast.

 

Camping

 Campfire permits are required and may be restricted during fire season.  Fire danger is extreme for most of the year.  Campfire permits can be obtained online at www.preventwildfireca.org.  To learn more about the do's and don'ts for dispersed camping please visit: www.blm.gov/camping.

Recreation

The 11,500-foot San Gorgonio Mountain rises sharply from the Sonoran Desert floor and is the highest peak in California south of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. The Monument includes 30 miles of the 2,600-mile Pacific Crest Trail, and visitors can enjoy, hiking, camping, backpacking, climbing, horseback riding, hunting, fishing, stargazing, mountain biking, photography, wildlife viewing, cross country skiing, and solitude. A series of preserves owned by the Wildlands Conservancy are managed for public access and serve as entry points from the north, south, and east of the Monument. 

Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Use

The Sand to Snow National Monument encompasses more than 100,000 acres of Congressionally designated wilderness and is closed to all motorized vehicles including OHVs, all-terrain vehicles, motorboats, motorized equipment, bicycles, motorcycles, hang gliders, wagons, carts, and portage wheels.

For More Information

Quick Facts

Presidential Proclamation
White House Fact Sheet
Created:  February 12, 2016
Size:  154,000 acres of public land Bureau of Land Management acres: 83,000 U.S. Forest Service acres: 71,000

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Sand to Snow National Monument

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Contact Us

Bureau of Land Management 
Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office 

1201 Bird Center Drive 
Palm Springs, California 92262 
Phone: 760-833-7100 
Email: BLM_CA_Web_PS@blm.gov

Bureau of Land Management 
Barstow Field Office

2601 Barstow Rd
Barstow, CA 92311
Phone: 760-252-6000
Email: BLM_CA_Web_BA@blm.gov

United States Forest Service
San Bernardino National Forest
Forest Headquarters

602 S. Tippecanoe Ave
San Bernardino, CA 92408
Phone: 909-382-2600
TDD/TTY: 800-735-2922

San Gorgonio Wilderness Association
Mill Creek Visitor Center

34701 Mill Creek Road
Mentone, CA 92359
Phone: 909-382-2882