Bigelow Cholla Garden Wilderness
Bigelow Cholla Garden Wilderness is a 14,645-acre wilderness area in San Bernardino County, California. It rises from about 1,629 to 3,304 ft. The nearest town is Willow Valley, 10.6 miles away in a straight line.
Bigelow Cholla Garden Wilderness map
Bigelow Cholla Garden Wilderness boundary from USGS PAD-US or the managing agency, simplified for display. Not for navigation or legal boundaries.
Fire restrictions
Fire restriction orders for this unit are not tracked here yet. Restrictions change with the season, so check the current orders before any campfire, stove or target shooting.
Common questions
- Willow Valley, AZ is the nearest town, 10.6 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance). The wilderness.net page for this area places it about 18 miles west of Needles.
- The highest ground in Bigelow Cholla Garden Wilderness is about 3,304 ft, and its lowest about 1,629 ft (USGS 3DEP elevation model).
Who manages Bigelow Cholla Garden Wilderness
| Agency | Acres | Permit | Group size | Stay limit | Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLM | 14,645 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record | Needles Field Office, 760-326-7000 |
Getting to Bigelow Cholla Garden Wilderness
- Willow Valley, AZ is the nearest town, 10.6 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance). (US Census places, accessed 2026-09-29)
- The wilderness.net page for this area places it about 18 miles west of Needles.
- Access roads named on the area's wilderness.net page: Interstate 40.
Position, roads and vehicle notes: wilderness.net page for Bigelow Cholla Garden Wilderness, accessed 2026-09-29. Roads and conditions change; check with the managing office before driving in.
Public lands next to Bigelow Cholla Garden Wilderness
- BLM unitBigelow Cholla Garden Wilderness lies inside Mojave Trails National Monument.
- Wilderness areaPiute Mountains Wilderness is 1.7 miles away, straight line between the two boundaries.
- Wilderness areaDead Mountains Wilderness is 2.7 miles away, straight line between the two boundaries.
Measured between the units' boundaries as mapped in USGS PAD-US. Distances are straight line, not driving.
Other wilderness areas in California
- https://wilderness.net/visit-wilderness/?ID=46 (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/Elevation/1/TIFF/current/n35w115/USGS_1_n35w115.tif (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2025_Gazetteer/2025_gaz_place_04.txt (accessed 2026-09-29)