Introduction
The United States Congress designated the Harcuvar Mountains Wilderness (
map) in 1990 and it now has a total of
25,050 acres.
All of this wilderness is located in
Arizona and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management.
Description
This desert encompasses over 10 miles of the Harcuvar Mountains' ridgeline, from an elevation of 2,400 feet on the bajadas to more than 5,100 feet on the mountainous crest. Plant and animal communities thrive on diverse landforms, including a 3,500-acre "island" of interior chaparral habitat on the northern ridgeline that hides a few species of wildlife cut off from their parent populations: rosy boas, Gilbert's skinks, and desert night lizards. Desert bighorn sheep live alongside mountain lions, desert tortoises, golden eagles, and several species of hawks. Isolated from the rest of the world, the Harcuvar Mountains offer splendid and lonely backpacking in the canyons and on the ridges.
