A great hike can leave a lasting impression, as one US congresswoman recently proved. Less than eight months after she hiked through Painted Canyon of Mecca Hills in California, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland's bid to grant the area National Monument status has been approved.
On Tuesday, January 7, the White House announced that President Biden had signed a proclamation creating the Chuckwalla National Monument in the desert just south of Joshua Tree National Park, as well as Sáttítla Highlands National Monument, a volcanic landscape in Northern California.
The Chuckwalla National Monument will protect more than 624,000 acres of lands at the confluence of the Mojave and Colorado Deserts, including the ancestral homelands of the Cahuilla, Chemehuevi, Mojave, Quechan, and Serrano Nations, and other Indigenous peoples.
"California is now home to two new national monuments that honor the tribes that have stewarded these lands since time immemorial. Thanks to President Biden and the leadership of California tribes and local communities, we’re protecting 840,000 acres of some of our state’s most culturally significant lands," says Governor Gavin Newsom.
The landscape showcases a spectacular desert landscape of mountain ranges, rock formations, palm oases, desert-wash woodlands and canyons including Painted Canyon, where hikers can explore in the shadow of towering rock walls.
On May 18, 2024, Haaland was part of a group including Chairman Thomas Tortez, Jr. of the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians that did just that. She tells SF Gate that the visit was instrumental in her recommendation to the president.
“Hiking through Painted Canyon’s soft sand and climbing out of the canyon alongside Chairman Tortez allowed me to hear directly from him about how his ancestors cared for the land and why they considered it sacred."
According to the official White House press release, establishing the new National Monument caps off the President's efforts to create the 600-mile Moab to Mojave Conservation Corridor which includes Bears Ears National Monument and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The area is the largest corridor of protected lands in the continental US, covering nearly 18 million acres.
The move brings the number of National Monuments in California up to 21, in addition to the state's six National Parks, many of which offer some of the best hiking in the country.
Tips for hiking in the desert
Desert hiking is a way to see some of the most unusual and iconic landscapes in the US. After all, if you want to wade through the Narrows in Zion, survey Badwater Basin in Death Valley or sink into the soft white sand dunes of New Mexico, you’ll have to be willing to cross the desert to do so. Desert hiking also requires a specific skill set to make sure you stay safe.
In addition to carrying extra water, you'll want to dress in light-colored, breathable layers to protect your skin from the sun. Consider a base layer like the Patagonia Long-Sleeved Capilene Cool Lightweight Shirt in Thermal Blue which wicks sweat and dries quickly, and a windbreaker such as the Patagonia Houdini.
The desert is a place of extremes so you should also carry thermal layers like a down jacket for cold overnights and you'll often need to hike early in the morning or later in the afternoon to avoid extreme heat. For footwear, you won't often need waterproof shoes so look instead for something breathable but with good traction for tricky terrain, such as the Merrell Speed Eco shoes which are light but offer serious bite.
Finally, it's important to understand the risks associated with rain in the desert, as this can quickly cause flash flooding, and to familiarize yourself with the wildlife that may be encountered, such as rattlesnakes. Learn more in our article on desert hiking.
