Variety and Adventure in the California Desert: A Guide to Responsible Recreation
Key Findings
As this report demonstrates, there are many adventurous and fulfilling ways to recreate in the desert. Proper planning has resulted in a balance of public land uses that serve both motorized and non-motorized hobbies. Rather than keeping people from enjoying the desert, the California Desert Protection Act has reserved spaces of beauty, tranquility, and recreational opportunities that might have been lost had protection not been adopted.
The desert national parks are particularly well suited to non-motorized recreation such as hiking, camping, equestrian riding, biking, stargazing, rock climbing, birding, orienteering, caving, and cultural sightseeing. BLM and California State lands supplement this mission by offering outlets for motorized and non-motorized recreation on land and water. Other government agencies increase recreational access through specialized facilities located closer to population centers.
As urban centers continue to grow, proper planning and responsible use will ensure balanced use of public land in the desert. Both motorized and non-motorized recreation can be pursued without any single use overwhelming or encroaching upon another. Resources can be properly allocated and conserved by the integrated planning of all land management agencies on a regional level.
Ongoing investment in all these treasured places is required to preserve them for present and future generations. Without adequate funding, facilities fall into decline, users become frustrated, and recreational planners are unable to maintain balanced access to public lands.
