Castle Mountains

From the sweeping vistas atop towering Hart Mountain to the rocky canyons and sandy washes of the valley floor below, Castle Mountains National Monument celebrates the spirit of adventure, inspiration and sense of wonder evoked by the California desert. The monument is a biologically diverse gem: golden eagles, Swainson’s hawks and prairie falcons soar through the clear blue skies, while mountain lions, bighorn sheep, coyotes and bobcats traverse its rugged terrain. The Castle Mountains are also home to a unique assemblage of plants, some of which are found nowhere else in California, as well as the historic mining town of Hart where miners searched for gold in the early 20th century. Visitors can enjoy stunning vistas of California and Nevada desert mountain ranges, including Nevada’s Spirit Mountain, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and revered by numerous southwestern Native American tribes.