Beauty Mountain Wilderness

Beauty Mountain Wilderness is a 15,627-acre property in the middle of an area of exploding development. The eastern half of the wilderness is made up of steep, rugged ridges surrounding 5,548-foot Beauty Mountain. The western half is more gentle, a less-deeply incised plateau. The canyons around Beauty Mountain were formed by runoff eroding deeply into areas of less resistant rock.

The wilderness is habitat for several endangered species and a wildlife corridor for others. The Million Dollar Spring, on the slopes of Beauty Mountain, is considered one of California's most pristine watersheds. The landscape is dominated by granite outcroppings and a chaparral ecosystem.

All the above said, the north, west and east boundaries of the wilderness are against private land. Part of the east boundary is also along a setback from the California Riding and Hiking Trail.