California BLM Areas

Copyright: Bureau of Land Management Rainbow Basin Natural Area, Barstow BLM Field Office

Description - The BLM manages 14.5 million acres of public land in California. The diverse terrain of this land ranges from sagebrush plains to old-growth forests, from rolling sand dunes to the rugged Pacific coastline, and from lush riparian areas to arid high deserts.

Attractions - California's BLM lands are distributed among four districts and within those districts lay nearly 70 recreation destinations that comprise cultural, natural, recreational and scenic attractions.

The recreation experiences are as diverse as the public lands themselves. You'll find backcountry byways, boating and rafting waters, numerous OHV play areas, challenging mountain bike routes, scenic horseback paths, and foot trails that lead to some of America's most stunning landscapes. Best of all, with the exception of some campgrounds, cost no fee to use. Unless otherwise posted, all public lands are open to recreation use.

Notable recreation areas on BLM lands in California include the King Range National Conservation Area, one of the state's last pockets of coastal wilderness; the Bizz Johnson National Recreation Trail that winds through the rugged Susan River Canyon; the Imperial Sand Dunes also referred to as America's Sahara reaching 300 feet into the sky and stretch more than 40 miles along the eastern edge of the Imperial Valley; and located in the scenic Sierra Nevada, the hard-charging Merced River where river runners have ample opportunity to punch rapids at their own pace.

Bring your sense of adventure to California's BLM lands but please remember that there are other users of these lands, such as livestock grazing and mineral development, to name just a few.

Recreation - California's BLM lands provide recreational opportunities in the form of hiking trails, rivers, off-highway-vehicle areas, short-term and long-term campgrounds, and more than 3.5 million acres of wilderness.

Climate - A Mediterranean type climate predominates throughout California, with most of the precipitation occurring between the months of November and April. The climate varies with elevation and proximity to the coast. The lower elevations experience relatively warm to hot temperatures year round, with rain much more frequent in the winter months than in the summer months. The high elevations experience cold temperatures and receive heavy snow during the winter.

Location - California's BLM lands are scattered throughout the state. Lands include coastal areas as well as mountains and desert. There are 16 Field Offices. The State Office is located in Sacramento.

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