Muggins Mountains Wilderness
And you may get a chance to glimpse mule deer, coyotes, rabbits, Gila monsters, desert tortoise and other wildlife you wouldn't see while trekking through your neighborhood. There are no developed trails, but depending on your physical ability, you may either take an easy walk through the Muggins Wash, or a strenuous climb up the nearby peaks.
"People can pretty much choose their own levels of difficulty," said Aaron Curtis, Bureau of Land Management recreation planner. Even people with limited physical ability can de-stress while experiencing the wilderness from high clearance vehicles as long as they stay on designated roads or in Muggins Wash, he said.
It's important for people to observe vehicle boundary markers, he said. "The whole purpose of wilderness is to have lands with no influence of man, and vehicle tracks are obvious signs of man. Unfortunately, vehicle tracks on primitive desert gravel will remain for generations."
Driving in the Muggins area is not recommended during or after a rain because the roads become slick and dangerous, he warned. And whenever people hike or drive in a wash, they need to always be looking for a quick way out.
Although it may not be raining right on top of them, rain in another area may send a flash flood rushing toward them from farther up the wash, he said. In addition to dangers, people should also be aware of wilderness ethics.
Wilderness ethics boils down to leaving the land like you found it, so there's minimum impact on it, Curtis said. Rocks and plants cannot be taken from wilderness areas. And all trash, including toilet paper, must be carried out.
If you take care of the wilderness, others can enjoy it for generations to come, he said. For more information, call 928-317-3200 or visit www.blm.gov/az/rec/muggins.htm
For Your Safety!
- Let a friend know where you plan to go and when you expect to return.
- Plan your trip. Take plenty of water; there are no permanent water sources or facilities in the Muggins Mountains.
- Be prepared for temperature extremes. Check weather forecasts. Dehydration and heat exhaustion can be life threatening. In colder months, guard against hypothermia.
- Pace yourself and recognize your limitations as well as your abilities. The terrain is rugged and there are no established trails.
Watch your footing! Source:
Bureau of Land Management
How to get there:
From Yuma, travel east along Interstate 8 to the Dome Valley exit. Travel east through Ligurta to Dome Valley Road and turn north. Follow Dome Valley Road to Avenue 20E. Take Avenue 20E north to County 7th Street and turn east.
Travel east on County 7th Street past the old Dome Valley Transfer Station (small structure enclosed by chain link fence).
Continue on primitive road for about 2 miles to access Muggins Wash. Although there is no designated parking, you may park near the information kiosk. High clearance vehicles are recommended.
