A fenced BLM natural area in the Yuha Desert preserving one of California’s largest stands of crucifixion thorn (Castela emoryi), a rare Sonoran Desert shrub otherwise more common in Arizona and Mexico. A walk-in entry off State Route 98 lets visitors see the spiny assemblage without OHV intrusion—complementing nearby Yuha cultural landscape stops without repeating the Anza Overlook, Algodones dunes, or Carrizo Badlands pins.
Field facts
| Region | Imperial County, CA |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 32.6700, -115.8915 |
| Manager | BLM El Centro Field Office |
| Botany | Crucifixion thorn (Castela emoryi) assemblage on a small playa; rare in California |
| Access | Walk-in entry along SR-98 / BLM route 282 area SE of Ocotillo |
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