Providence Mountains State Recreation Area, "Home of Mitchell Caverns"

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Providence Mountains State Recreation Area, "Home of Mitchell Caverns"

Home of Mitchell Caverns

06/16/2026

How do you know the Mojave Desert is getting hot? Well, if the cold-blooded lizards are stilting to get maintain distance from scorching rocks, you know.

This young chuckwalla (Sauromalus ater) was trying to stay cool as he explored the rocks along the Cave Trail. These lizard yoga poses may be catching on: "Now everyone, let's assume the Cooking Chuckwalla position."

06/12/2026

The late spring has been particularly popular with our speckled rattlesnakes (Croatulus pyrrhus). Staff and visitors have seen them dozens of times. Despite their reputation, rattlesnakes are actually delightful neighbors: they keep rodents in check (an endless problem), they have beautiful patterns on their scales, and they tend to remind you they are around and do not want to be hassled with their namesake rattles. If you see one, let it be.

06/04/2026

Breaking News! There are juniper titmouse (Baeolophus ridgwayi) in the canyons here. Remain calm.

This small bird is described as uncommon on our bird list. The list is dated, but this is accurate. They are rarely seen by park staff.

The Merlin birding app describes the juniper titmouse as "possibly the plainest bird in North America...Despite dull plumage it is undeniably cute with a large eye and plain face." This is also accurate.

06/01/2026

Today was the last day of our double tour schedule. Next weekend, and all of June, we will have only a single 10am tour of Mitchell Caverns per day we are open to the public. The park closes entirely for the months of July and August.

Despite having less tours, there are a lot of openings for June. It is getting hot (hence the 10am tour start) but if you are familiar with desert conditions or just cannot wait to get underground, get on ReserveCalifornia.com and use the "Activities" tab to get your entry into Mitchell Caverns.

05/26/2026

Memorial Day is a sacred holiday to commemorate those fallen in military service to our country.

Mitchell Caverns itself also holds evidence of this sacrifice. Inscribed within its passages are the names of men who were training for the Second World War in the valley below us, at one of General Patton's Desert Training Center camps. Many of the men who wrote these while on an R&R tour given by Jack Mitchell never came home from the conflict.

05/24/2026

It is World Turtle Day and we are celebrating. This park is home to the iconic Mojave desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii), our California State Reptile.

All tortoises are turtles, but not all turtles are tortoises. Tortoises are a variety of turtle that have distinct characteristics: they are terrestrial and spend virtually no time in water, primarily herbivores, have long lifespans, and stout, column like limbs for better locomotion on land.

05/22/2026

Back in November, a young Cooper's hawk (Astur cooperi) took a bath at this park. These mid-sized raptors are bird hunters. Bathing keeps their feathers clean.

05/19/2026

This park was a veritable snake city this weekend. A five-foot long gophersnake (Pituophis catenifer) crashed the Friday afternoon tour. And Saturday afternoon had two speckled rattlesnakes (Crotalus pyrrhus) out and about.

05/17/2026

While living in Mitchell Caverns with her kitten, this momma bobcat (Lynx rufus) brought a great horned owl (Bubo virginianus) THAT SHE HUNTED back for eating. Trail camera video from late August 2024.

Address

38200 Essex Road
Essex, CA
92332

Telephone

+17609282586

Website

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=615

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