Courthouse News Service: Between Joshua Tree and Salton Sea, a new national monument
MECCA HILLS, Calif. (CN) — Stand among the jagged rock formations here, with the clear desert sky above, and it feels like you're deep in the wilderness, far removed from cars and other signs of modern life.
But Mecca Hills — part of the newly established Chuckwalla National Monument — is not in the middle of nowhere. Instead, this sanctuary is right on the periphery of popular and upscale vacation spots like Palm Springs, Joshua Tree National Park and the site of Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
Now, visitors will have another reason to visit this part of Southern California. Just days before he left office and following years of advocacy by tribes, conservationists and lawmakers, former President Joe Biden on Jan. 14 signed a proclamation designating Chuckwalla as a national monument. He did the same for the Sáttítla Highlands in Northern California.