Black Mountain

Not to be confused with any of the five other peaks named "Black Mountain" on the Hundred Peaks Section list, this one serves as the high point of the El Paso Mountains Wilderness in the western Mojave Desert, an area known for its historic archaeological discoveries. From Redrock Randsburg Road, turn left onto Mesquite Canyon Road and drive about six miles until the road crosses sandy wash. (A 4x4 vehicle is required to reach this point.) The route follows the road briefly before climbing a gentle southeastern spur which is studded with black volcanic boulders and creosote brush. Black Mountain's nearly two-thousand feet of prominence bestows expansive views of the surrounding badlands terrain and the foothills of the southern Sierra Nevada.