Otay Mountain Wilderness
| Otay Mountain Wilderness | |
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IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape)
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Signpost of Otay Mountain Ecological Reserve with Otay Mountain in the background
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 Location in California
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| Location | San Diego County, United States |
| Nearest city | Otay Mesa |
| Coordinates | 32°35′40″N 116°50′40″W / 32.59444°N 116.84444°WCoordinates: 32°35′40″N 116°50′40″W / 32.59444°N 116.84444°W |
| Area | 16,885 acres (6,833 ha) |
| Established | 1999 |
| Governing body | Bureau of Land Management |
The Otay Mountain Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness Area located in San Diego County, California, 12 miles east of the city of Otay Mesa and just north of the Mexican border. Some parts of the wilderness area rise quickly from sea level, reaching a peak of just over 3,500 feet (1,100 m) at the summit of Otay Mountain.
Wilderness status was conferred on October 7, 1998, effectively preserving 18,500 acres under protection of the Wilderness Act, a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System. The legislation was signed by President Bill Clinton on December 11, 1999.
The wilderness lies in the San Ysidro Mountains, of which Otay Mountain is the highest summit at 3,566 feet (1,087 m). The mountain, and its immediate surroundings, are extremely rugged and include steep, often precipitous, canyon walls and hills.
The public lands within the Otay Mountain Wilderness are one of the last remaining pristine locations in western San Diego County. Adjacent to the Mexican border, it is internationally known for its diversity of unique and sensitive plants. The area plays a critical role in San Diego's multi-species conservation plan.
The San Ysidro Mountains are remnants of a chain of ancient volcanoes from which meta-volcanic soils form, sustaining a diverse chaparral community dominated by chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum), mixed chaparral and coastal sagebrush habitats.
The world's largest stand of Tecate cypress (Cupressus forbesii) are found at Otay Mountain Wilderness, as are at least 15 plant species that are candidates for federal listing as threatened or endangered species. In all 37 plant species found on Otay Mountain are listed as sensitive by the California Native Plant Society, at least five, including the Tecate cypress, occur only on Otay Mountain or in the immediate are.
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