This isolated environment is of special interest because not only are firs found there, but a considerable part of the fir forest biota as well, all isolated by many miles from their nearest congener. One finds high mountain mammals, insects, snakes and lizards, and birds in this little enclave, and all have been isolated by an encroaching sea of inhospitable desert that has arisen around the base of the mountain in recent times. The situation represents a powerful and intriguing evolutionary island. A diverse and interesting flora exists on the mountain. At its lowest point a creosote bush scrub gives way to Joshua Tree woodland, which merges as one climbs into Garreya-Purshia scrub into a mixed juniper-pinyon forest, and finally into white fir. The floral variety is very great.       Granite Mountain #1 The 6,700 foot high Granite Mountains of San Bernardino County are an isolated mountain range which has most of the major habitat types found in the Mojave Desert. The graded Kelbaker Road borders the range on the east and the Kelso Dunes, largest aeolian sand deposit in the Mojave Desert, lie to the north. Included in the range are permanent springs, granite boulder fields and hills, alluvial bajadas, intermittent stream courses, and a variety of minor habitats. The fauna is typical of the central Mojave Desert and includes a very large migratory avifauna, many species being attracted by the available water. Nesting golden eagles occur as residents, as do Cooper's hawks, desert quail, black-throated sparrows, gnatcatchers, thrashers, and many others. The mammals include desert bighorn sheep, coyotes, spotted skunks, badgers, kit foxes, chipmunks and squirrels, many species of bats, kangaroo rats, pocket mice, trade rats, and burros. Reptiles and amphibians include the sidewinder rattlesnake, blackheaded snake, fringe-toed sand lizard, chuckwalla, desert iguana, and desert red-spotted toad. The flora of the area includes one of the best and most extensive undisturbed sites of high desert vegetation in California. At the higher elevations pinyon pine and juniper are dominant. The canyons support willow, coffee berry, silk tassel, and canyon live oak. The canyon live oak is a relic of the Pleistocene period when conditions were much moister than at present and it is now confined to a few highly favorable sites. The alluvial fans support majave yucca, mesquite, catclaw, boxthorn, bladder sage, cottonthorn, turpentine broom, wild buckwheat, a large uncommon species of mormon tea, and a dozen species of cacti. A rare, highly aromatic mint known from only one other locality exists on south-facing granite ledges. During the spring months many species of annual wildflowers carpet the landscape. The only commercial activity in the Granite Mountains is grazing and some water sources have been developed by the grazing lease holders. Most of the area is public domain land managed by the Bureau of Land Management although there are some private inholdings.

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