Environmental Assessment: Re-route Barber Peak Loop Trail Outside of 

Hole-in-the-Wall Campground, Mojave National Preserve

Geologic Formation at Eye Level, Proposed Re-Route for Barber Peak Loop Trail, Mojave National Preserve

February 10, 2011

Mojave National Preserve

2701 Barstow Road

Barstow, CA 92311
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PURPOSE and NEED

Mojave National Preserve constructed a six-mile loop trail in the Hole-in-the-Wall area in 2007. 

Now known as the Barber Peak Loop, this trail begins and ends at the Hole-in-the-Wall 

campground. Visitors using this trail over the past two years have brought to the attention of 

park staff several issues regarding the campground portion.

Located near the Hole-in-the-Wall Campground, The Barber Peak Loop is one of four trails in 

the Hole-in-the-Wall area. In 2007, a crew of volunteers, with assistance from Mojave National 

Preserve (MOJA) and Joshua Tree National Park (JOTR) staff, constructed three miles of new 

trail that meets up with other existing trails to create the Barber Peak Loop trail. With campers as 

the primary target group, the trailhead was installed at the northern end of the Hole-in-the-Wall 

campground. A short spur trail was constructed from the Hole-in-the-Wall picnic area, where 

there is parking, to the southern end of the campground to complete a loop for hikers headed in a 

counter-clockwise direction. This spur trail allows access to the trail from the parking lot for 

non-campers. 

The Barber Peak Loop trail was originally categorically excluded from further compliance with 

the National Environmental Policy Act in 2007. Most of the loop overlaps pre-existing trails, 

road, and the Hole-in-the-Wall campground. The one segment that required construction cut 

across an active grazing allotment that is heavily impacted by cattle. The extent of disturbance 

by cattle over decades of use was determined to be of such extent that the installation of a trail 

would not further that disturbance to the soils, vegetation and general habitat of the local area. 

Any options to re-route the trail outside of the campground involves new disturbance of existing 

habitat in the Hole-in-the-Wall area. To move the trail outside of the campground, the park must 

cut an alternative route across ungrazed, previously undisturbed habitat. New disturbance to 

habitat cannot be categorically excluded from NEPA; this environmental assessment, therefore, 

has been prepared to address the problems presented by the Barber Peak Loop trail coinciding 

with the Hole-in-the-Wall campground.

Since its construction, park staff has observed conflicts with users of the Barber Peak Loop trail. 

Two different groups of hikers use this loop – campground users and day-use hikers – from 

separate starting points (i.e., trailheads). Campground users start the loop at the northern end of 

the campground heading in a counter-clockwise direction. Day-use hikers park their vehicles at 

the picnic area/parking lot and join the trail in a clockwise direction. At the campground, there is 

no indication of which direction to take to return to the picnic area/parking lot; day-use hikers 

must walk through the campground to return to their vehicles at the day-use area.

Day-use hikers may disturb campground users as they make their way back to their vehicles. 

There is not a clear, continuous path that takes trail users from the northern end of the 

campground back to the picnic area/parking lot. Day-use hikers must walk along the road 

leading to the picnic area/parking lot that is intended for vehicle use. The section of trail route 

that crosses the length of the campground and picnic area/parking lot provides a low-quality 

visitor experience that contrasts with the rest of the experience provided by the Barber Peak 

Loop. On occasion, day-use hikers will park in the campground to start the Barber Peak Loop at 

the northern end; by doing so, they occupy spaces intended for campground users.
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Figure 1: Map of Barber Peak Loop trail

DESCRIPTION OF ALTERNATIVES

Alternative A (No Action): Status Quo

The “No Action” alternative maintains the status quo. The Barber Peak Loop Trail will remain in 

its current location and condition. Trail users will continue to traverse the Hole-in-the-Wall 

campground in order to complete the trail. The campground segment of the trail detracts from an 

otherwise pleasant experience on the Barber Peak Loop. Conflicts between day-use hikers and 

campground users will continue and may increase over time. Conflicts between hikers and 

vehicles along the road leading to the picnic area/parking lot may also continue or increase. The 

Hole-in-the-Wall campground lies within a 100-year floodplain zone1

 1 1998 (July 9). Memorandum from Mike Martin and Gary Smillie, National Park Service, Water Operations 

Branch, to Superintendent, Mojave National Preserve. Trip report for travel to Mojave National Preserve, March 

22-26, 1998. page 7.

. Users of the Barber Peak 

Loop trail will continue to be subject to the risks associated with this natural hazard. The 

National Park Service posts flood warning notices at the campground. Park policy is to evacuate 
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the campground in case of a threatening storm event that might reach the limits of the 100-year 

floodplain.

Figure 2: Barber Peak Loop Trailhead

Alternative B (Preferred): Re-route Barber Peak Loop Trail outside of Hole-in-the-Wall 

Campground

Alternative B is the Preferred Alternative. Mojave National Preserve and Joshua Tree National 

Park staff have developed an option for the Barber Peak Loop to bypass the Hole-in-the-Wall 

campground. The Barber Peak Loop will have one trailhead located at the picnic area/parking 

lot (see Figure 2). The trail will run roughly parallel and to the east of the campground. 

Directional signs will be installed where the proposed alternate route joins the existing trail and 

at all junctions with other trails. The alternate route will direct visitors to a geologic feature that 

is at eye level and is attractive for tactile discovery (see Figure 3). The total length of the Barber 

Peak Loop trail will remain approximately six miles. The proposed alternate segment is 0.7 

miles, replacing the campground segment that measures 0.8 miles.

The National Park Service proposes to construct an alternate route with volunteers and staff from 

Mojave National Preserve and Joshua Tree National Park. All construction will be performed 

with hand tools (e.g., shovels, pulaskis, macleods, and rakes). The trail section will be built 

according to NPS standards (i.e., approximately 18-24 inches wide). Soil may be removed up to 

four inches in depth. In other sections, trail construction will occur over bare rock. Erosion 

barriers and diversions will be installed where the proposed route crosses existing drainages. 

Carsonite directional posts will be installed to mark the hiking path when it is finished. A trails 

crew supervisor from Joshua Tree National Park will supervise volunteers and oversee the 
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construction of this trail segment. The volunteers 

will stay at the Hole-in-the-Wall group campsite 

on the opposite side of Black Canyon Road.

By constructing a trail segment that bypasses the 

campground, the trailhead will be established in 

one location, eliminating confusion among trail 

users about parking, trail direction, and returning 

to the parking lot. Hiking and camping uses will 

be separate, giving campground users a greater 

sense of privacy, and hikers a more scenic route of 

outstanding vistas, interesting rock formations, 

and diverse desert plant life. Potential conflicts 

with hikers and vehicles along the road leading to 

the picnic area/parking lot will be eliminated.

Figure 3: Terrain across which the Proposed Trail 

Re-route segment is mapped

ENVIRONMENTALLY PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE

The Environmentally Preferred Alternative is defined as “the alternative that will promote the 

national environmental policy as expressed in the National Environmental Policy Act’s Section 

101. Ordinarily, this means the alternative that causes the least damage to the biological and 

physical environment; it also means the alternative which best protects, preserves, and enhances 

historic, cultural, and natural resources: (Forty Most Asked Questions Concerning Council on 

Environmental Quality’s National Environmental Policy Act Regulations, 1981).” 

The Preferred Alternative proposes to disturb the native habitat for wildlife and plants to 

construct 0.7 mile of trail that bypasses the campground at Hole-in-the-Wall. While the trail 

would attract visitors to follow its path, it would not inhibit people from hiking throughout the 

area beyond the trail corridor. In comparison, the No Action Alternative continues the Barber 

Loop Trail’s intersection with the Hole-in-the-Wall campground so that day users must walk 

through it to complete the loop and return to their vehicles at the picnic area/parking lot. The No 

Action has fewer adverse impacts to the area’s natural resources and is, therefore, 

environmentally preferred.

ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED BUT REJECTED

Another option for bypassing the Hole-in-the-Wall campground is to build an alternate route 

along the campground’s western boundary. Park staff considered this option but deemed it 

unsuitable. This bypass option is close enough to the campground to offer a view of the 

individual campsites without a visual break (e.g., trees, thick vegetation). Trail users would 

walk near and in plain view of campground users. This option gives the hiker a view of the 

campground and does not separate hiking and camping users sufficiently to alleviate conflicts 
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between these two user groups, leaving both groups with unsatisfactory experiences of their 

intended activity.

To minimize conflicts between hikers and vehicles, the Preserve could pave the dirt campground 

road and construct paved shoulders, a pedestrian walkway to/from the trailhead, and a parking lot 

at the trailhead. This option would require extensive planning and design and considerably more 

funding. It would require sufficient time to secure funding, complete the planning and design 

process, and implement construction. A paved road would detract from the deliberately informal 

character of Mojave’s less developed campground, and of the Park’s mandate to maintain the 

exploratory and discovery aspects of our site. Moreover, this option would not resolve the 

conflict of day-hike users passing through the campground and the problems associated with the 

mingling of day-use hikers and campers.

AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT

Mojave National Preserve lies in an ecologically diverse desert ecosystem that is a transitional 

zone of the Great Basin, Sonoran, and Mojave deserts. Hole-in-the-Wall is located midway along 

the eastern side of the Providence Mountain Range, close to Tabletop Mountain. Providence 

Mountains State Recreation Area and Mitchell Caverns are completely enclosed inside the 

Preserve, and are located about 30 minutes away near the southern end of the Providence 

Mountains. 

Just north of the junction of Black Canyon and the south end of Wild Horse Canyon roads, 

rhyolite cliffs riddled with holes and hollows are the backdrop for Hole-in-the-Wall. Located at 

4,400 feet in elevation, developments in the Hole-in-the-Wall area include a visitor information 

center, the Hole-in-the-Wall campground, a group campsite and an equestrian campsite, an 

interagency fire center shared by the NPS and the Bureau of Land Management, and four hiking 

trails. The Mid Hills campground lies eight miles to the north of Hole-in-the-Wall.

In Banshee Canyon, visitors use metal rings bolted into the sides of a narrow rock canyon to

negotiate the Rings trail. The Rings trail connects to a loop that follows the perimeter of the 

geology of Banshee Canyon. It meets up with the Mid Hills to Hole-in-the-Wall trail, an eightmile connection between the Preserve’s two campgrounds. The Barber Peak Loop trail connects 

the three other trails, then works around the opalite cliffs and meets up with the Hole-in-the-Wall 

campground.

The campground lies within a 100-year floodplain zone. Beyond the floodplain, the area is a 

rocky terrain with scattered vegetation, including various species of cacti, Mojave yucca, grasses, 

shrubs, and creosote. Rhyolite cliffs provide visitors with a view of the unique geology west sof 

the campground. The area directly north of the campground and in the northern section of the 

Barber Peak Loop is part of the Colton Hills grazing allotment and is used by cattle. The area 

west of the campground, where the trail reroute is proposed, has been fenced out of the grazing 

allotment and is not impacted by cattle.
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Figure 4: Proposed Segment to Re-route Barber Peak Trail

ISSUES AND IMPACT TOPICS IDENTIFIED FOR FURTHER ANALYSIS 

The following relevant impact topics are analyzed in the EA. Whether each issue is related to 

taking action or to no action is specified.

Geology, Soils and Vegetation

The area west of the Hole-in-the-Wall Campground has healthy desert vegetation with intact soil 

structure and natural drainage leading away from the rhyolite cliffs. The proposed trail reroute 

crosses this habitat and will lead users to an eye-level, geologic formation. Impacts to these 

resources require further assessment.

Three rare plants are known to occur along the proposed trail: Penstemon stephensii (Stephen’s 

beardtongue), Chamaesyce revoluta (revolute spurge), and Pellaea truncate (spiny cliff-brake). 

None are federally or state listed. Stephen’s beardtongue is a California endemic and one of the 

highest profile rare plants (Andre 2006). It is primarily found in Mojave National Preserve but 

also occurs in the Nopah and Kingston Mountain ranges north of the Preserve. This plant is 

Rare Plants
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documented to occur where the campground bypass has been proposed (Andre 2006). Revolute 

spurge and spiny cliff-brake are not considered to be threatened because they are more 

widespread in distribution and numbers. Both these plants are documented along the proposed 

trail (Andre 2006). Impacts to these resources require further assessment.

Water Resources, Wetlands and Floodplains

There is no sustained surface water near the Hole-in-the-Wall area. Occasional heavy rains have 

caused numerous erosion channels in and near the campground. The Hole-in-the-Wall 

Campground and social trails leading from there to the Barber Peak Loop Trailhead are located 

within the 100-year flashflood zone. An assessment of impacts to visitor safety from both 

alternatives needs to be examined. 

Erosive action on the rhyolite cliffs create crevices and platforms along the vertical surfaces 

which provide protected roosting and nest sites for small mammals and birds. A number of 

whitewash stains can be seen throughout the rhyolite cliffs, indicating roosting and nesting sites 

for various birds. Birds include buteos, owls, falcons, thrashers, and maybe others. Bats likely 

use the crevices and holes in the rock formations for roosting. No known maternity sites are 

reported. Packrat middens can be found in crevices. Bighorn sheep frequent the area; while there 

is no evidence that Hole-in-the-Wall is a year-round use area, bighorn sheep appear to use it as a 

movement corridor. Observation records indicate bighorn travel through Hole-in-the-Wall as 

they move back and forth between Woods Mountain and Wildhorse Mesa, where permanent 

populations are present. 

Wildlife & General Wildlife Use

The steep mesa-like mountains surrounding Hole-in-the-Wall provide excellent habitat for 

bighorn sheep. Water developments for the Gold Valley and Colton Hills Cattle Allotments 

surround the area. The Mojave yucca scrub vegetation community provides quality forage and 

cover for bighorn and other wildlife. In addition, much of the proposed route was affected by the 

Hackberry complex fires in 2005 and is currently recovering. The presence of annual and 

perennial forbs, perennial bunchgrasses, re-sprouting bitterbrush and other plants provide quality 

forage for wildlife, and trail construction and increased visitation could alter wildlife use.

The desert tortoise is federally and state listed as a threatened species. Suitable habitat for the 

tortoise occurs in the area but the high elevation (almost 4,500 feet) precludes frequent use. No 

known observations of tortoises have been made by campers, visitors, or Preserve staff around 

the Hole-in-the-Wall information center or campground. They have been observed within two 

miles south of the Information Center. Nonetheless, there is potential for tortoises to move into 

the area for short periods of time during the summer months. The proposed area for re-routing 

the trail is adjacent to, but outside of, designated desert tortoise critical habitat. 

Threatened & Endangered Species

The Mohave tui chub (Gila bicolor mohavensis or Siphateles b. m.) is federally and state listed as 

endangered. Within Mojave National Preserve, it lives only in MC Spring and Lake Tuendae at 

the Desert Studies Center adjacent to Soda Dry Lake. It is not affected by the Barber Peak Loop 

trail.
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Swainson’s hawks are listed under the California Endangered Species Act as threatened. 

Swainson’s hawks are not known to breed in the Preserve but do occur during migration periods 

in late fall and spring. Rock spires found within the rhyolite cliffs could provide roosting for 

these buteos.

Two federally listed and three state listed bird species might infrequently occur at Hole-in-theWall:

Southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus) (Federal/State Endangered)

Least Bell’s vireo (Vireo bellii pusillus) (Federal/State Endangered)

Western yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus occidentalis) (State Endangered)

Willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii all subspecies) (State Endangered)

Arizona Bell’s Vireo (Vireo bellii arizonae) (State Endangered) 

Overall, habitat for southwestern willow flycatcher, Least Bell’s vireo, western yellow-billed 

cuckoo, Willow flycatcher, and Arizona Bell’s Vireo is poor or non-existent. There is no surface 

water. All species require dense stands of willow or cottonwood trees with a dense shrub 

understory. Habitat at Hole-in-the-Wall consists of creosote, cactus, and yucca scrub with small 

junipers at scattered intervals. Breeding, roosting, and large scale foraging are highly unlikely to 

occur here, as the habitat does not provide a multi-story, riparian, deciduous forest system. 

It was originally assumed that campers would be the primary users of the Barber Peak Loop 

Trail. Instead, the trail is frequented by both campers and day users to the area. The National 

Park Service recently completed a hiking guide to the Hole-in-the-Wall trails to assist visitors 

making hiking plans in advance of their park visit. New trailhead exhibits are planned for the 

Preserve’s trails, including the Barber Peak Loop trail. This environmental assessment examines 

improvements to recreational activities in Mojave National Preserve. This topic is also being 

further explored in a Non-Motorized Trails Management Plan. 

Visitor Experience

ISSUES AND IMPACT TOPICS DISMISSED FROM FURTHER ANALYSIS

Air Quality

The changes proposed to improve the visitor experience on the Barber Peak Loop Trail can be 

implemented by use of hand tools and volunteer labor. The work does not require heavy 

motorized or mechanized equipment and will have negligible effects on air quality. This topic is

dismissed from further analysis.

Climate Change and Global Warming

Neither the No Action nor the Preferred Alternative Alternatives will have significant impacts to 

climate change and global warming. The proposed action re-routes the Barber Peak Loop trail 

outside of the Hole-in-the-Wall campground, but the trail is not a visitor destination in itself. It 

offers visitors to Hole-in-the-Wall one of several recreational opportunities. In this regard, 

neither visitation to the Hole-in-the-Wall area nor hiking use of the trail will change because of 

the Proposed Action. Motor vehicle use will not increase; therefore, climate change and global 
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warming will not be affected by the Proposed Action. This topic is dismissed from further 

analysis.

Cultural Resources

The proposed trail route has been surveyed to identify cultural resources. The park archeologist 

found no known cultural resources or historic properties that would be affected by the proposed 

trail re-location. No further analysis is needed.

Natural Soundscapes

The changes proposed to improve the visitor experience on the Barber Peak Loop Trail can be 

implemented by use of hand tools and volunteer labor. The work does not require heavy 

motorized or mechanized equipment and will have negligible effects on natural soundscapes. 

This topic is dismissed from further analysis.

Wilderness

Hole-in-the-Wall lies outside of and away from designated wilderness. The proposed alternate 

segment of the Barber Peak Loop Trail lies 0.3 miles from the closest edge of wilderness. In 

between the two points lie the Hole-in-the-Wall campground and Black Canyon Road. Activities 

in this area do not directly affect wilderness. This topic is dismissed from further consideration.

The following topics are not further addressed in this document because there are no potential 

effects to these resources, which are not in the project area.

• Socioeconomic resources 

• Designated ecologically significant or critical areas

• Wild or scenic rivers

• Designated coastal zones

• Indian Trust Resources

• Ethnographic Resources

• Prime and unique agricultural lands

• Sites on the US Department of the Interior’s National Registry of Natural Landmarks

• Sole or principal drinking water aquifers

There are no potential conflicts between the project and land use plans, policies, or controls 

(including state, local, or Native American) for the project area. There are also no potential 

effects to local or regional employment, occupation, income changes, or tax base as a result of 

this project. The project’s area of potential effect is not populated and, per EO 12898 on 

Environmental Justice, there are no potential effects on minorities, Native Americans, women, or 

the civil liberties (associated with age, race, creed, color, national origin, or sex) of any 

American citizen. No disproportionate high or adverse effects to minority populations or lowincome populations are expected to occur as a result of implementing any alternative. 
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REGULATIONS & POLICIES

Service-wide and Park-Specific Legislation and Planning Documents 

The NPS Organic Act directs the NPS to manage units “to conserve the scenery and the natural 

and historic objects and the wildlife therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such 

a manner as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations” (16 U.S.C. § 1). 

Congress reiterated this mandate in the Redwood National Park Expansion Act of 1978 by 

stating that the NPS must conduct its actions in a manner that will ensure no “derogation of the 

values and purposes for which these various areas have been established, except as may have 

been or shall be directly and specifically provided by Congress.” 

The Organic Act prohibits actions that permanently impair park resources unless a law directly 

and specifically allows for the acts. An action constitutes an impairment when its impacts “harm 

the integrity of park resources or values, including the opportunities that otherwise would be 

present for the enjoyment of those resources and values.” (Management Policies 1.4.3)

NPS Management Policies 2006 requires the analysis of potential effects of each alternative to 

determine if actions would impair park resources. The discretion to allow impacts is limited by 

statutory requirement, as directly and specifically provided for by legislation or by the 

proclamation establishing the park. The relevant legislation or proclamation must provide 

explicitly for the activity – this cannot be provided by implication or inference – so that the NPS 

can manage the activity in such a manner as to avoid impairment. (Management Policies 1.4.4)

NPS units vary by their enabling legislations, their natural and cultural resources, their 

missions, and the recreational opportunities appropriate within each unit and/or for specific areas 

within each unit. This environmental assessment analyzes the context, duration, and intensity of 

impacts related to management activities to and in the vicinity of Hole-in-the-Wall and the 

Barber Peak Loop Trail, and the potential for resource impairment, as required by Director’s 

Order 12, Conservation Planning, Environmental Impact Analysis and Decision Making. 

Mojave National Preserve was created in 1994 by passage of the California Desert Protection 

Act. This enabling legislation acknowledges the opportunities in the Mojave Desert to develop 

services, programs, accommodations and facilities for use and enjoyment by individuals with 

disabilities. Its General Management Plan (GMP; 2002) provides the overall management 

direction for Mojave National Preserve. It calls for a backcountry/wilderness management plan 

to be developed that will address trail use. The goal of a backcountry/wilderness management 

plan is to increase the diversity of recreational opportunities for hiking, bicycling, equestrian use, 

and motorized use of licensed vehicles. The target interest groups are hikers, cyclists, 

equestrians, and visitors with disabilities. The GMP gives no provision for trails developed in 

the interim. Mojave National Preserve staff and partners are developing a Non-Motorized Trails 

Management Plan to address Preserve-wide trails development, maintenance and repairs. This 

plan addresses one component of, and will be eventually incorporated into, a backcountry/

wilderness management plan.
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IMPACTS ANALYSIS

GEOLOGY, SOILS & VEGETATION

The geology, soils and vegetation in this area are not significantly impacted by social use. Light 

use of the area near the rhyolite cliffs will continue, without the need for active management. 

Visitors have already been crossing from the northern end of the campground to the eye-level 

geologic formation, as evidenced by social trails between the two points. Disturbance to the 

geologic formation is negligible. There is a slight potential for disturbance to the rare plants 

present in the area. Park staff does not currently monitor these species. It is possible that minor 

impacts may occur to the rare plants over the long-term.

No Action

Construction of the proposed alternate route will involve removal of ground cover and some soil 

to level trail surfaces. Less than ten shrubs will be removed. The project site for the proposed 

alternate route will be surveyed and rare plants mapped and flagged. Crew members will be 

directed to avoid impacts to all flagged vegetation. Construction of this 0.7 mile segment will 

contain foot traffic along a designated path. The width of the trail will vary between 18 and 24 

inches. Soil compaction will occur within the trail corridor but be minimized to either side. The 

trailhead at the northern end of the campground will be left intact for campground users to access 

the Barber Peak Loop Trail. Any soil removed during trail construction will be used to fill in 

pockets along the trail surface or will be pushed to the downhill side of the trail, for future use as 

fill material. The proposed action will lead trail users directly to an eye-level geologic formation 

that is frequented by visitors. This formation has not been adversely impacted by visitor use; its 

condition is not expected to change with the establishment a formal path of access.

Preferred Alternative

RARE PLANTS

Under current conditions, the Barber Peak loop trail coincides with the Ring Loop trail, the Mid 

Hills-to-Hole-in-the-Wall trail, an old road that coincides with established cattle braids, a path 

that cuts across an active grazing allotment, and the Hole-in-the-Wall campground. It does not 

directly cross habitat with the three rare plants found in this area: Penstemon stephensii

(Stephen’s beardtongue), Chamaesyce revolute (revolute spurge), and Pellaea truncate (spiny 

cliff-brake). The No Action would have no impact to these rare plants.

No Action

To construct the proposed alternate route for the Barber Peak Loop trail, the site would first be 

surveyed for any of the three rare plants known in the area. All plants found would be flagged 

and avoided. If avoidance is not possible, individuals may be removed. Disturbance will be 

contained to within the footprint of the trail route. Impacts to rare plants would be negligible and 

avoided where possible.

Preferred Alternative

WATER RESOURCES, WETLANDS, AND FLOODPLAINS
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There are no surface water resources, wetlands, or floodplains along the proposed trail route. 

Light to moderate social trail use will continue as visitors access the non-technical climbing 

features near the picnic area and west of the campground. Natural erosion forces will occur 

unchecked. Social trails between the Hole-in-the-Wall Campground and the Barber Peak Loop 

Trailhead run through a 100-year flash-floodplain and pose potential hazards to visitors. 

According to an NPS flood hazard analysis, flashflood magnitude could reach a depth of 

approximately eight to nine feet and a velocity of 18–20 feet per second, which is considered 

extremely hazardous (NPS 1998).

No Action

The proposed trail segment to bypass the campground will contain visitors to one designated trail 

corridor. Water bars and drainage dips will be incorporated as needed to minimize water damage

and erosion to the trail and surrounding hillside. The proposed re-route crosses erosion channels 

several times. Because the Barber Peak Loop trail crosses the channels at perpendicular angles, 

the preferred alternative will not have adverse affects to existing drainage patterns through sound

trail layout and construction. The Preferred Alternative would also steer visitors away from the

100-year flash flood zone, increasing visitor safety.

Preferred Alternative

WILDLIFE AND WILDLIFE HABITAT

No Action

General Wildlife Use

Lack of a defined trail might cause human disturbances to general wildlife by increasing the 

potential for contact with people as they traverse the landscape at random places to approach the 

rhyolite cliffs. This disturbance would increase over time as visitation increases. In fiscal year 

2010, 8,921 people visited Hole-in-the-Wall. This level is expected to increase slightly over 

time. Other impacts would entail damage to vegetation cover and soil disturbance. Such damage 

would expose wildlife, increase stress related to disturbance, disrupt nesting and resting, reduce 

forage and cover, and lead to erosion that would further degrade habitats. Nonetheless, due to the 

long-term presence of the Hole-in-the-Wall information center and campground, most wildlife 

has become habituated to increased human use and presence. Bighorn sheep sightings have 

become more frequent, regardless of human presence. Anticipated level of use is low. Impacts to 

general wildlife use would be negligible over the long-term. 

Wildlife Habitat

Lack of a defined trail would cause disturbances to wildlife habitat by increasing the potential for 

damage to vegetation cover and recovering plants. This disturbance would increase over time as 

visitation increases, under the assumption that visitors will use this area even without a trail. 

Such damage would expose wildlife, reduce forage and cover, and lead to erosion which further 

degrades habitats. Anticipated level of use is low. Impacts to wildlife habitat would be 

negligible.
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Preferred Alternative

General Wildlife Use

Construction of the trail bypass would cause disturbances to diurnal animals within the bypass’ 

corridor. Disturbances to general wildlife would be limited by confining visitors to the trail 

corridor, even if visitation increased over time. Impacts to vegetation cover and soil disturbance 

would also be confined to the trail corridor. Disturbance of general wildlife due to trail 

construction and humans approaching and flushing them from the cliffs would increase for some 

animals. Based on these factors, the proposed trail would have potentially beneficial direct and 

indirect impacts to wildlife in the area. Adverse impacts are concluded to be negligible.

Wildlife Habitat

Trail construction would disturb soils and destroy some perennial and annual forbs and grasses. 

Due to fire damage in 2005, the numbers of plants affected are small, less than two dozen 

perennial individuals and an undetermined amount of annuals. Directing human foot traffic to a 

defined trail would reduce and confine disturbances to wildlife habitat to the trail corridor. Over 

time, this would reduce long-term mortality of perennial and annual forbs and grasses, as well as 

shrubs. Temporary disturbances to habitat during construction would be far outweighed by 

beneficial protections to the habitat over time. If visitation increased, visitor disturbances would 

remain primarily within the trail corridor, leaving the vegetation and soils largely undisturbed. 

Based on these factors, direct and indirect impacts to wildlife habitat have been found to be 

negligible.

THREATENED & ENDANGERED SPECIES

No Action

Because of the lack of any observations of desert tortoises within two miles of the Preferred 

Alternative area, any short or long-term impacts most likely would be negligible. There is a 

potential for tortoise to visit the area, but due to the high elevation this species would not likely 

persist there. Park management will continue to implement and enforce Reasonable and Prudent 

Measures and Terms and Conditions for desert tortoise protection as defined in the Biological 

Opinion for the General Management Plan for the Mojave National Preserve, San Bernardino 

County, California (1-8-00-F-36) (2001) and in the General Management Plan itself (2002).

For Swainson’s hawk, human visitation in the area would continue to disrupt resting to some 

extent. Impacts are estimated to be negligible and would not increase appreciably over time.

Desert tortoises have not been documented within two miles of the proposed re-route segment 

for the Barber Peak Loop trail. Park staff has concluded the Preferred Alternative will have 

negligible to no short or long-term impacts on this species. While the potential exists for a desert 

tortoise to pass through or inhabit the area, this is unlikely due to the area’s high elevation. The 

Hole-in-the-Wall area is adjacent to critical habitat for desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii), and 

Preferred Alternative
15 | Page

is considered suitable habitat. Tortoises could use the area; to date, they have not been observed 

around the campground, information center, and the Preferred Alternative area. If tortoises visit 

the area, their use would be infrequent due to the high elevation (almost 5,000 feet). During trail 

construction, all Reasonable and Prudent Measures and Terms and Conditions for desert tortoise 

protection listed in the Biological Opinion for Small Projects Affecting Desert Tortoise Habitat 

in the Mojave National Preserve, San Bernardino County, California (1-8-98-F-17) would be 

enforced. The National Park Service would report the results of this project to the US Fish and 

Wildlife Service, as required under this biological opinion. Once the project has been 

completed, park management will continue to implement and enforce Reasonable and Prudent 

Measures and Terms and Conditions for desert tortoise protection as defined in the Biological 

Opinion for the General Management Plan for the Mojave National Preserve, San Bernardino 

County, California (1-8-00-F-36) (2001) and in the General Management Plan itself (2002).

Trail construction and human visitation in the area would disturb Swainson’s hawk if they are in 

the area. Impacts would include disruption to the bird’s resting to a limited extent; they would 

be deemed negligible and would not increase appreciably over time.

VISITOR EXPERIENCE

Visitor satisfaction will continue to be impacted. Hikers will continue to be confused as they 

finish a “loop hike” but their vehicle is nowhere in sight. Recreational uses of hiking and 

camping will be adversely intermingled as hikers must go through the campground as part of the 

trail route. 

No Action

Under the Status Quo, visitors will continue to use two separate trailheads to access the Barber 

Peak Loop trail. Day-use hikers will follow the trail until reaching the campground at Hole-inthe-Wall; they will then need to walk through the campground to return to their vehicles. The 

potential for conflicts between day users and campground users will persist and may increase as 

trail use rises. The degree to which these conflicts occur is not documented. Without baseline 

data, it will be difficult to determine any increases in such conflicts. Based on visitor comments, 

these conflicts would persist and might increase.

The preferred alternative would clearly establish one trailhead for the Barber Peak Loop trail. 

Trail users would complete their hike at the same spot; for day users, they will be returned to 

their vehicles without the confusion of first having to traverse the campground. The Preferred 

Alternative would eliminate a section of the Barber Peak Loop trail through an existing disturbed 

area and, instead, offer an experience through diverse desert habitat, outstanding scenic views, 

and both visual and tactile geological opportunities.

Preferred Alternative
16 | Page

Figure 5: Geologic Formation to which Proposed Re-Route Segment leads

Table 1. Impacts Matrix

No Action Alternative Proposed Action Alternative

Soils & 

Vegetation

No impact Minor, short-term, negative impacts to 

vegetation during trail construction. 

Minor, long-term impacts to soils from 

compaction over time along the trail 

route to be off-set by benefits to the 

surrounding habitat from containment 

of foot traffic to a designated path. 

Rare Plants No impact Minor, short-term, negative impacts 

off-set by long-term benefits to the 

surrounding habitat.

Water 

Resources, 

Wetlands 

& 

Floodplains

No impact Potential minor impacts to drainage 

patterns to be off-set by installation of 

water bars and drainage dips. 

Wildlife & 

Wildlife 

Habitat 

Negligible, long-term, adverse 

impact 

Negligible, long-term, adverse impact 

with potential benefits to wildlife and 

wildlife habitat, to be off-set by 

benefits to the surrounding habitat 

from containment of foot traffic to a 

designated path. 
17 | Page

No Action Alternative Proposed Action Alternative

Threatened 

& 

Endangered 

Species

Negligible impacts to desert tortoise 

that will be avoided and minimized 

by implementation of the Biological 

Opinion for the General 

Management Plan.

Minor, short-term impacts to desert 

tortoise that will be avoided and 

minimized by implementation of 

Biological Opinion for Small Projects.

Visitor 

Experience

Potential major negative impact by 

directing trail users through the 

campground which lies in a 100-year 

floodplain.

Benefit of directing trail users away 

from 100-year floodplain, and toward 

an eye-level, tactile geologic 

experience.

CUMULATIVE IMPACTS

No Action

Visitation to the Hole-in-the-Wall area will continue regardless of the Barber Peak Loop trail’s 

actual route. Impacts to other trails will remain negligible to non-existent. Park operations in the 

Hole-in-the-Wall area would not be affected. Mojave National Preserve is currently developing 

a Non-Motorized Trails Management Plan. This plan will provide guidance for future trails 

development in Mojave National Preserve, and will develop maintenance standards for all 

existing and future trails, including the Barber Peak Loop. There would be no cumulative 

impacts from the No Action alternative combined with any other plans or projects in Mojave 

National Preserve.

Preferred Alternative

The Barber Peak Loop trail has been in existence for the past three years. While the Preferred 

Alternative would enhance the desirability of the trail, it would not increase the number of 

recreational opportunities in the Hole-in-the-Wall area. The recovery of the area from the 2005 

Hackberry complex fires might benefit slightly from the containment of human disturbance to a 

trail corridor. This benefit would be negligible, based on the current low level of human impacts 

to the area. Once completed, the Preserve’s Non-Motorized Trails Management Plan will 

address maintenance and repairs of the Barber Peak Loop trail, and establish criteria and 

procedures for assessing new trail proposals. The outcome of this environmental assessment 

process will not significantly alter the larger trails planning process. Mojave National Preserve 

has no other plans or projects that would sustain cumulative impacts from the Preferred 

Alternative.

SUSTAINABILITY & LONG-TERM MANAGEMENT 

No Action

The Status Quo alternative would leave the Barber Peak Loop trail in its current location with 

separate trailheads for separate user groups, and a segment of the trail that cuts through the Holein-the-Wall campground. The undeveloped lands in the area are recovering from the 2005 

Hackberry complex fires and provide habitat to desert vegetation and wildlife including the 

State-listed Swainson’s hawk and the federal- and State-listed desert tortoise. No action would 
18 | Page

leave this habitat unchanged; the passive recovery process would continue unaltered, with 

negligible impacts from light human activity. 

The long-term productivity of the area would remain unchanged. The No Action alternative has 

no irreversible adverse impacts, does not irretrievably commit park resources that cannot be 

replaced, and can be sustained over the long term without environmental consequence.

Preferred Alternative

The Preferred Alternative would relocate a 0.7-mile segment of the Barber Peak Loop trail from 

the campground to an undeveloped area directly west of the campground. This area provides 

habitat for wildlife and desert plant life, with potential for Swainson’s hawk and desert tortoise. 

The Preferred Alternative would cut through this area, creating a 0.7-mile disturbance the width 

of the trail corridor. The trail corridor would contain the majority of human activity in the area, 

allowing the rest of the habitat to continue its passive recovery. Current levels of human activity 

are low, and impacts are light; the benefit from the proposed action to the recovery of the area is 

minor to negligible and is counterbalanced by the loss of habitat resulting from 0.7 mile of trail 

construction. The long-term productivity of the area would likely remain unchanged. 

The total area of the disturbance is minimal and adversely impacts a proportionately minor 

amount of existing habitat in exchange for a re-routed trail with improved viewsheds, improved 

trail direction, improved conditions for habitat recovery, and reduced user conflicts. This 

alternative can also be sustained over the long term minor but not significant environmental 

consequence.

CONCLUSIONS

No Action 

The No Action alternative would not result in resource impairment, and is environmentally 

preferred. The potential for conflict between user groups on the Barber Peak Loop trail would 

persist and might be realized if trail use increases. No other significant impacts would result 

from the No Action alternative. Impairment to the resources of Mojave National Preserve will 

not result from maintenance of the Status Quo.

Preferred Alternative

The Preferred Alternative would lead to a minor level of disturbance to the natural resources of 

the Hole-in-the-Wall area. This disturbance might be counterbalanced by the re-routed trail 

containing human activity to within the trail corridor and minimizing disturbances to the rest of 

the area. These impacts, while minor, would not be significant or lead to impairment.
19 | Page

CONSULTATION AND COORDINATION REQUIREMENTS

None of the activities in the Preferred Alternative will require consultation with the California 

State Historic Preservation Office. 

The EA will be distributed to the public for a 20-day review period. It will be available online at 

the Mojave National Preserve website and through the National Park Service’s Planning, 

Environment, and Public Comment website. Copies will be available at public libraries in 

California and Nevada.

California Nevada

Riverside County Clark County

San Bernardino County

Preparers

Mojave National Preserve staff:

Neal Darby

Wildlife Biologist

Christina Mills

Park Ranger, Interpretation

David B. Moore

Planner & GIS Specialist

David R. Nichols

Field Archeologist

Boris Poff

Hydrologist

Linda Slater

Chief, Interpretation

Danette Woo

Environmental Compliance Specialist
20 | Page

REFERENCES

Johnson, David H., Monroe D. Bryant, and Alden H. Miller. 1948. Vertebrate Animals of the 

Providence Mountains Area of California. University of California Publications in Zoology, vol. 

48, no. 5, p. 221-376. University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles. p. 253.

2006. National Park Service Management Policies. Includes Director’s Order 12 Field Guide. 

Website: http://www1.nrintra.nps.gov/EQD/DO12Site/index.htm. 

National Park Service. 1998. Flood Hazard Associated with Kelso Depot. Internal Memo to the 

Superintendent, Mojave National Preserve. L54(2380) MOJA.