Providence Mountains State Recreation Area
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The Providence Mountain Recreation Area is located inside the Mojave National Preserve at the north-western end of Essex Road. It is also home to Mitchell Caverns. As you approach the recreation area you will notice layers of tilted grey rock that are almost certainly ancient limestone formed during the Paleozoic period.(http://geology.wr.usgs.gov/parks/mojave/mitchell1.html) The base elevation of the park is 4300 feet with Providence Mountains reaching to 6608 feet. (http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/projects/ecoregions/322al.htm)
There is a small amount of first come, first serve camping available and a lonely ranger outpost. The ranger himself lives in a stone hut during his tour of duty.
[edit] Proposed for closure
Providence Mountain Recreation Area is is one of the 48 California state parks proposed for closure in January 2008 by California's Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as part of a deficit reduction program.[1]