Desert wildlife crossings take shape with $5.5m injection from state
RELEASE
For immediate release
February 26, 2026
Desert wildlife crossings take shape with $5.5m injection from state
MORONGO VALLEY, CA–The planning process for two wildlife crossings will begin in the California desert thanks to a $5.5m state-funded grant announced on Thursday. The crossings over State Route 62 will benefit local residents by reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions and will provide safe passage for numerous wildlife species including two threatened mountain lion populations.
The two overpasses were designed for critical points at the Morongo and Yucca grades on SR-62 where multiple wildlife deaths have been documented, including mountain lion, black bear, deer, and bighorn sheep.
The project is led by the Mojave Desert Land Trust, which protects land on either side of the busy highway in a strategic wildlife corridor that connects Joshua Tree National Park to Sand to Snow National Monument, San Gorgonio Wilderness, and San Bernardino National Forest. The area is part of a system of interconnected protected landscapes stretching from Mexico to Canada.
California’s Wildlife Conservation Board awarded the Mojave Desert Land Trust with $5.5 million in grant funding for the planning phase of the wildlife crossings. The Land Trust will be the grantee, Caltrans will be the transportation agency, and the Coachella Valley Conservation Commission and the Mojave Desert Resource Conservation District will serve as local agency partners.
The grant funding will bring two proposed crossing projects to 65% design completion, setting the stage for implementation. The three-year grant will include the technical studies and engineering work needed to design the crossing structures, the development of plans to encourage their use by wildlife, and the required environmental review. Stakeholder involvement and public information will also be important components of the project.
Once the planning phase is completed, MDLT and their partners will work to secure funding for the implementation and construction phase.
“The Wildlife Conservation Board is proud to partner with the Mojave Desert Land Trust to improve wildlife connectivity across State Route 62,” said Jennifer Norris, Executive Director, Wildlife Conservation Board. “Developing plans for these crossings is a critical step toward reconnecting habitat between the San Bernardino and Little San Bernardino mountains and supporting the long-term health of the region’s wildlife.”
The future fate of two imperiled mountain lion populations may hinge on the wildlife crossings. The Eastern Peninsular Range and San Gabriel-San Bernardino Mountains lions are two genetically isolated populations that meet in the vicinity of SR-62. Their numbers are now so low that they risk extinction if they cannot remain connected to other populations. Both populations are part of a group of lions that was listed in California on February 12 as a Threatened Evolutionarily Significant Unit under the California Endangered Species Act.
“Desert communities exist at the intersection of people, wildlife, and wide-open landscapes. The proposed wildlife crossings would re-establish the natural movement of animals across the land, reducing dangerous wildlife-vehicle collisions, and strengthening the health of the ecosystems that sustain us,” said Kelly Herbinson, Executive Director, Mojave Desert Land Trust. “Thanks to the support of the Wildlife Conservation Board and our partners, we can invest in solutions that not just protect wildlife but support safer roads and more resilient communities that exist within, not apart from, nature.”
Benefiting people and wildlife
SR-62 runs from Coachella Valley to the Arizona border. Drivers are already three times as likely to die on the highway compared to the average California road. Over the last decade, traffic has increased alongside population growth in the Morongo Basin and a three-fold increase in visitation to Joshua Tree National Park.
According to Pew Research, wildlife-vehicle collisions kill or injure tens of thousands of people nationally each year and millions of animals are killed. Wildlife crossings have shown that directing megafauna away from roads reduces the danger posed to people. In some instances, crossings have reduced wildlife-vehicle collisions by up to 90%.
Between October 23, 2019, and November 24, 2020, the carcasses of 12 mammal and two reptile species were observed at two locations along this stretch of SR-62. These included mule deer, bighorn sheep, black bear, coyote, gray fox, bobcat, and mountain lion. One collared mountain lion was documented to approach SR-62, was hit, and then succumbed to its injuries.
The new state-protected status of the two mountain lion populations found in this region creates greater urgency for the crossings. The loss of mountain lions could trigger a trophic cascade, a phenomenon where the removal of a top predator causes increases in prey populations, leading to dramatic changes in ecosystem structure. For example, in Yellowstone National Park, the removal of the wolf resulted in intense overgrazing by elk, leading to riverbank erosion and the loss of beavers. In the last 20 years, Joshua Tree National Park has documented lion activity in numerous locations, with the most frequent being in the vicinity of the proposed wildlife crossings.
Mountain lions shown on camera traps in 2023 within Joshua Tree National Park. Image courtesy of Joshua Tree National Park
“Large carnivores are among the most vulnerable to the effects of habitat fragmentation. Isolated populations lead to loss of genetic diversity and unhealthy groups that are unable to adapt to change over time,” said Geary Hund, Wildlife Crossing Project Manager, Mojave Desert Land Trust. “We are already close to losing two majestic mountain lion populations that meet in the vicinity of the highway. There is evidence of lions coming up to the edge of SR-62 but not crossing or attempting to cross and being killed. Lions in Joshua Tree National Park area may be suffering from the effects of inbreeding depression, with some showing physical signs such as kinked tails. Wildlife crossings will significantly contribute to the conservation of lion populations and help restore connectivity between the two mountain ranges.”
Connecting two mountain ranges
Before SR-62 was built, there was seamless 95-mile-long habitat connectivity between the San Bernardino and Little San Bernardino mountain ranges, extending from the I-10 south of Joshua Tree National Park to the I-15 near the Cajon Pass.
Landscape connectivity is increasingly important because of climate change and habitat fragmentation from roads and development. The Morongo Grade and Yucca Grade overpasses will provide for climate change resilience by enabling flora and fauna to move up in elevation to cooler, wetter areas and north in latitude in response to a warming climate and more frequent droughts. It also improves wildlife’s ability to survive and repopulate an area after events like fires and floods.
Over the last 20 years, the Mojave Desert Land Trust’s conservation work has helped bolster habitat and biodiversity on both sides of the highway, protecting key parcels of land. Restoring connectivity across SR-62 will be critical in promoting genetic diversity in a number of wildlife species, which in turn boosts the health of populations and their ability to adapt to environmental changes.
A 2021 Morongo Pass Wildlife Connectivity Study by Dudek and the UC Davis Road Ecology Center recommended the construction of two SR-62 overpasses at the Morongo Grade and the Yucca Grade where a safety barrier hinders wildlife movement. Although important habitat linkages are located at these sections of the highway, there are no dedicated wildlife crossing structures.
Removing barriers to movement
The proposed crossings will have an earthen base and be vegetated with native plants found in the adjacent natural areas. Their gentle slopes will blend into the natural terrain, making them appear like natural habitat, which encourages wildlife to cross. Directional wildlife fencing will be placed on each side of the highway as well as measures to address light and noise from the highway.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has identified this stretch of SR-62 as a priority for removing barriers to wildlife movement. Increasing traffic volumes and the addition of driver safety features such as a 56” high concrete median barrier have significantly impeded wildlife.
“The Mojave Desert Resource Conservation District recognizes that healthy communities depend on healthy landscapes. State Route 62 presents both a transportation necessity and a significant barrier to wildlife movement. These proposed crossings represent an important step toward reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions, restoring habitat connectivity, and building long-term climate resilience in the Morongo Basin,” said Allie Anderson, District Manager, Mojave Desert Resource Conservation District. “This project demonstrates what is possible when state agencies, conservation organizations, and local partners come together with a shared vision. We are proud to partner with the Mojave Desert Land Trust, Wildlife Conservation Board, Caltrans, and the Coachella Valley Conservation Commission to advance thoughtful, science-based solutions that benefit both people and wildlife across our region. Strategic partnerships like this are essential to addressing complex conservation challenges in the Mojave Desert.”
"The Coachella Valley Conservation Commission (CVCC) is proud to stand alongside the Mojave Desert Land Trust, Caltrans, and our regional partners in advancing these critically needed wildlife crossings along State Route 62,” said Gary Gardner, Chair of the CVCC. “This investment represents a major step toward restoring safe, natural movement for species that define our desert ecosystems—especially the two threatened mountain lion populations whose future depends on connectivity. These crossings will not only protect wildlife but also make SR‑62 safer for the residents and visitors who rely on it every day. This is a powerful example of what agencies can accomplish when we work together to build a more resilient and ecologically connected Coachella Valley."
Around 40 elected officials, businesses, institutions, and individuals sent letters of support for the crossings, including U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Congressman Raul Ruiz, Assemblymember Greg Wallis, Native American Land Conservancy, Marine Corps Ground Air Combat Center in 29 Palms, Morongo Valley Community Services District, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, and Joshua Tree Realty.
With these crossings, the Mojave Desert Land Trust aims to champion a new statewide initiative to prioritize habitat connectivity. Under the 2024 Room to Roam Act, cities and counties must identify wildlife connectivity in land use plans and promote safe passage across fragmented habitat. This legislation complements the 2022 Safe Roads and Wildlife Protection Act which requires state agencies to remediate barriers to wildlife movement and prioritize crossings in transportation projects.
For photos, maps, video and on-site interviews, please contact:
Mojave Desert Land Trust
Jessica Dacey, Director of Communications and Public Engagement
Phone: 760-366-5440 ext 239. Email: jessica@mdlt.org