California · Area of Critical Environmental Concern
Afton Canyon
BLM found a natural system, a wildlife resource, a cultural value and a natural process here, and its plan calls for special management. BLM's records place at least 1 mining claim BLM lists as Filed and 5 rights of way inside the line today. It covers 9,195 acres and was designated September 14, 2016, in the CDCA Plan, as amended by DRECP. In the plan's name, CDCA stands for California Desert Conservation Area and DRECP for Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan.
One of the 1,120 places the Bureau of Land Management has designated an Area of Critical Environmental Concern. This page shows its line, what BLM found there and what sits inside it.
The line
Who holds the claims
At least 1 claim sits inside this line: 0 active and 1 filed and pending, 1 with a claimant BLM withholds under the Privacy Act. BLM lists 1 as Filed.
- Names withheld by BLM (private individuals)1claim
BLM's mining rules list designated ACECs among the places where mining that disturbs the surface beyond casual use needs a plan of operations BLM approves. Exploration of five acres or less can go ahead on a notice instead.
The rights of way
5 rights of way sit inside the line. BLM files 5 under non-energy facilities.
- SAN PEDRO LA & SL RR2rights of way
- CALIFORNIA DESERT DISTRICT OFFICE1right of way
- UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD PF0031right of way
- LA & SALT LAKE RR CO1right of way
The nearest areas
- Cady Mountains WSACalifornia · 117,643 acres · at least 1 active mining claim and 1 more BLM lists as Filed5miles
- Cronese BasinCalifornia · 10,201 acres · nothing placed inside8miles
- ManixCalifornia · 2,902 acres · nothing placed inside11miles
- Mesquite Hills/CruceroCalifornia · 5,031 acres · 2 rights of way12miles
- Soda Mountains WSACalifornia · 93,119 acres · 1 right of way14miles
More from BLM's California office
Every area BLM's California office holdsThe proposed rule
A proposed rule, RIN 1004-AF53, would change how BLM drafts every land use plan, and how it designates ACECs like Afton Canyon. The comment window hasn't opened: the proposed rule wasn't in the Federal Register at our last check. The Watch sends one email the day it prints.
The rule's abstract
The purpose of this rulemaking is to establish in regulations an updated process for the approval of the development, revision, amendment, and maintenance of land use plans, as provided for by the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, for public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Additionally, this rulemaking will provide clarification of the process the BLM uses for designating Areas of Critical Environmental Concern.Unified Agenda entry for RIN 1004-AF53, Publication ID 2026, reginfo.gov (OMB OIRA), read Oct 18, 2026