Peninsular Ranges
The Peninsular Ranges are a group of mountain ranges in the Pacific Coast Ranges, which stretch over 900 miles from southern California in the United States to the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula. They are part of the North American Coast Ranges that run along the Pacific coast from Alaska to Mexico. Elevations range from 500 ft to 11,500 ft (150 m to 3,500 m) and vegetation in these ranges varies from coastal sage scrub to chaparral, and from oak woodland to conifer forest.
The Peninsular ranges of Southern California include: the Santa Ana Mountains, San Jacinto Mountains, and the Laguna Mountains. The Peninsular ranges of Baja California include: the Sierra Juarez, Sierra San Pedro Martir, Sierra de la Giganta, and Sierra de la Laguna. These ranges run from north to south.
The Santa Ana Mountains are the largest natural landscape along the coast of Southern California. These mountains peak at about 5,689 feet. This range starts in the north, in the Chino Hills area heading southeast of the Puente Hills region.
The San Jacinto Mountains are located in the desert areas in the north and east side of Southern California. The San Jacinto Mountains peak at about 10,833 feet. They run from the San Bernardino Mountains southeast to the Santa Rosa Mountains. This mountain range is the northernmost part of the Peninsular Range.
The Santa Rosa Mountains are located at the southern end of the San Jacinto Mountains, where they connect to it. The range extends for approximately 30 miles (48 km) through Riverside, San Diego and Imperial counties, along the western side of the Coachella Valley, where they bound the Anza-Borrego portion of the Colorado Desert. The highest peak in the range is Toro Peak (8,716 feet).
The Laguna Mountains are located in the eastern part of San Diego County. They range northwest to southeast for approximately 20 miles and peak at Cuyapaipe Mountain (6,378 feet). These mountains extend northwest about 35 mi (56 km) from the Mexican border at the Sierra de Juárez. The Sonora desert lies to the east and the Santa Rosa Mountains are to the northwest.
The Sierra de Juárez are located south of the Laguna Mountains and north of the Sierra San Pedro Mártir, and west of the Sonora Desert. It shares the characteristic Mediterranean climate of the nearby Sierra de San Pedro Mártir, as well as similar flora and fauna.
The Sierra de San Pedro Mártir are located south of the Sierra de Juárez, and serve as the drainage divide for a portion of the peninsula, separating eastern drainage from western. The range hosts the highest peak in Baja California, Picacho del Diablo (10,157 ft). Like the Sierra de Juárez, it has the most Mediterranean climate of the Peninsular ranges.
The Sierra de la Giganta are located in the southern part of the ranges in Baja California. This mountain range is located on the northwestern part of Mexico and runs parallel to the gulf coast of the peninsula.
The Sierra de la Laguna are located at the southern end of the Peninsula Range, in the southernmost region of the Peninsula. The vegetation ranges from dry San Lucan xeric scrub near sea level, to pine-oak forests at the higher elevations.
Read more about this topic: Geography Of Southern California
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