The mountain range contains the
Eldorado Wilderness of . Established in 2004, the area is jointly managed by the
NPS and the
BLM. The NPS manages the eastern section within the
Lake Mead National Recreation Area and the BLM manages the western section. This desert wilderness is a rugged maze of hills, peaks, and winding canyons. The Eldorado Range is
volcanic rock with
basalt flows on a base of
metamorphic rock. A
bajada extends northwest of the mountains.
Creosote bush,
scrub oak, clump grass, and various cacti cover the mountains and foothills. This supports a significant population of
bighorn sheep in the higher elevations. Abandoned mine sites are scattered among the region. Water is scarce, besides the Colorado River, and summer temperatures can reach 120 °F (48 °C). To the south,
Ireteba Peaks Wilderness of is composed of the
Ireteba Ridge at , that overlooks to the east, the northern portions of
Lake Mohave and the El Dorado Canyon. The high point of the Eldorado Mountains is Ireteba Peak at , which is named for the
Mohave Indian guide and tribal leader
Irataba. Some communities associated with the range, are in the south,
Searchlight on
US 95 and
Cottonwood Cove, on the river. Nelson is in the center of the range, and the nearest community north is
Boulder City. ==References==