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Deserts in the Western States

When most of us think of the desert, we probably think of the vast stretches of sand in North Africa and the Middle East. However, the western United States is also home to large deserts. The American deserts feature a vast range of landscapes and are considered some of the most biologically diverse environments on Earth.

Mojave Desert
- Bordered on the south by the Sonoran Desert and on the north by the Great Basin Desert, the Mojave Desert stretches across southeastern California and parts of Utah, Arizona and Nevada. According to DesertUSA, it is the home of 200 native plant species not found in other area deserts. Some of these include yucca plants, creosote bush, sagebrush and the iconic Joshua trees. Borax, potash and salt are extracted from the area's central salt flats. Metals including gold, silver and tungsten are mined from area deposits.
The Great Basin Desert
- The largest desert in the United States, the Great Basin Desert covers an area of 190,000 square miles. It is bordered on the west by the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the east by the Rocky Mountains. The Sonoran and Mojave deserts lie to the south. The Great Basin Desert is bordered on the north by the Columbia Plateau. Due to its higher elevation and northern latitude, the Great Basin is a cool desert with more evenly distributed precipitation than the other North American deserts. Temporary lakes, known as playas, form a major part of the landscape. Unlike the other American deserts, plant life in the Great Basin is largely homogeneous with a single species dominating the landscape for several miles. Typical plants species include sagebrush, Mormon-tea, greasewood and blackbrush.
Sonoran Desert
- The Sonoran Desert stretches across the southeastern corner of California and much of western Arizona. Crossing the border into Mexico, it covers much of the state of Sonora for which it is named and parts of Baja, California. The Colorado, Gila, Salt, Yaqui and Verde rivers cut across it on their way to the sea.
  
  In spite of its harsh climate, it is home to a diverse range of plants and animals. According to the World Wildlife Fund, it has the most diverse plants of any desert. The most famous plant species from the Sonoran Desert is probably the colossal saguaro cactus, the largest species of cactus in the world. Animal species that call this desert home include the bighorn sheep, the desert tortoise, the Gila monster, the rattlesnake, the pronghorn antelope, the tiger salamander, and Bailey's pocketmouse.
Chihuahuan Desert
- The vast Chihuahuan Desert covers parts of southeastern Arizona, southern New Mexico, Texas and central Mexico. It is bordered by the Sierra Madre Occidental to the west and the Sierra Madre Oriental to the east. The rocky desert is dotted by basins and ranges and contains a central highland area that extends from Socorro, New Mexico to Zacatecas, Mexico. Several rivers, including the Rio Bravo (Rio Grande), the Mapimi Bolson, the Mayran and the Rio Casas Grande, crisscross the region. Highly diverse, the Chihuahuan Desert is home to 3,500 plant species, of which at least 1,000 may be endemic to the area. Some animal species in the area include mule deer, gray foxes, pronghorn antelope, jaguar, cottontail, collared peccary, roadrunner and quail.

Nature