Deserts often conjure up images of endless dunes and a struggle for survival. But the deserts of the United States are full of surprises! The North American Desert is a massive system made up of four major players: the Great Basin, Mojave, Sonoran, and Chihuahuan deserts. These deserts stretch across the Western US, with some extending their sandy fingers into Mexico.
While they might be dry, these deserts are anything but barren. They’re bursting with life! Rugged mountain ranges, hidden valleys, and even cacti forests paint a diverse and spectacular landscape. Get ready to ditch the boring desert stereotype, because these regions are overflowing with a mind-blowing variety of plants and animals that have adapted to thrive in this unique environment.
List Of 4 Deserts In The United States
Let’s explore the four amazing Deserts in the USA.
- Chihuahuan Desert
- Great Basin Desert
- Mojave Desert
- Sonoran Desert
1. Chihuahuan Desert
The Chihuahuan Desert is like the king of deserts in North America, but only if you count the whole thing, not just the part in the United States. This giant desert stretches across almost 250,000 square miles, which is bigger than some of the entire states. It starts in the southern parts of New Mexico and Arizona scoots over to a bit of southwest Texas, and then dives way down south into the heart of Mexico.
The Sierra Madre Occidental Mountains are on the west side, and the Sierra Madre Oriental Mountains are on the east side. Running right through the middle of this desert is the super-long Rio Grande River, also called the Rio Bravo. This river, along with hidden underground springs and little streams, is like a lifeline for the desert, giving it the water it needs to survive.
Even though the Chihuahuan Desert is home to a surprising amount of different plants and animals, it’s also in big danger. A lot of this danger comes from things people do because we don’t always understand how important this desert is. But there’s some good news too! Big Bend National Park in Texas is a great option for over 800,000 acres of the Chihuahuan Desert, protecting all the plants and animals that live there.
2. Great Basin Desert
So, if the Chihuahuan Desert is the king counting all its land, then the Great Basin Desert is the champion for deserts entirely within the US. This desert stretches across almost 190,000 square miles, which is like fitting together several states! Nevada takes up most of the space, with bits of California, Idaho, Utah, and Oregon clinging on around the edges.
The Great Basin Desert isn’t all just Nevada though. To the west, it bumps up against the tall Sierra Nevada mountain range. On the east side, it’s met by the mighty Wasatch and Rocky Mountains, another mountain range acting as a buddy. Up north, the Snake River Plain acts like a border, and down south, the Mojave Desert takes over.
If you ever find yourself in the eastern part of the Great Basin Desert, you can visit the Great Basin National Park in Nevada. This park is special because, unlike most deserts, the Great Basin is a “cold” one. That means instead of lots of rain, it gets most of its little bit of wet stuff as snow! This is because the desert is at a higher spot (between 3,000 and 6,500 feet above sea level) and further north than other deserts, so it’s a bit cooler. Don’t be fooled though, summers can still get scorching hot!
The reason the Great Basin is so dry is because of a weather trick called a “rain shadow effect.” The Sierra Nevada and Cascade Mountains act like a giant sponge, soaking up all the moisture from the Pacific Ocean before it can reach the Great Basin. So, the desert ends up parched!
3. Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert is the smallest when it comes to the four big deserts in America, but it’s still a mighty impressive sight. We’re talking over 20 million acres of desert stretching across California, Nevada, Utah, and even a little bit of Arizona!
To the west, it leans on the Sierra Nevada mountains and meets up with some forests and woodlands. On the southwest side, it bumps into the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains. Over on the east side, it touches shoulders with the Colorado Plateau and Arizona’s mountain forests. It’s kind of like a bridge between the Great Basin Desert to the north and the Sonoran Desert to the south.
The Mojave Desert is like a rollercoaster ride when it comes to elevation. You can start at the super high peak of Telescope Peak, which reaches almost 11,050 feet, all the way down to the lowest point in North America, Badwater Basin in Death Valley, which sits at a scorching 282 feet below sea level. Speaking of scorching, Death Valley holds the record for the hottest temperature ever recorded in North America – a sizzling 134 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you ever get a chance to visit the Mojave, you’re in for a treat. There are three amazing protected areas: Death Valley National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, and the Mojave National Preserve. These parks are like safe zones for all the cool plants and animals that call the Mojave home. We’re talking about bighorn sheep sure-footed enough to climb mountains, mountain lions that stalk their prey, speedy jackrabbits, and even desert tortoises that seem like they’ve been around forever. There’s also a special fish called the Devil’s Hole pupfish that you won’t find anywhere else on Earth! And let’s not forget the Joshua Tree, a super important plant that shows the health of the desert and keeps other wildlife thriving.
4. Sonoran Desert
The Sonoran Desert, also known by its fancy Spanish name Desierto de Altar, is like a biodiversity party compared to the other deserts on this list. Covering 120,000 square miles, it stretches across parts of Southwestern Arizona and southeastern California and even dips its toes into Mexico in Baja California Sur, Baja California, and Sonora. It’s kind of like a big mix of a few places, including the Colorado and Yuma deserts.
Here’s what makes the Sonoran Desert the life-of-the-party desert: variety! It boasts the most types of plants and animals out of all the major US deserts. We’re talking around 100 different slithering reptiles, a whopping 2,000 different plants, including the iconic Saguaro cactus that looks like a giant saguaro cactus, 60 mammal species, 30 fish that live nowhere else, 20 amphibians, and a sky full of 350 different bird species.
Two important rivers, the Colorado River and the Gila River, make their way through the Sonoran Desert, along with some winter and summer rains. This might seem surprising for a desert, but this subtropical desert is a bit different. All this water helps sustain the incredible amount of life that thrives there.
The Sonoran Desert’s popularity has been growing. With warm weather all year round, more and more people are moving in. This can be a problem for the delicate desert environment and the amazing creatures that have adapted to survive in this harsh, but natural world.
Remember, the Sonoran Desert is just one part of a much larger desert system in North America. This whole system, which includes the Chihuahuan, Great Basin, Mojave, and Sonoran deserts, stretches across huge parts of the Western and Southwestern United States and even into Mexico. Despite the challenges they present, these deserts are beautiful and vital ecosystems that deserve our protection.
A Table Comparison of the Deserts in the USA
| Desert | Size (Square Miles) | States Included | Key Features | Notable National Parks |
| Chihuahuan | 250,000 | New Mexico, Arizona, Texas | Rio Grande River, Sierra Madre Mountains, Big Bend National Park | Big Bend National Park (Texas) |
| Great Basin | 190,000 | Nevada, California, Idaho, Utah, Oregon | Sierra Nevada & Rocky Mountains, Great Basin National Park | Great Basin National Park (Nevada) |
| Mojave | 47,877 | California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona | Sierra Nevada & San Gabriel Mountains, Death Valley, Joshua Tree | Death Valley, Joshua Tree, Mojave National Preserve |
| Sonoran | 120,000 | Arizona, California, Mexico | Saguaro cactus, Colorado & Gila Rivers, High biodiversity | Saguaro National Park (Arizona) |
Conclusion
So, after exploring the four Deserts in the USA, we can ditch the boring stereotype of endless sand and struggle. The Great Basin, Mojave, Sonoran, and Chihuahuan deserts are all unique ecosystems teeming with life. From the towering cacti of the Sonoran to the winter snow of the Great Basin, these deserts offer a surprising amount of variety.
It’s important to remember that these deserts, despite their harsh beauty, are facing challenges. Human activity can disrupt the delicate balance of these ecosystems. Thankfully, there are also national parks and protected areas that help safeguard these special places.
The next time you think of deserts, remember the North American Desert! This vast and vibrant system is a testament to nature’s ability to create life in unexpected places. It’s a reminder to appreciate the delicate balance of our planet and the importance of protecting these irreplaceable ecosystems.
FAQs
How Many Deserts Are in the United States?
The United States has four major deserts: the Mojave, Sonoran, Chihuahuan, and Great Basin. These deserts are all classified as arid regions receiving less than 10 inches of rain annually. Interestingly, three of them (Mojave, Sonoran, and Chihuahuan) get their rain in the summer, while the Great Basin gets its share in the winter.
Which Country Is 90 Percent Desert?
Libya is a land of vast deserts! Over 90% of the country is covered in desert or semi-desert areas. This means most of Libya is incredibly dry and sandy.
Which Country Is 95 Percent Desert?
Saudi Arabia reigns supreme as the desert king! 95% of the country is covered in desert landscapes. With such a high percentage, it’s no wonder dust storms are a common sight in Saudi Arabia’s hot and dry climate.
Which Desert Spans 11 Countries?
The mighty Sahara Desert stretches its sandy arms across a whopping eleven countries! These countries include Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Sudan, Tunisia and Western Sahara.
Which Is the World’s Smallest Desert?
The title of the world’s smallest desert goes to the Carcross Desert! Located in Canada, this desert is tiny, measuring only about 1 square mile, or roughly the size of 640 acres. That’s so small, you could probably walk across it in a couple of hours.
Why Is the Sahara a Desert?
The Sahara is a desert because of a shift in weather patterns that happened a long time ago, around 2500 BCE. There used to be monsoons that brought rain to the Sahara, but they moved south for reasons scientists are still figuring out. This lack of rain for thousands of years is what turned the Sahara into the desert it is today.
Here’s an interesting fact though! The Earth’s axis isn’t perfectly straight, it wobbles a bit. Every 20,000 years or so, this wobble changes how the sun’s rays hit the Earth. Scientists believe that in the future, this wobble could bring the monsoons back to the Sahara, transforming it back into a grassland!