Featured Articles
The Lives of the Desert Shamans
Tribes roaming the deserts of the far West heeded their shamans; their old magic could conjure rains, bring luck to a hunt, doctor illnesses. They were honored and respected – all but a secretive few. More...
The West's Unluckiest Lawman
Pat Garrett had tracked Billy the Kid down again; this time he killed him. In the process Garrett became, not "the hero of the hour," but a villain because he had killed a favorite son. More...
Bristol Dry Lake
Ever wonder where that salt at your table comes from? Well, Bristol Dry Lake is one of the sources. With 60 million tons in reserve, you will be able to salt your food for some time to come. Bristol Lake is a dry lake bed in the desert near Amboy, California. More...
Florissant Fossil Beds
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument is a wonderland of meadows, mountain vistas, and vibrant wildflowers. But underneath the scenic beauty lies a hidden collection of ancient petrified redwood stumps and specimens of fossilized insects and fauna. More...
Explore the Desert
Desert Animals
What animals live in the desert? How do animals survive in the desert? Learn about mammals, reptiles, birds, fish and amphibians that have adapted to the harsh desert ecosystems. Here is a list of animals that live in the desert with links to additional information on each animal. Learn how they survive in the desert biome. More...
Desert Plants
How do plants survive the desert? Desert flora have adapted to the extremes of heat and aridity by using both physical and behavioral mechanisms, much like desert animals. Here are links to the flora found in the deserts, with photos and information about each plant. More...
Desert Life - Animals, Plants, People and the Environment
Deserts cover more than one fifth of the Earth's land, and they are found on every continent. Deserts can be classified as "hot" or "cold". Deserts receive less than 10 inches of precipitation a year. Lack of water creates a survival problem for all desert organisms, animals, plants and people. More...
Desert Activities -
Explore the Desert
The desert is a wonderful place to enjoy the outdoors and to spend time in recreational activities. People go to the desert to camp, to hike, to bike, to fish, to explore and to experience the unique environment found only in the American Southwest and its deserts. More...
Trending Top Stories
Art credit Burning Man
Burning Man 2019
Far out in the Nevada desert, Black Rock City 2019 has taken shape. Tens of thousands of people are assembling there for the annual Burning Man experience, braving heat, alkaline dust storms, and generally miserable conditions. More...
Valley of the Gods, Utah
Tighten your grip on the steering wheel and turn onto the drop, while everyone else gasps at once. They will be gasping not at the steep drop down to ford the creek, but from the towering Seven Sailors Butte filling the earth to the sky. More...
Borax and the 20-Mule Team
Men in search of quick fortunes began drifting into Death Valley after the Civil War, hoping to find a lucky strike of gold or silver. In 1881, one such prospector, Aaron Winters, was living with his wife, Rosie, at Ash Meadows, a desolate place near the Funeral Mountain. More...
Desert News
Featured DesertUSA Writers' Blogs
Share this page on Facebook:
DesertUSA Newsletter -- We send articles on hiking, camping and places to explore, as well as animals, wildflower reports, plant information and much more. Sign up below or read more about the DesertUSA newsletter here. (It's Free.)
The Desert Environment
The North American Deserts
Desert Geological Terms
Take a look at our Animals index page to find information about all kinds of birds, snakes, mammals, spiders and more!
Prospecting? Here's how to look for gold in the desert.
Are you interested in the temperatures in the
desert?
Click
here to see current
desert temperatures!
