Explore the deserts of the world through stories, articles and experiences on DesertUSA. Learn about desert animals, plants, geology, people and cultures. Featured stories highlight desert destinations, outdoor recreation and a variety of points of interest located in the American Southwest. Popular topics and destinations include: Salton Sea, Route 66, rockhounding for Geodes, Desert Wildflower Reports, Colorado River and Lake Reports, and many other desert related topics.
Houseboat Adventure on Lake Mead
The best way to explore the desert is from the water. Houseboating on Lake Mead is the best of all worlds, combining fun in the water and in the desert with all the comforts of home. Fifty miles north of Las Vegas, Nevada, at Callville Bay, eight of us, from a six-month-old to an eighty-three year old, boarded one of Forever Resorts’ 56-foot houseboats, complete with everything from linens to cooking supplies. Read more…
The desert is no place to be without water – one of man’s basic needs for survival. We think of deserts as areas of extreme heat and dryness. Deserts characteristically receive less than 10 inches of rainfall annually. In some deserts, the amount of evaporation is greater than the amount of rainfall. Typically, desert moisture occurs in brief intervals and is unpredictable from year to year. Who would guess that the Southwest gets its water supply from the Colorado river that runs right though the middle of three major deserts on its way to the Sea of Cortez? Read more…
The North Rim of the Grand Canyon
The North Rim of the Grand Canyon offers a quieter, more relaxed way to appreciate this natural treasure than the more often visited South Rim. This side of the Grand Canyon is higher (1,000 feet) and receives more rain and snow than the South Rim. Meadows, pine trees, and aspen dot the rocky terrain, softening the perspective, and the experience. The North Rim is located over 8,000 feet above sea level, on the Kaibab Plateau. It also contains the park’s highest elevation, Point Imperial, at 8,803 feet. Read more …
Bison… Or Beefalo?
Visitors to the North Rim may see large herds of bison in the meadows near the Entrance Station. Bison are not native to Grand Canyon National Park. In fact, these particular animals were brought to the Kaibab Plateau in 1906 in an effort to breed them with cattle and produce a hardy bison variety. The experiment was not economically successful and was abandoned several years later. Today, this hybrid group, or “beefalo” herd, is managed by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. Read more…
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Critter Cam Trail Footage
The secret lives of animals.
If you’re looking for a fun thing to do with your kids, check out our “Break-at-Home” geode kits. This hands on rockhounding experience is a great way for kids to learn about geology, how geodes are formed and to experience the excitement of discovery when they break one open. Learn more about “Break-at-Home” geodes.
An adventure through time. Explore the route used by pioneers on their way to California. The Mojave Road lets your SUV act as a time machine, guiding you on a trail that stretches for 138 miles through country virtually unchanged since prehistoric times. Learn more about the Mojave Road Guide by Dennis Casebier.
Southwest Taffy Cactus Chews are manufactured by Cerreta Candy Company, located in Arizona. The delicious taffy flavors are inspired by prickly pear, jumping cholla and saguaro cacti. The Prickly Pear Taffy is pink, the Saguaro Blossom Taffy is yellow and the Jumpin’ Cholla Taffy is light green. Shop for Taffy
