DesertUSA is a guide to the American Southwest. Our stories feature topics ranging from rockhounding and boating to desert parks and unique points of interest. DesertUSA’s content includes in depth information about the natural history of the desert regions of the United States.
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Red Rock Canyon NCA, Nevada
Spring Mountain Ranch
In the southern corner of Nevada is a place where the colors are brilliant, the entertainment varied, the development impressive, and the activities many. And, it’s not Las Vegas! In Red Rock Canyon Recreation Area the reds of the land brighten under the deep-blue, cloudless sky. Here, Mother Nature worked 600 million years to create a uniquely beautiful land. You can hike, rock scramble, visit a desert museum, see a play, watch a “shoot-out at high noon” and do so much more. Read more …
Wolf Spiders
Nighttime Hunters in the Desert
Hairy as Bigfoot, swift as a barracuda and nearly the size of a tarantula, the wolf spider, like other hunting spiders, may ambush or run down its prey, which includes insects such as earwigs, ants, beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, roaches and other spiders. It took its name from folklore, which suggested that it hunted in packs, like wolves. They are, in fact, solitary hunters, in spite of their name. Read more…
Borax and the 20-Mule Team
Death Valley National Park
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, on the east side of Death Valley. According to one visitor, the Winters lived in a hovel, “close against a hill, one side half-hewn out of rock, with a thatched roof. The earth served as a floor.” Read more…
Finding the Mother Lode
Gold Prospecting
With gold selling at around $1900.00 an ounce, can a person earn an income prospecting for gold? This is an age-old question and one I find difficult to answer. The answer is of course, “yes,” however, there is one important question you must first ask yourself. Read more…
News
- A Pretty Little Secret that Hides in Morongo Valley
- Death Valley Campgrounds Opened Oct 15, 2020
- The World’s Longest Fossilized Human Trackway Discovered at White Sands National Park
- Missing Person at Zion National Park
- Tumacácori Día de los Muertos Honors Lost Loved Ones Amid Global Pandemic
- Human Remains Discovered Below Colorado River Overlook
- Man sentenced for violating Order of Protection in Grand Canyon National Park
DesertUSA Bloggers
Lara’s Lane Blog
Put on your best poodle skirt, slip into those blue-suede shoes, smooth out those spit curls and rev up your hopped-up ride. You’re going to Peggy Sue’s Diner in Yermo, Calif. Read more about Peggy Sue’s Diner.
Mojo on the Mojave Blog
Only a 20 minute drive from downtown Palm Springs is a place with much cooler temperatures, it’s an oasis that’s located at the southwestern edge of the Mojave Desert. Considered a secret hideaway by many people and animals, this oasis is called the Big Morongo Canyon Preserve. Learn more about Big Morongo Valley Preserve.
Oct. 18th – 24th is Wolf Awareness Week. To read stories about wolves, the California Wolf Center and to learn more about biodiversity, click here.
If you are looking for a fun activity to do with your kids, check out our “Break-at-Home” geode kits. This hands on rockhounding experience is a fun way for kids to learn about geology, how geodes are formed and 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.
DesertUSA has received so many requests for Prickly Pear recipes and ingredients that we have decided to stock our store with Prickly Pear Syrup, nectar and related products.
Prickly Pear Drink Recipes & Prickly Pear Syrup Products
Buy Prickly Pear Syrup 35 oz on DesertUSA’s Amazon Store.
Buy Prickly Pear Syrup 1 Gallon on DesertUSA’s Amazon Store.