Here is a list of 10 Deserts in USA to tour and have a taste of the arid life, experience and feel the scorching sun.
The vast and mysterious Deserts in USA are endowed with distinct personalities and ecological significance. These desert environments, which range from the towering saguaros of the Sonoran Desert to the wind-carved landforms of the Colorado Plateau, awe and capture the mind with their ageless attraction and austere beauty.
In this journey, we will explore 10 Deserts in USA, learn about their unique ecosystems, and appreciate the variety of life that survives in their hostile environment.
What States have a desert?
So, What States have a desert?
American deserts are found in many states, including portions of Texas, Colorado, and Oregon, as well as Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, and New Mexico.
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
The largest state park in California, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, has many walking trails, 12 wilderness areas, and 500 miles of dirt roads. Wildlife to look out for includes roadrunners, golden eagles, kit foxes, mule deer, bighorn sheep, and iguanas. Local fauna include washes, wildflowers, palm groves, and cacti.
Located approximately an hour’s drive northeast of San Diego, this park is perfect for a weekend getaway to quench your desert thrill thirst.
Location: Borrego Springs, CA 92004
Chihuahuan Desert
The Chihuahuan Desert, the third biggest desert in the Western Hemisphere, is mainly made up of basins divided by multiple mountain ranges. The Sierra Madre, Sacramento Mountains, and Guadalupe Mountains are a few of its largest mountain ranges, and they’re all excellent for exploration. There are options for long drives as you get to enjoy the unending mirage. It is one of my best Deserts in United States.
Although there isn’t much vegetation in this shrub desert, the distinctive aspect of the area is provided by Creosote Bushes and other different plants.
Location: New Mexico, Texas and Arizona
Colorado Desert
The Colorado Desert, a significant portion of the Sonoran Desert, is home to many unusual plants and animals and innumerable desolate yet breathtakingly gorgeous vistas.
Mule deer, bobcats, desert kangaroo rats, black-tailed jackrabbits, camels, and red-diamond rattlesnakes are among the common desert animals that you might see in this barren area. It carries a vast species of fauna despite its desolation. In terms of fauna, it is one of the most equipped Deserts in the United States.
Numerous Indian reservations are in this desert, giving it the ideal place to learn about and engage with some of this history and culture.
Location: The Colorado Desert extends from the Mexican border north to San Bernardino County and the southern edge of the Joshua Tree National Park, east to the Colorado River and Arizona, and west into Riverside and San Diego counties.
Great Basin Desert
The country’s central deserts are the Sierra Nevada Range, the Rocky Mountains, the Columbian Plateau, the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts, and the Great Basin Desert. Not far from this desert is the well-known Lake Tahoe.
With more than 160 mountain ranges, the Great Basin is a hiker’s dream destination. Additionally, it is the location of the globally renowned Lehman Caves. It is essential to be aware of the heatwave brought by the scorching sun and high temperatures when planning an excursion in this desert.
Point to Note: Great Basin Desert is one of the most famous deserts in USA
Location: The Great Basin Desert spans Nevada, California, and Utah.
Joshua Tree National Park
This national park, which gets its name from the Joshua Tree, is a declared wilderness area, unlike the state of Rhode Island. Over a million years, ancient rock formations in this park have contributed to its unspoiled beauty and singularity.
The park has several hiking paths, some giving breathtaking viewpoints over Keys View, Coachella Valley, the Salton Sea, and the perfect sunset.
Location: 6554 Park Blvd Joshua Tree/CA, CA 92277
Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert is a region of striking contrasts and dramatic landscapes, home to mountain ranges, valleys, endorheic basins, salt pans, oases, and seasonal saline lakes. The desert plains are covered with a blanket of color in the spring when the wildflowers bloom, making it a charming time to visit.
Due to the abundance of essential minerals in the soils here, this desert has a long mining history.
Location: The Mojave Desert occupies parts of California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona
Mojave National Preserve
The Mojave National Preserve is renowned for its breathtaking carpets of vibrant wildflowers, Joshua tree forests, singing dunes, and volcanic cinder cones. It should come as no surprise that it also has spectacular mountains, canyons, abandoned mines, and old homesteads.
Because of this, it is an absolute must-see desert in USA.
Location: San Bernardino County, CA
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
Offering a secluded and pristine beauty ideal for resting and refreshing, the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is ideal for an RV vacation. Here, hiking is a viral activity, with miles of trails available for all skill levels.
While visiting, there are also several breathtaking drives you may do. Among these are the Puerto Blanco and Ajo Mountain Drives.
Location: Lukeville, AZ 85341
Sonoran Desert
The Sonoran Desert, which spans the US-Mexico border, is one of the biggest and warmest Deserts in USA and is home to a diverse range of plants and animals. This desert is the ideal location for anyone looking to visit a remote desert wilderness because of its natural beauty and magnificently stunning cacti.
Location: The Sonoran Desert occupies southwestern Arizona, southeastern California, and the western half of Sonora, Mexico.
White Sands National Monument
There are no white sand beaches like those in New Mexico. This monument preserves them in all their pure splendor, which lets tourists enjoy and be in awe of their breathtaking natural beauty.
These enormous, wave-like dunes are truly unique and have inspired generations. You must see them to believe. It is my best among the my best Deserts in USA to tour, take pictures and explore because of the dunes and the drought-like environment that gives the natural desert feel as you enjoy the fantastic sunset.
Location: 19955 U.S. 70, Alamogordo, NM 88310
Frequently Asked Questions about Deserts in USA
What are the Four Central Deserts in the United States?
North America has four central deserts: Great Basin, Mohave, Chihuahuan, and Sonoran. All but the Sonoran Desert have cold winters.
What is the Biggest Desert in the United States?
The Great Basin Desert is the largest desert in USA.
What US State Has the Most Deserts?
Arizona has a portion of all four, the only state with multiple desert areas.