Difference between revisions of "Mojave Desert" - New World Encyclopedia

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[[Image:Kingston Range from Emigrant Pass.jpg|300px|right|thumb|Looking across from Emigrant Pass towards the [[Kingston Range]] in the eastern Mojave. The [[Old Spanish Trail (trade route)|Old Spanish Trail]] passed through the valley in the foreground.]]
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The '''Mojave Desert''' (''Mojave'' is used for the desert while ''[[Mohave]]'' is used for the native people) occupies a significant portion of southern [[California]] and smaller parts of southwestern [[Utah]], southern [[Nevada]], and northwestern [[Arizona]], in the United States.<!-- I've researched this fact out in a book at the Palmdale City Library.  The book inside covers show via a map that parts of Utah, Nevada and Arizona are indeed part of the Mojave Desert.  If you like, I'll be glad to check it out again and cite it, listing it as a reference here.  Thanks. —> Named after the [[Mohave]] tribe of [[Native Americans of the United States|Native Americans]], it occupies over 22,000 square miles (57,000 km²) in a typical [[Basin and Range]] topography.
  
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The '''Mojave Desert''' (Mojave is used for the desert while Mohave is used for the native people of the desert) occupies a significant portion of Southern California and parts of [[Utah]], [[Nevada]] and [[Arizona]], in the United States. Named after the [[Mohave]] tribe of [[Native Americans]], it occupies over 22,000 mi&sup2; (35,000 km&sup2;) in a typical [[Basin and Range]] topography.
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The Mojave Desert's boundaries are generally defined by the presence of [[Joshua Tree|Joshua Trees]] — they are considered an [[indicator species]] for the desert. The topographical boundaries include the [[Tehachapi Mountains|Tehachapi]] together with the [[San Gabriel Mountains|San Gabriel]] and [[San Bernardino Mountains|San Bernardino]] mountain ranges. The mountain boundaries are quite distinct since they are outlined by the two largest faults in [[California]]: the [[San Andreas Fault|San Andreas]] and the [[Garlock Fault|Garlock]]. The [[Great Basin shrub steppe]] lies to the north; the warmer [[Sonoran Desert]] lies to the south and east. The desert is believed to have between 1,750 and 2,000 species of [[plant]]s.
  
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The Mojave Desert is bounded in part by the [[Tehachapi Mountains]] together with the [[San Gabriel]] and [[San Bernardino]] mountain ranges. The mountain boundaries are quite distinct since they are outlined by the two largest faults in California: the [[San Andreas Fault|San Andreas]] and the [[Garlock]]. Its northern and eastern boundaries are less distinct. One way to determine entry is by observing the presence of [[Joshua Tree]]s. The desert is believed to have between 1,750 and 2,000 species of plants.
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[[image:Usgs mojave desert.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Extent of Mojave Desert. Green square is the area of a survey made by the USGS which covers 25,000 square miles.]]
  
 
==Climate==
 
==Climate==
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[[Image:Kingston Range from Emigrant Pass.jpg|300px|right|thumb|Mojave Desert]]
 
  
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The Mojave Desert receives less than 6 inches (150 mm) of rain a year and is generally between 3,000 and 6,000 feet (1,000 and 2,000 m) in elevation. The Mojave Desert also contains the [[Mojave National Preserve]] and the lowest and hottest place in [[North America]]: [[Death Valley National Park|Death Valley]], where the temperature normally approaches 120°F (50°C) in late July and early August. Despite its aridity, the Mojave (and particularly the [[Antelope Valley]] in its southwest) has long been a center of alfalfa production, fed by irrigation coming from groundwater and (in the 20th century) from the [[California Aqueduct]].
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The Mojave Desert receives less than 6 inches (150 mm) of rain a year and is generally between 3,000 and 6,000 feet (1,000 and 2,000 m) in elevation. The Mojave Desert also contains the [[Mojave National Preserve]], as well as the lowest and hottest place in [[North America]]: [[Death Valley National Park|Death Valley]], where the temperature normally approaches 120°F (50°C) in late July and early August. [[Zion National Park]], in [[Utah]], lies at the junction of the Mojave, the [[Great Basin]], and the [[Colorado Plateau]]. Despite its aridity, the Mojave (and particularly the [[Antelope Valley]] in its southwest) has long been a center of [[alfalfa]] production, fed by irrigation coming from [[groundwater]] and (in the 20th century) from the [[California Aqueduct]].
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The Mojave is a desert of temperature extremes and four distinct seasons. Winter months bring temperatures dipping to below 20° F on valley floors, and below 0° F at higher elevations. Storms moving from the [[Pacific Northwest]] can bring rain and snow across the region — more often, the [[rain shadow]] created by the [[Sierra Nevada (US)|Sierra Nevada]] as well as mountain ranges within the desert such as the [[Spring Mountains]] bring only clouds and wind. In longer periods between storm systems, winter temperatures in valleys can approach 80°.
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Spring weather continues to be influenced by Pacific storms, but rainfall is more widespread and occurs less frequently after April. By early June, it is rare for another Pacific storm to have a significant impact on the region's weather, and temperatures after mid-May are normally above 90° F and frequently above 100°.
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Summer weather is dominated by heat — temperatures on valley floors can soar above 120° F and above 130° F at the lowest elevations — and the presence of the [[Monsoon|North American monsoon]]. Low humidity, high temperatures and low pressure draw in moisture from the [[Gulf of Mexico]], creating thunderstorms across the desert southwest. While the Mojave does not get nearly the amount of rainfall that the Sonoran desert to the east receives, monsoonal moisture will create thunderstorms as far west as California's [[Central Valley]] from mid-June through early September.
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Autumns are generally pleasant, with one to two Pacific storm systems creating regional rain events. October is one of the driest and sunniest months in the Mojave, and temperatures usually remain between 70° F and 90° F on the valley floors.
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Wind is the most significant non-temperature-related weather phenomenon in the Mojave. Across the region, windy days are common, and in areas near the transition between the Mojave and the California low valleys, including near [[Cajon Pass]], [[Soledad Canyon]] and the [[Tehachapi, California|Tehachapi]] areas. During the [[June Gloom]], cooler air can be pushed out into the desert from Southern California; in [[Santa Ana wind]] events, hot air from the desert blows out into the [[Los Angeles basin]] and other coastal areas. [[Wind farm]]s in these areas generate power from these winds.
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The other major weather factor in the region is elevation. The highest peak within the Mojave is [[Charleston Peak]] at 11,918 feet (3,633 m), while Death Valley is below sea level. Accordingly, temperatures and precipitation ranges wildly, in all seasons, across the region.
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==Cities and regions==
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While the Mojave Desert itself is sparsely populated, it has increasingly become urbanized in recent years. [[Las Vegas, Nevada]] is the largest city in the Mojave, with a metropolitan population of around 1.9 million in 2006. [[Palmdale, California|Palmdale]] is the largest city in California in the desert, and over 850,000 people live in areas of the Mojave attached to the [[Greater Los Angeles]] metroplex, including Palmdale, [[Lancaster, California|Lancaster]], [[Victorville, California|Victorville]] and [[Hesperia, California|Hesperia]] – these areas are referred to as the "High Desert." Smaller cities in the Mojave include [[St. George, Utah|St. George]], [[Lake Havasu City, Arizona|Lake Havasu City]], [[Kingman, Arizona|Kingman]], [[Laughlin, Nevada|Laughlin]] and [[Bullhead City, Arizona|Bullhead City]], and [[Pahrump, Nevada|Pahrump]]. All have experienced rapid population growth since 1990.
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Towns with fewer than 30,000 people in the Mojave include [[Barstow, California]], [[Needles, California]], [[Ridgecrest, California]], [[Mesquite, Nevada]], [[Hurricane, Utah]], [[Moapa Valley, Nevada]], [[California City, California]], [[Twentynine Palms, California]] and [[Mojave, California]].
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The Mojave Desert contains a number of [[ghost town]]s, the most significant of these being the silver-mining town of [[Calico, California]] and the old railroad depot of [[Kelso, California|Kelso]]. Some of the other ghost towns are of the more modern variety, created when [[Route 66]] (and the lesser-known [[United States Highway 91|US Highway 91]]) were abandoned in favor of the [[Interstate highway|Interstates]]. The Mojave Desert is crossed by major highways [[Interstate 15]], [[Interstate 40]], [[US Highway 395]] and [[US Highway 95]].
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As much of the Mojave is in the [[Basin and Range Region]], few long streams cross the desert. The [[Mojave River]] is an important source of water for the southern parts of the desert. The [[Amargosa River]] flows from the Great Basin Desert south to near [[Beatty, Nevada]], then underground through [[Ash Meadows]] before returning to the surface near [[Shoshone, California]] and ending in [[Death Valley]]. A part of the [[Colorado River (U.S.)|Colorado River]] traverses the far eastern portion of the Mojave.
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==Tourism==
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The Mojave Desert is one of the most popular tourism spots in North America, primarily because of gambling mecca Las Vegas. The desert is also known for its scenic beauty, with four national parks – [[Death Valley National Park| Death Valley]], [[Joshua Tree National Park|Joshua Tree]], [[Zion National Park|Zion]] and [[Grand Canyon National Park|Grand Canyon]] all within the desert or adjoining it. Lakes [[Lake Mead|Mead]], [[Lake Mohave|Mohave]] and [[Lake Havasu|Havasu]] provide watersport recreation, and sand dunes in the region entice off-road enthusiasts.
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Among the more popular and unique tourist attractions in the Mojave is the self described [[world's tallest thermometer]] at 134 feet high, which is located along [[Interstate 15]] in [[Baker, California]]. [[Kelso Dunes]] is also a popular recreation spot.
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[[Image:Lakemeadnevada.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Lake Mead provides much needed water for cities in Arizona, California, and Nevada]].
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==Mojave Desert in fiction==
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*The Newcomer ship in ''[[Alien Nation (film)|Alien Nation]]'' hovered over the Mojave Desert at its fictional 1988 arrival.
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 +
*In Steven King short story [[The Langoliers]] a time rip is situated over the Mojave Desert.
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*Fictional character Captain [[Christopher Pike]] of the [[Star Trek]] universe called the Mojave his home, having grown up in the town of Mojave, built in what was once desert "wasteland".
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 +
*The play ''[[Fool For Love (play)|Fool For Love]]'',  written and directed by [[Sam Shepard]] in 1983, takes place on the edge of the Mojave Desert.
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*The Mojave Desert has been featured four times throughout the series of the [[FOX Network|FOX]] hit drama television show, ''[[24 (TV series)|24]]'':
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**In the first season of ''[[24 (TV series)|24]]'', terrorist, [[Mandy (24 character)|Mandy]], blew up a [[747]] airplane and then parachuted into the Mojave Desert.
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**In the second season of ''[[24 (TV series)|24]]'', [[George Mason]] sacrifices his life to dispose of a nuclear bomb safely in the Mojave Desert.
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**In the fourth season of ''[[24 (TV series)|24]]'', [[Air Force One]] was shot down by a [[stealth fighter]] over the Mojave Desert and [[Jack Bauer]] had to go in  and find the [[Nuclear Football]] briefcase, which was among the wreckage of the aircraft, before the terrorists could get it.
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**In the first episode of the fifth season of ''[[24 (TV series)|24]]'', Jack Bauer is living and working (under an assumed name in order to avoid detection by American or Chinese authorities) in the city of Mojave, CA.  
  
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The Mojave, like all deserts in general, is known for its summer heat; however, much less renowned is the Mojave's wintertime cold. Snow, although uncommon, does fall in parts of the Mojave. Amounts range from just a trace to a foot or more of heavy wet snow that can lead to freeway traffic closures and being "snowed in." The coldest wintertime temperature ranges have been below freezing yet above 0°F. That said, many parts of the Mojave typically range from highs of around 95&ndash;105°F in the summer to lows of around 20&ndash;30°F in the winter.
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*In [[Hunter S. Thompson]]'s book ''[[Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas]]'', and its film adaptation, when Raoul Duke, Dr. Gonzo and the hitchhiker are on their way to [[Las Vegas]], they are driving through the Mojave Desert. Duke is contemplating what to do with the hitchhiker: "How long could we maintain, I wondered. How long before one of us starts raving and jabbering at this boy?  What will he think then? This same lonely desert was the last known home of the Manson family, will he make this grim connection when my attorney starts screaming about bats and huge manta rays coming down on the car?"
  
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Wind is also a weather factor. Las Vegas, situated on the desert's east, may not have many winds, but the community of Mojave, California, situated at its western end, can have wind nearly every day &mdash; even winds surpassing 50 miles per hour.  Nearby [[Tehachapi Pass]], due to the high likelihood of reliable wind, is home to an extensive electrical [[Wind turbine]] "[[Wind farm]]" which converts wind, a renewable-clean-resource, into electricity.  
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*The stark back-drop for [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]]'s 1997 comeback "[[Frozen (song)|Frozen]]" video is the desert shot through a cold filter.
  
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The Mojave Desert contains a number of ghost towns, the most significant of these being the silver-mining town of Calico, California, and the old railroad depot of Kelso, California. Some of the other ghost towns are of the more modern variety, created when Route 66 (and the lesser-known US Highway 91) were abandoned in favor of the [[Interstate highway|Interstates]]. The Mojave Desert is crossed by major highways Interstate 15, Interstate 40, US Highway 395 and US Highway 95.
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*In the [[PlayStation]] video game [[Parasite Eve 2]], the majority of the storyline unfolds in a small town called Dryfield (said in game to be located in the Mojave desert).
  
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The [[Mojave River]] is an important source of water in this arid land. A part of the [[Colorado River]] also traverses its far eastern portion.  
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*The [[music video]] for the [[Spice Girls]]' second single, [[Say You'll Be There]], was shot in this [[desert]] in [[September]] [[1996]].
  
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The Mojave Desert is not entirely rural as a few cities do exist there. Las Vegas is the Mojave's largest city and metropolitan area. [[Palmdale, California]] is the largest city by population on the California side of the desert and is part of the ''[[Lancaster, California|Lancaster]]/Palmdale Urbanized Area,'' a [[U.S. Census Bureau]] defined term. Other incorporated cities include; [[Henderson, Nevada|Henderson]], [[North Las Vegas, Nevada|North Las Vegas]], and [[Laughlin, Nevada|Laughlin]] in Nevada, and [[Victorville, California|Victorville]], [[Barstow, California|Barstow]], [[Ridgecrest, California|Ridgecrest]], and [[Needles, California|Needles]] in California.  
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* The post-apocalyptic computer game [[Wasteland (computer game)|Wasteland]] is set in the area.
  
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[[Los Angeles#People|Angeleno]]s often refer to its southwestern portions, the [[Antelope Valley]] and the [[Victor Valley]], as the ''High Desert''.
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*Paulo Coelho's book, [[The Valkyries (book)|The Valkyries]], is set in the Mojave Desert.
  
 
== Native Mojave plants and animals ==
 
== Native Mojave plants and animals ==
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=== Plants ===
 
=== Plants ===
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Joshua Tree
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* [[Abies concolor]][[Image:Barrelsonacliff.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Barrel Cactus in Virgin River Gorge, Arizona]].
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Jumping Cholla
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* [[Astragalus newberryi]]
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Teddy-bear Cholla
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* [[Barrel Cactus]]
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Mojave yucca
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* [[Banana yucca]]
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Mojave sage
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* [[Opuntia basilaris|Beaver Tail Prickly Pear]]
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desert lily
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* [[California Fan Palm]]
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* [[Camissonia campestris]] Mojave suncup
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* [[Cooper dyssodia]]
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* [[Death Valley monkeyflower]]
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* [[Desert candle]]
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* [[Desert five-spot]]
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* [[Desert larkspur]]
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* [[Desert Lily]]
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* [[Desert rock pea]]
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* [[Desert star]]
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* [[Erigeron concinnus]]
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* [[Ipomopsis arizonica]]
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* [[Island Oak]] No longer found in the Mojave Desert.
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* [[Joshua Tree]]
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* [[Jojoba]]
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* [[Jumping Cholla]]
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* [[Larrea tridentata]]
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* [[Linanthus demissus]]
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* [[Lupinus arizonicus]]
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* [[Mojave prickly poppy]][[Image:Joshuatreescape.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Joshua Trees in Washington County, Utah in the southwest corner of the state]].
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* [[Mojave sage]]
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* [[Mojave yucca]]
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* [[Mormon Tea]]
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* [[Pencil Cholla]]
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* [[Phacelia calthifolia]]
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* [[Phacelia crenulata]]
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* [[Pinus monophylla]]
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* [[Prairie clover]]
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* [[Senna covesii]]
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* [[Teddy-bear Cholla]]
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* [[Utah Juniper]]
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* [[White woolly daisy]]
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* [[Wide-bannered lupine]]
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* [[Yucca brevifolia]]
  
 
=== Animals ===
 
=== Animals ===
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* [[Big Horn Sheep]]
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Chuckwalla
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* [[Chuckwalla]]
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Desert horned lizard
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* [[Cougar]]
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Desert iguana
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* [[Coyote]]
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Desert kit fox
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* [[Desert horned lizard]]
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Desert tortoise
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* [[Desert iguana]]
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Fringe-toed lizard
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* [[Desert kit fox]]
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Rattlesnake (Mojave Green and Western Diamondback)
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* [[Desert tortoise]]
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Zebra-tailed lizard
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[[Image:Beaverdamwashmts.jpg|right|300 px|thumb|Beaver Dam Mountains in southwestern Utah.]] 
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* [[Gila Monster]]
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* [[Hummingbird]]                 
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* [[Jackrabbit]]
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* [[Fringe-toed lizard]]
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* [[Mohave tui chub]] Endangered fish
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* [[Crotalus_scutulatus|Mojave Green Rattlesnake]]
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* [[Mountain Goat]]
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* [[Pronghorn]]
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* [[Scorpion]]
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* [[Tarantula]]
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* [[Western Diamondback Rattlesnake]]
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* [[Zebra-tailed lizard]]
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* [[Gopher Snake]]
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* [[Red-tailed Hawk]]
  
 
==Photos from the Mojave Desert==
 
==Photos from the Mojave Desert==
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Image:Mojave_AftonCanyon.jpg|Slot Canyon in Afton Canyon
 
Image:Mojave_AftonCanyon.jpg|Slot Canyon in Afton Canyon
 
Image:Mojave_DustDevil.jpg|Dust Devil, El Mirage Dry Lake
 
Image:Mojave_DustDevil.jpg|Dust Devil, El Mirage Dry Lake
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Image:Mojave_CoyoteDryLake.jpg|Water hole, Coyote Dry Lake
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Image:Mojave_CoyoteDryLake.jpg|Water hole, [[Coyote Dry Lake]]
 
Image:Mojave_Rainbow2.jpg|Rainbow Canyon, near the city of Barstow
 
Image:Mojave_Rainbow2.jpg|Rainbow Canyon, near the city of Barstow
 
Image:Mojave_Amboy.jpg|Amboy Crater
 
Image:Mojave_Amboy.jpg|Amboy Crater
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Image:Mojave SummerStorm.jpg|Summer Storm
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Image:Mojave_SummerStorm.jpg|Summer Storm
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Image:Pioneerhomenearstgeorge.jpg|Pioneer cabin remains near St. George, Utah.
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
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==See also==
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{{commons|Mojave Desert}}
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*[[Amboy Crater]]
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*[[Black Rock Road]]
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*[[Colorado Desert]]
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*[[Death Valley]] and [[Death Valley National Park]]
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*[[List of deserts by area]]
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*[[List of North American deserts]]
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*[[List of regions of the United States#California|List of California regions]]
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*[[Low Desert]]
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*[[Mojave phone booth]]
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*[[Mojave Road]]
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*[[Solar One]]
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*[[Sonora Desert]]
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*[[Zzyzx Road]] An actual road that runs through the Mojave Desert.
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*[[Palen Mountains]]
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*[[Lake Delores]]
  
 
==External links==
 
==External links==
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*[http://digital-desert.com/ Photo tours and maps of points of interest in the Mojave Desert]
 
  
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{{credit|32332471}}
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*[http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/ecoregions/51308frame.htm Mojave Desert images at bioimages.vanderbilt.edu] ([http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/ecoregions/51308.htm slow modem version])
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* [http://www.dirtopia.com/wiki/Mojave_Desert Off-Road Trails in the Mojave Desert]
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==References==
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*''Mojave Desert Wildflowers'', Jon Mark Stewart, 1998, pg. iv
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{{Deserts}}
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{{California}}
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{{Nevada}}
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{{Arizona}}
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{{Utah}}
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{{Colorado_River_system}}
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[[Category:Nations and places]]
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[[Category:Deserts]]
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{{credit|114879511}}

Revision as of 21:45, 16 March 2007

Looking across from Emigrant Pass towards the Kingston Range in the eastern Mojave. The Old Spanish Trail passed through the valley in the foreground.

The Mojave Desert (Mojave is used for the desert while Mohave is used for the native people) occupies a significant portion of southern California and smaller parts of southwestern Utah, southern Nevada, and northwestern Arizona, in the United States. Named after the Mohave tribe of Native Americans, it occupies over 22,000 square miles (57,000 km²) in a typical Basin and Range topography.

The Mojave Desert's boundaries are generally defined by the presence of Joshua Trees — they are considered an indicator species for the desert. The topographical boundaries include the Tehachapi together with the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountain ranges. The mountain boundaries are quite distinct since they are outlined by the two largest faults in California: the San Andreas and the Garlock. The Great Basin shrub steppe lies to the north; the warmer Sonoran Desert lies to the south and east. The desert is believed to have between 1,750 and 2,000 species of plants.

File:Usgs mojave desert.jpg
Extent of Mojave Desert. Green square is the area of a survey made by the USGS which covers 25,000 square miles.

Climate

The Mojave Desert receives less than 6 inches (150 mm) of rain a year and is generally between 3,000 and 6,000 feet (1,000 and 2,000 m) in elevation. The Mojave Desert also contains the Mojave National Preserve, as well as the lowest and hottest place in North America: Death Valley, where the temperature normally approaches 120°F (50°C) in late July and early August. Zion National Park, in Utah, lies at the junction of the Mojave, the Great Basin, and the Colorado Plateau. Despite its aridity, the Mojave (and particularly the Antelope Valley in its southwest) has long been a center of alfalfa production, fed by irrigation coming from groundwater and (in the 20th century) from the California Aqueduct.

The Mojave is a desert of temperature extremes and four distinct seasons. Winter months bring temperatures dipping to below 20° F on valley floors, and below 0° F at higher elevations. Storms moving from the Pacific Northwest can bring rain and snow across the region — more often, the rain shadow created by the Sierra Nevada as well as mountain ranges within the desert such as the Spring Mountains bring only clouds and wind. In longer periods between storm systems, winter temperatures in valleys can approach 80°.

Spring weather continues to be influenced by Pacific storms, but rainfall is more widespread and occurs less frequently after April. By early June, it is rare for another Pacific storm to have a significant impact on the region's weather, and temperatures after mid-May are normally above 90° F and frequently above 100°.

Summer weather is dominated by heat — temperatures on valley floors can soar above 120° F and above 130° F at the lowest elevations — and the presence of the North American monsoon. Low humidity, high temperatures and low pressure draw in moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, creating thunderstorms across the desert southwest. While the Mojave does not get nearly the amount of rainfall that the Sonoran desert to the east receives, monsoonal moisture will create thunderstorms as far west as California's Central Valley from mid-June through early September.

Autumns are generally pleasant, with one to two Pacific storm systems creating regional rain events. October is one of the driest and sunniest months in the Mojave, and temperatures usually remain between 70° F and 90° F on the valley floors.

Wind is the most significant non-temperature-related weather phenomenon in the Mojave. Across the region, windy days are common, and in areas near the transition between the Mojave and the California low valleys, including near Cajon Pass, Soledad Canyon and the Tehachapi areas. During the June Gloom, cooler air can be pushed out into the desert from Southern California; in Santa Ana wind events, hot air from the desert blows out into the Los Angeles basin and other coastal areas. Wind farms in these areas generate power from these winds.

The other major weather factor in the region is elevation. The highest peak within the Mojave is Charleston Peak at 11,918 feet (3,633 m), while Death Valley is below sea level. Accordingly, temperatures and precipitation ranges wildly, in all seasons, across the region.

Cities and regions

While the Mojave Desert itself is sparsely populated, it has increasingly become urbanized in recent years. Las Vegas, Nevada is the largest city in the Mojave, with a metropolitan population of around 1.9 million in 2006. Palmdale is the largest city in California in the desert, and over 850,000 people live in areas of the Mojave attached to the Greater Los Angeles metroplex, including Palmdale, Lancaster, Victorville and Hesperia – these areas are referred to as the "High Desert." Smaller cities in the Mojave include St. George, Lake Havasu City, Kingman, Laughlin and Bullhead City, and Pahrump. All have experienced rapid population growth since 1990.

Towns with fewer than 30,000 people in the Mojave include Barstow, California, Needles, California, Ridgecrest, California, Mesquite, Nevada, Hurricane, Utah, Moapa Valley, Nevada, California City, California, Twentynine Palms, California and Mojave, California.

The Mojave Desert contains a number of ghost towns, the most significant of these being the silver-mining town of Calico, California and the old railroad depot of Kelso. Some of the other ghost towns are of the more modern variety, created when Route 66 (and the lesser-known US Highway 91) were abandoned in favor of the Interstates. The Mojave Desert is crossed by major highways Interstate 15, Interstate 40, US Highway 395 and US Highway 95.

As much of the Mojave is in the Basin and Range Region, few long streams cross the desert. The Mojave River is an important source of water for the southern parts of the desert. The Amargosa River flows from the Great Basin Desert south to near Beatty, Nevada, then underground through Ash Meadows before returning to the surface near Shoshone, California and ending in Death Valley. A part of the Colorado River traverses the far eastern portion of the Mojave.

Tourism

The Mojave Desert is one of the most popular tourism spots in North America, primarily because of gambling mecca Las Vegas. The desert is also known for its scenic beauty, with four national parks – Death Valley, Joshua Tree, Zion and Grand Canyon all within the desert or adjoining it. Lakes Mead, Mohave and Havasu provide watersport recreation, and sand dunes in the region entice off-road enthusiasts.

Among the more popular and unique tourist attractions in the Mojave is the self described world's tallest thermometer at 134 feet high, which is located along Interstate 15 in Baker, California. Kelso Dunes is also a popular recreation spot.

Lake Mead provides much needed water for cities in Arizona, California, and Nevada

.

Mojave Desert in fiction

  • The Newcomer ship in Alien Nation hovered over the Mojave Desert at its fictional 1988 arrival.
  • In Steven King short story The Langoliers a time rip is situated over the Mojave Desert.
  • Fictional character Captain Christopher Pike of the Star Trek universe called the Mojave his home, having grown up in the town of Mojave, built in what was once desert "wasteland".
  • The play Fool For Love, written and directed by Sam Shepard in 1983, takes place on the edge of the Mojave Desert.
  • The Mojave Desert has been featured four times throughout the series of the FOX hit drama television show, 24:
    • In the first season of 24, terrorist, Mandy, blew up a 747 airplane and then parachuted into the Mojave Desert.
    • In the second season of 24, George Mason sacrifices his life to dispose of a nuclear bomb safely in the Mojave Desert.
    • In the fourth season of 24, Air Force One was shot down by a stealth fighter over the Mojave Desert and Jack Bauer had to go in and find the Nuclear Football briefcase, which was among the wreckage of the aircraft, before the terrorists could get it.
    • In the first episode of the fifth season of 24, Jack Bauer is living and working (under an assumed name in order to avoid detection by American or Chinese authorities) in the city of Mojave, CA.
  • In Hunter S. Thompson's book Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and its film adaptation, when Raoul Duke, Dr. Gonzo and the hitchhiker are on their way to Las Vegas, they are driving through the Mojave Desert. Duke is contemplating what to do with the hitchhiker: "How long could we maintain, I wondered. How long before one of us starts raving and jabbering at this boy? What will he think then? This same lonely desert was the last known home of the Manson family, will he make this grim connection when my attorney starts screaming about bats and huge manta rays coming down on the car?"
  • The stark back-drop for Madonna's 1997 comeback "Frozen" video is the desert shot through a cold filter.
  • In the PlayStation video game Parasite Eve 2, the majority of the storyline unfolds in a small town called Dryfield (said in game to be located in the Mojave desert).
  • The music video for the Spice Girls' second single, Say You'll Be There, was shot in this desert in September 1996.
  • The post-apocalyptic computer game Wasteland is set in the area.
  • Paulo Coelho's book, The Valkyries, is set in the Mojave Desert.

Native Mojave plants and animals

Plants

  • Abies concolor
    File:Barrelsonacliff.jpg
    Barrel Cactus in Virgin River Gorge, Arizona
    .
  • Astragalus newberryi
  • Barrel Cactus
  • Banana yucca
  • Beaver Tail Prickly Pear
  • California Fan Palm
  • Camissonia campestris Mojave suncup
  • Cooper dyssodia
  • Death Valley monkeyflower
  • Desert candle
  • Desert five-spot
  • Desert larkspur
  • Desert Lily
  • Desert rock pea
  • Desert star
  • Erigeron concinnus
  • Ipomopsis arizonica
  • Island Oak No longer found in the Mojave Desert.
  • Joshua Tree
  • Jojoba
  • Jumping Cholla
  • Larrea tridentata
  • Linanthus demissus
  • Lupinus arizonicus
  • Mojave prickly poppy
    File:Joshuatreescape.jpg
    Joshua Trees in Washington County, Utah in the southwest corner of the state
    .
  • Mojave sage
  • Mojave yucca
  • Mormon Tea
  • Pencil Cholla
  • Phacelia calthifolia
  • Phacelia crenulata
  • Pinus monophylla
  • Prairie clover
  • Senna covesii
  • Teddy-bear Cholla
  • Utah Juniper
  • White woolly daisy
  • Wide-bannered lupine
  • Yucca brevifolia

Animals

  • Big Horn Sheep
  • Chuckwalla
  • Cougar
  • Coyote
  • Desert horned lizard
  • Desert iguana
  • Desert kit fox
  • Desert tortoise
File:Beaverdamwashmts.jpg
Beaver Dam Mountains in southwestern Utah.
  • Gila Monster
  • Hummingbird
  • Jackrabbit
  • Fringe-toed lizard
  • Mohave tui chub Endangered fish
  • Mojave Green Rattlesnake
  • Mountain Goat
  • Pronghorn
  • Scorpion
  • Tarantula
  • Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
  • Zebra-tailed lizard
  • Gopher Snake
  • Red-tailed Hawk

Photos from the Mojave Desert

  • Pinnacles National Natural Landmark

  • Kelso Sand Dunes

  • Slot Canyon in Afton Canyon

  • Dust Devil, El Mirage Dry Lake

  • Water hole, Coyote Dry Lake

  • Rainbow Canyon, near the city of Barstow

  • Amboy Crater

  • Summer Storm

  • Pioneer cabin remains near St. George, Utah.

See also

Commons
Wikimedia Commons has media related to::
  • Amboy Crater
  • Black Rock Road
  • Colorado Desert
  • Death Valley and Death Valley National Park
  • List of deserts by area
  • List of North American deserts
  • List of California regions
  • Low Desert
  • Mojave phone booth
  • Mojave Road
  • Solar One
  • Sonora Desert
  • Zzyzx Road An actual road that runs through the Mojave Desert.
  • Palen Mountains
  • Lake Delores

External links

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Mojave Desert Wildflowers, Jon Mark Stewart, 1998, pg. iv


Deserts
Ad-Dahna | Alvord | Arabian | Aral Karakum | Atacama | Baja California | Barsuki | Betpak-Dala | Chalbi | Chihuahuan | Dasht-e Kavir | Dasht-e Lut | Dasht-e Margoh | Dasht-e Naomid | Gibson | Gobi | Great Basin | Great Sandy Desert | Great Victoria Desert | Kalahari | Karakum | Kyzylkum | Little Sandy Desert | Mojave | Namib | Nefud | Negev | Nubian | Ordos | Owyhee | Qaidam | Registan | Rub' al Khali | Ryn-Peski | Sahara | Saryesik-Atyrau | Sechura | Simpson | Sonoran | Strzelecki | Syrian | Taklamakan | Tanami | Thar | Tihamah | Ustyurt

Template:California Template:Nevada Template:Arizona

Flag of Utah
 State of Utah
Salt Lake City (capital)
Topics Cities |

Counties | Flag | Flower | Governors | Portal | Song

Regions Cache Valley |

Colorado Plateau | Dixie | Great Basin | Great Salt Lake | Great Salt Lake Desert | Mojave Desert | Monument Valley | San Rafael Swell | Uinta Mountains | Wasatch Back | Wasatch Front | Wasatch Range

Largest Cities

American Fork |

Bountiful | Cedar City | Clearfield | Cottonwood Heights | Draper | Holladay | Kaysville | Layton | Lehi | Logan | Midvale | Murray | Ogden | Orem | Pleasant Grove | Provo | Riverton | Roy | St. George | Salt Lake City | Sandy | South Jordan | South Salt Lake | Spanish Fork | Springville | Taylorsville | Tooele | West Jordan | West Valley City

Counties Beaver |

Box Elder | Cache | Carbon | Daggett | Davis | Duchesne | Emery | Garfield | Grand | Iron | Juab | Kane | Millard | Morgan | Piute | Rich | Salt Lake | San Juan | Sanpete | Sevier | Summit | Tooele | Uintah | Utah | Wasatch | Washington | Wayne | Weber

Attractions Arches National Park |

Bonneville Salt Flats | Bryce Canyon National Park | Canyonlands National Park | Capitol Reef National Park | Great Salt Lake | Ski Areas | Sundance Film Festival | Temple Square | Utah Shakespearean Festival | Zion National Park


Colorado River system
Dams and aqueducts (see US Bureau of Reclamation)
Shadow Mountain Dam | Granby Dam | Glen Canyon Dam | Hoover Dam | Davis Dam | Parker Dam | Palo Verde Diversion Dam | Imperial Dam | Laguna Dam | Morelos Dam | Colorado River Aqueduct | San Diego Aqueduct | Central Arizona Project Aqueduct | All-American Canal | Coachella Canal | Redwall Dam
Natural features
Colorado River | Rocky Mountains | Colorado River Basin | Grand Lake | Sonoran desert | Mojave desert | Imperial Valley | Colorado Plateau | Grand Canyon | Glen Canyon | Marble Canyon | Paria Canyon | Gulf of California/Sea of Cortez | Salton Sea
Tributaries
Dirty Devil River | Dolores River | Escalante River | Gila River | Green River | Gunnison River | Kanab River | Little Colorado River | Paria River | San Juan River | Virgin River
Major reservoirs
Fontenelle Reservoir | Flaming Gorge Reservoir | Taylor Park Reservoir | Navajo Reservoir | Lake Powell | Lake Mead | Lake Havasu
Dependent states
Arizona | California | Colorado | Nevada | New Mexico | Utah (See: Colorado River Compact)
Designated areas
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area | Lake Mead National Recreation Area

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