The Deserts of California

The deserts of California can be divided into two regions: the Mojave Desert, also known as the "high desert" and the Colorado Desert, a region of the Sonoran Desert also known as the "low desert". There are two desert national parks in California, Death Valley National Park and Joshua Tree National Park. California's largest state park is Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and the East Majave National Reserve is also located in the California Desert. California's deserts are located in portions of Imperial County, Inyo county, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, and San Diego County.

Popular California Desert Destinations

Death Valley

Joshua Tree

Palm Springs

Coachella Valley

More About California Deserts

California Deserts by Name
Includes infodrmation about the Colorado Desert, the Mojave Desert, and the Sonoran Desert of California.

California Deserts by Region
Includes infodrmation about the Colorado Desert, the Mojave Desert, and the Sonoran Desert of California.

California Desert National Parks

California Desert National Parks

California Desert State Parks

Federal Bureau of Land Management Public Lands
- Afton Canyon Natural Area
- Amboy Crater National Natural Landmark
- Big Morongo Canyon Preserve
- Bradshaw Trail
- Calico Early Man Site
- Coachella Valley Preserve
- Corn Springs Campground
- Desert Tortoise Natural Area
- Dos Palmas Preserve
- Dumont Dunes Off-Highway Vehicle Area
- El Mirage Off-Highway Vehicle Area
- Harper Dry Lake
- Historic Salt Creek Mining District
- Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area
- Inscription Canyon: Black Mountain Rock Art District
- Ivanpah Dry Lake
- Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Area
- Juniper Flats
- McCain Valley
- Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail
- Palms to Pines Scenic Byway
- Rademacher Hills Trail
- Rainbow Basin Natural Area
- Rasor Off-Highway Vehicle Area
- Sand Canyon
- Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains NM
- Short Canyon
- Spangler Hills Off-Highway Vehicle Area
- Stoddard Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Area
- Trona Pinnacles

USFWS National Wildlife Refuges
- Cibola National Wildlife Refuge
- Coachella Valley National Wildlife Refuge
- Havasu National Wildlife Refuge
- Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge

San Bernardino County Regional Parks
- Calico Ghost Town
- Moabi Regional Park
- Mojave Narrows Regional Park

Riverside County Regional Parks
Collis Mayflower Park
- Lake Cahuilla Park

Federal Bureau of Land Management Wilderness Areas
- Argus Range Wilderness
- Big Maria Mountains Wilderness
- Bigelow Cholla Garden Wilderness
- Bighorn Mountain Wilderness
- Black Mountain Wilderness
- Bright Star Wilderness
- Bristol Mountains Wilderness
- Cadiz Dunes Wilderness
- Carrizo Gorge Wilderness
- Chemehuevi Mountains Wilderness
- Chimney Peak Wilderness
- Chuckwalla Mountains Wilderness
- Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness
- Clipper Mountain Wilderness
- Coso Range Wilderness
- Coyote Mountains Wilderness
- Darwin Falls Wilderness
- Dead Mountains Wilderness
- El Paso Mountains Wilderness
- Fish Creek Wilderness
- Funeral Mountains Wilderness
- Golden Valley Wilderness
- Grass Valley Wilderness
- Hollow Hills Wilderness
- Ibex Wilderness
- Indian Pass Wilderness
- Inyo Mountains Wilderness
- Jacumba Wilderness
- Kelso Dunes Wilderness
- Kiavah Wilderness
- Kingston Range Wilderness
- Little Chuckwalla Mountains
- Little Picacho Wilderness
- Malpais Mesa Wilderness
- Manly Peak Wilderness
- Mecca Hills Wilderness
- Mesquite Wilderness
- Newberry Mountains Wilderness
- Nopah Range Wilderness
- North Algodones Sand Dunes Wilderness
- North Mesquite Mountains Wilderness
- Old Woman Mountain Wilderness
- Orocopia Mountains Wilderness
- Owens Peak Wilderness Area
- Pahrump Valley Wilderness
- Palen McCoy Wilderness
- Palo Verde Mountains Wilderness
- Picacho Peak Wilderness
- Piper Mountain Wilderness
- Piute Mountains Wilderness
- Resting Spring Range Wilderness
- Rice Valley Wilderness
- Riverside Mountains Wilderness
- Rodman Mountains Wilderness
- Sacatar Trail Wilderness
- Saddle Peak Hills Wilderness
- San Gorgonio Additions Wilderness
- Santa Rosa Additions Wilderness
- Sawtooth Mountains Wilderness
- Sheephole Valley Wilderness
- South Nopah Range Wilderness
- Stateline Wilderness
- Stepladder Mountains Wilderness
- Surprise Canyon Wilderness
- Sylvania Mountains Wilderness
- Turtle Mountains Wilderness
- Whipple Mountains Wilderness
- Wilderness Trilobite Wilderness

California State Fish and Game Wilderness Areas
- Camp Cady Wildlife Area
- Imperial Wildlife Area
- Kelso Peak and Old Dad Mountains Wildlife Area
- Marble Mountains Wildlife Area
- Mojave River Hatchery
- San Jacinto Wildlife Area
- Santa Rosa Wildlife Area

Low Desert of California
The low desert of California is a common name for the Colorado Desert/Sonora Desert area. It includes the Coachella Valley communities of Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Borrego Springs, Indian Wells, Cathedral City, and Indio. It also includes part of Joshua Tree National Park.

High Desert of California
The area of California typically referred to as the high desert is the Mojave Desert in the north, which includes most of San Bernardino County, the northeast portion of Los Angeles County, and the eastern part of Kern County. The largest towns in the area include Adelanto, Apple Valley, Hesperia, Lancaster, Palmdale, Phelan, Quartz Hill, and Victorville.

More About the Deserts of California
The Wilderness Society - The California Desert
CaliforniaDesert.gov
Mojave Desert in the Google Directory
Sonoran Desert in the Google Directory
California Desert Protection Act (1990's)
California Desert Conservation Area

See also
Other Natural Attractions in California
Other Attractions in California
California Travel Guide