The deserts of North America lie between the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada range, and extend from southern Idaho and southeast Oregon south into Mexico. The southwest of the United States and northern Mexico is home to many deserts, including the Great Basin, the Sonoran, the Chihuahuan, and the Mojave. In the high desert areas, the elevation is over 2000 feet. Desert air is dry, these regions usually receives less than ten inches of precipitation per year. The sunlight is crisp and stark, and the horizons are low, creating vast, big skies. It can be very hot during the day while the night can cool off substantially. The desert is home to many reptiles, birds, and mammals, along with thousands of wildflowers and bugs. I took these photos in some desert areas in Arizona.

Click here to read about the high desert.