Chihuahuan Desert

A vast arid region spanning northern Mexico and the southwestern United States, characterized by high-elevation basins, mountain ranges, and desert scrub.

Basin and Range Province: A western North American region of alternating mountain ranges and sediment-filled basins. Its repeated ranges and basins shape the desert’s distinctive landscape.
North American Monsoon: A summer rainy season that brings moisture to northwestern Mexico and the southwestern United States. Its thunderstorms supply much of the desert’s summer precipitation.
Edwards Aquifer: A major groundwater system in central Texas that supplies cities, farms, and springs. It offers a contrasting example of a heavily used aquifer beyond the desert’s core.
Sonoran Desert: A hot desert in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, known for its columnar cacti. It lies to the west and is generally warmer, with a more prominent cactus flora.
Big Bend National Park: A national park in Texas protecting Chihuahuan Desert landscapes along the Rio Grande. Its mountains, river corridor, and desert basins display the region’s range of habitats.
Desert climate: A climate with persistently low precipitation relative to potential evaporation. Low rainfall and strong evaporation set the limits for life across the region.
Rain shadow: A dry area on the leeward side of a mountain range that blocks moist air. Surrounding mountains help create strong contrasts in rainfall across the region.
Rio Grande: A major North American river that forms part of the United States–Mexico border. Its water supports settlements and agriculture along the desert’s eastern margin.
Mojave Desert: A desert of the southwestern United States distinguished by the Joshua tree and cold winters. It is a western neighbor with a different characteristic flora and climate.
White Sands National Park: A New Mexico national park protecting a vast field of white gypsum dunes. Its gypsum dunes form one of the desert’s most distinctive landscapes.

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