List of California desert topics
Encyclopedia
Deserts
- Mojave DesertMojave DesertThe Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...
(High DesertHigh Desert (California)The High Desert is an unofficial and vaguely-defined geographic area of southern California located to the northeast of the San Gabriel Mountains. The term "High Desert" is used most commonly by the news media, especially in weather forecasts, and in the names of businesses and organizations...
) - Sonoran DesertSonoran DesertThe Sonoran Desert is a North American desert which straddles part of the United States-Mexico border and covers large parts of the U.S. states of Arizona and California and the northwest Mexican states of Sonora, Baja California, and Baja California Sur. It is one of the largest and hottest...
- Colorado DesertColorado DesertCalifornia's Colorado Desert is a part of the larger Sonoran Desert, which extends across southwest North America. The Colorado Desert region encompasses approximately , reaching from the Mexican border in the south to the higher-elevation Mojave Desert in the north and from the Colorado River in...
(Low DesertLow DesertThe Low Desert is a common name for one the Deserts of California regional areas, that includes the Colorado Desert and Yuha Desert in the Southern California portion of the Sonoran Desert...
) - Lower Colorado River Valley Deserts
- Colorado Desert
- Great Basin DesertGreat Basin DesertThe Great Basin Desert is an area of nearctic high deserts across parts of Nevada, California, and Utah that extends into the Colorado River watershed , but which is mostly a portion of the central Nevada desert basins of the Great Basin.It along with the Escalante Desert, Mohave Desert, the...
Valleys
Desert Valleys include the:- Palm SpringsPalm SpringsPalm Springs is a desert city in CaliforniaPalm Springs may also refer to:* Palm Springs, Florida* Palm Springs, Hong Kong, a residential development in Yuen Long, Hong Kong* Coachella Valley, also known as the Palm Springs area...
- Owens ValleyOwens ValleyOwens Valley is the arid valley of the Owens River in eastern California in the United States, to the east of the Sierra Nevada and west of the White Mountains and Inyo Mountains on the west edge of the Great Basin section...
- Deep Springs ValleyDeep Springs ValleyDeep Springs Valley is a high desert valley in the Inyo-White Mountains of Inyo County, California. It is east of the Owens Valley and the Sierra Nevada mountain range, and south of Fish Lake Valley, Nevada, near the California-Nevada state border....
- Eureka Valley
- Saline Valley
- Death ValleyDeath ValleyDeath Valley is a desert valley located in Eastern California. Situated within the Mojave Desert, it features the lowest, driest, and hottest locations in North America. Badwater, a basin located in Death Valley, is the specific location of the lowest elevation in North America at 282 feet below...
- Panamint ValleyPanamint ValleyThe Panamint Valley is a long basin located east of the Argus Range and Slate Range, and west of the Panamint Range in the northeastern reach of the Mojave Desert, in eastern California, United States.-Geography:...
- Indian Wells ValleyIndian Wells ValleyIndian Wells Valley is an arid north-south basin in east-central California. In the geologic sense, it is a southern extension of Owens Valley to the north, with the recent volcanics of the Coso Range being the separator...
- Fremont ValleyFremont ValleyThe Fremont Valley is a valley located in the western Mojave Desert of California.It stretches from the town of Mojave approximately 70 km northeast to the foothills of the Lava Mountains and Summit Range....
- Antelope ValleyAntelope ValleyThe Antelope Valley in California, United States, is located in northern Los Angeles County and the southeastern portion of Kern County, California, and constitutes the western tip of the Mojave Desert...
- Victor Valley
- Lucerne ValleyLucerne Valley, CaliforniaLucerne Valley is a census-designated place located in the Mojave Desert of western San Bernardino County, California. It lies east of the Victor Valley, whose population nexus includes Victorville, Apple Valley, and Hesperia...
- Lanfair ValleyLanfair ValleyLanfair Valley is located in the Mojave Desert in southeastern California near the Nevada state line. It is bounded on the north by the New York Mountains and Castle Mountains, on the east by the Piute Range, and on the south by the Woods Mountains and Vontrigger Hills. Joshua Trees can be found in...
- Coachella ValleyCoachella ValleyCoachella Valley is a large valley landform in Southern California. The valley extends for approximately 45 miles in Riverside County southeast from the San Bernardino Mountains to the saltwater Salton Sea, the largest lake in California...
- Imperial ValleyImperial ValleyThe Imperial Valley is an agricultural area of Southern California's Imperial County. It is located in southeastern Southern California, centered around the city of El Centro. Locally, the terms "Imperial Valley" and "Imperial County" are used synonymously. The Valley is bordered between the...
- Lower Colorado River ValleyLower Colorado River ValleyThe Lower Colorado River Valley is the river region of the lower Colorado River of the southwestern United States in North America that rises in the Rocky Mountains and has its outlet at the Colorado River Delta in the northern Sea of Cortez in northwestern Mexico, between the states of Baja...
Natural history
- Category: Flora of the California desert regions
- Category: Fauna of the Mojave Desert
- Category: Fauna of the Colorado Desert
- Category: Flora of the Sonoran Deserts
Parks, Nature Preserves, and Wilderness Areas
The deserts contain many national, state, county, municipal, and conservation foundation managed parks, recreation and scenic areas, wildlife preserves and nature reserves, and wilderness areas.Parks
- Mojave National PreserveMojave National PreserveMojave National Preserve is located in the Mojave Desert of San Bernardino County, California, USA, between Interstate 15 and Interstate 40. The preserve was established October 31, 1994 with the passage of the California Desert Protection Act by the US Congress...
(National Park ServiceNational Park ServiceThe National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
) - Death Valley National ParkDeath Valley National ParkDeath Valley National Park is a national park in the U.S. states of California and Nevada located east of the Sierra Nevada in the arid Great Basin of the United States. The park protects the northwest corner of the Mojave Desert and contains a diverse desert environment of salt-flats, sand dunes,...
- Joshua Tree National ParkJoshua Tree National ParkJoshua Tree National Park is located in southeastern California. Declared a U.S. National Park in 1994 when the U.S. Congress passed the California Desert Protection Act , it had previously been a U.S. National Monument since 1936. It is named for the Joshua tree forests native to the park...
- Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National MonumentSanta Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National MonumentThe Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument is a National Monument in Southern California. It includes portions of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountain ranges, the northernmost ones of the Peninsular Ranges system...
- Anza-Borrego Desert State ParkAnza-Borrego Desert State ParkAnza-Borrego Desert State Park is a state park located within the Colorado Desert of Southern California. The park takes its name from 18th century, Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza and borrego, the Spanish word for bighorn sheep...
- Mount San Jacinto State ParkMount San Jacinto State ParkMount San Jacinto State Park is in the San Jacinto Mountains, of the Peninsular Ranges system, in Riverside County, California. The park is near the Greater Los Angeles and the San Diego metropolitan area.-Geography:...
- Red Rock Canyon State ParkRed Rock Canyon State Park (California)Red Rock Canyon State Park features scenic desert cliffs, buttes and spectacular rock formations. The park is located where the southernmost tip of the Sierra Nevada converges with the El Paso Mountains....
Recreation areas
- Algodones Dunes - Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation AreaAlgodones DunesThe Algodones Dunes is a large erg located in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of California, near the border with Arizona and the Mexican state of Baja California. The field is approximately 45 miles long by 6 miles wide and extends along a northwest-southeast line that correlates to...
- Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife RefugeSonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife RefugeThe Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge is located north of the Mexican border at the southern end of the Salton Sea in California’s Imperial Valley. Situated along the Pacific Flyway, the Refuge is the only one of its kind, located below sea level...
Unique features and landmarks parks
- Devils Punchbowl County ParkDevil's Punchbowl (California)Devil's Punchbowl, elevation 4,750 ft , is a tilted sandstone formation in Los Angeles County. It is a county park within the Angeles National Forest on the northern slopes of the San Gabriel Mountains, near Littlerock, California. Short trails within the park showcase the geologic features along...
, Littlerock, CaliforniaLittlerock, CaliforniaLittlerock is a census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 1,377 at the 2010 census, down from 1,402 at the 2000 census... - Trona PinnaclesTrona PinnaclesTrona PinnaclesDesignationNational Natural LandmarkLocationCaliforniaNearest CityTrona, CaliforniaCoordinatesArea Date of Establishment1968Governing BodyBureau of Land Management...
National Natural Landmark - Mitchell Caverns National PreserveMitchell CavernsThe Mitchell's Caverns, within the Mitchell Caverns Natural Preserve, are a trio of limestone caves, located on the east side of the Providence Mountains at an elevation of 4300 ft , within the Providence Mountains State Recreation Area...
- Mecca Hills National PreserveMecca HillsThe Mecca Hills are a low mountain range located in Riverside County, California in southern California, USA, east of the Coachella Valley, west of the Chuckwalla Mountains, and south of Interstate 10 in the Colorado Desert. The range lies in an east-west direction...
- Saddleback Butte State ParkSaddleback Butte State ParkSaddleback Butte State Park is a state park located in southern California's Antelope Valley, in the community of Lake Los Angeles. The prominent feature of this park is Saddleback Butte, a butte that measures high. The park covers about of land, and was created in 1960 to protect the area's...
. Lake Los Angeles, CaliforniaLake Los Angeles, CaliforniaLake Los Angeles is a census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 12,328 at the 2010 census, up from 11,523 at the 2000 census... - Antelope Valley California Poppy ReserveAntelope Valley California Poppy ReserveAntelope Valley California Poppy Reserve is a state-protected reserve of California, USA, harboring the most consistent blooms of California poppies, the state flower. The reserve is located in the rural westside of Antelope Valley in northern Los Angeles County, west of Lancaster. The reserve...
- Rainbow BasinRainbow BasinRainbow Basin is a geological formation in the Calico Peaks range, located approximately eight miles north of Barstow in the Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County, California....
National Natural LandmarkNational Natural LandmarkThe National Natural Landmark program recognizes and encourages the conservation of outstanding examples of the natural history of the United States. It is the only natural areas program of national scope that identifies and recognizes the best examples of biological and geological features in...
, Barstow, CaliforniaBarstow, CaliforniaBarstow is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population was 22,639 at the 2010 census, up from 21,119 at the 2000 census. Barstow is located north of San Bernardino.... - Amboy CraterAmboy CraterAmboy Crater and Lava Field is an extinct North American cinder cone type of volcano that rises above a lava field in southern California. They are located in the Mojave Desert equidistant and about between Barstow to the west and Needles to the east, and southwest of historic U.S. Route 66, in...
National Natural LandmarkNational Natural LandmarkThe National Natural Landmark program recognizes and encourages the conservation of outstanding examples of the natural history of the United States. It is the only natural areas program of national scope that identifies and recognizes the best examples of biological and geological features in...
, Amboy, CaliforniaAmboy, CaliforniaAmboy is an unincorporated town in San Bernardino County, in California's Mojave Desert, west of Needles and east of Ludlow on historic Route 66. It is roughly 60 miles northeast of Twentynine Palms.-Geography:...
Wildlife and nature preserves
- Big Morongo Canyon PreserveBig Morongo Canyon PreserveThe Big Morongo Canyon Preserve is a 31,000 acres native plants habitat and wildlife preserve located in the Little San Bernardino Mountains of the Transverse Ranges, in the transition zone between the higher Mojave Desert and lower elevation Colorado Desert section of the Sonoran...
- Imperial National Wildlife RefugeImperial National Wildlife RefugeThe Imperial National Wildlife Refuge protects wildlife habitat along of the lower Colorado River in Arizona and California, including the last un-channeled section before the river enters Mexico...
- Cibola National Wildlife RefugeCibola National Wildlife RefugeCibola National Wildlife Refuge is a U.S. National Wildlife Refuge in the floodplain of the lower Colorado River between Arizona and California and surrounded by a fringe of desert ridges and washes. The refuge encompasses both the historic Colorado River channel as well as a channelized portion...
- Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State ParkArthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State ParkArthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park is a state park of California, USA, protecting a stand of Joshua trees and junipers in the Antelope Valley...
History and Art Museums
- Palm Springs Desert Museum, Palm Springs, CaliforniaPalm Springs, CaliforniaPalm Springs is a desert city in Riverside County, California, within the Coachella Valley. It is located approximately 37 miles east of San Bernardino, 111 miles east of Los Angeles and 136 miles northeast of San Diego...
- Moorten Botanical Garden and CactariumMoorten Botanical Garden and CactariumThe Moorten Botanical Garden and Cactarium is a 1 acre family-owned botanical garden specializing in cacti and other desert plants, located at 1701 South Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, Riverside County, California, United States...
, Palm Springs, CaliforniaPalm Springs, CaliforniaPalm Springs is a desert city in Riverside County, California, within the Coachella Valley. It is located approximately 37 miles east of San Bernardino, 111 miles east of Los Angeles and 136 miles northeast of San Diego... - Kelso Depot, Restaurant and Employees HotelKelso Depot, Restaurant and Employees HotelThe Kelso Depot, Restaurant and Employees Hotel or Kelso Depot, now also the Mojave National Preserve Visitors Center, is located in the Mojave Desert within the National Park Service Mojave National Preserve, on Kelbaker Road in Kelso, California, between Baker and Interstate 15 to the north and...
- Harvey House Railroad DepotHarvey House Railroad DepotThe Harvey House Railroad Depot, known as the Casa del Desierto - its original name, is a former Fred Harvey Harvey House located in Barstow, in the Mojave Desert within San Bernardino County, California...
Casa del Desierto, Barstow, CaliforniaBarstow, CaliforniaBarstow is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population was 22,639 at the 2010 census, up from 21,119 at the 2000 census. Barstow is located north of San Bernardino.... - Western America Railroad MuseumWestern America Railroad MuseumThe Western America Railroad Museum is a railroad museum located in Barstow, California.The museum collects, preserves and shares the history of railroading in the Pacific Southwest...
, Barstow, CaliforniaBarstow, CaliforniaBarstow is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population was 22,639 at the 2010 census, up from 21,119 at the 2000 census. Barstow is located north of San Bernardino.... - El Garces HotelEl Garces HotelThe El Garces Hotel is a historic railroad station and hotel located in Needles, California. Built by the Santa Fe Railroad under contract with the Fred Harvey Company in 1908, the El Garces is designed in an elegant Neoclassical and Beaux-Arts style and was considered the 'Crown Jewel of the...
, Needles, CaliforniaNeedles, CaliforniaNeedles is a city located in the Mojave Desert on the western banks of the Colorado River in San Bernardino County, California. It is located in the Mohave Valley, which straddles the California–Arizona border. The city is accessible via Interstate 40 and U.S. Route 95... - Maturango MuseumMaturango MuseumMaturango Museum is located in Ridgecrest, California, USA. The Museum is best known for the guided tours of the Coso Rock Art District located on China Lake Naval Weapons Station...
, Ridgecrest, CaliforniaRidgecrest, CaliforniaRidgecrest, formerly known as Crumville, was incorporated as a city in 1913. It is located in the Indian Wells Valley in northeastern Kern County, California, adjacent to the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake . Ridgecrest is the only incorporated city along US 395 in Kern County... - Mojave Desert Heritage & Cultural Center, old Goffs schoolhouse and depot, Goffs, CaliforniaGoffs, CaliforniaGoffs, an unincorporated community in San Bernardino County, California, is a nearly empty one-time railroad town at the route's high point in the Mojave Desert. Goffs was a stop along famous U.S. Route 66 prior to 1931, when a more direct route between Needles and Amboy was built...
- California Route 66 MuseumCalifornia Route 66 MuseumThe California Route 66 Museum is located on historic U.S. Route 66 in Victorville, California, in Old Town Victorville. Three display rooms and a gift shop are housed in the former Red Rooster Cafe....
, Victorville, CaliforniaVictorville, CaliforniaVictorville is a city located in the Victor Valley of southwestern San Bernardino County, California. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2010 census, the city had a population of 115,903, up from 64,030 at the 2000 census.-Geography and climate:... - Antelope Valley Indian Museum State Historic ParkAntelope Valley Indian Museum State Historic ParkThe Antelope Valley Indian Museum State Historic Park is a state historic park of California, USA, interpreting Native American cultures of the Great Basin and surrounding regions. The park and its grounds are situated on the Antelope Valley's rural east side in northern Los Angeles County,...
, Palmdale, CaliforniaPalmdale, CaliforniaPalmdale is a city located in the center of northern Los Angeles County, California, United States.Palmdale was the first community within the Antelope Valley to incorporate as a city on August 24, 1962; 47 years later, voters approved creating a charter city in November, 2009. Palmdale is... - Eastern California Museum, Owens ValleyOwens ValleyOwens Valley is the arid valley of the Owens River in eastern California in the United States, to the east of the Sierra Nevada and west of the White Mountains and Inyo Mountains on the west edge of the Great Basin section...
, Independence, CaliforniaIndependence, CaliforniaIndependence is the county seat of Inyo County, California. Independence is located south-southeast of Bishop, at an elevation of 3930 feet . The population of this census-designated place was 669 at the 2010 census, up from 574 at the 2000 census.... - Cabot's Pueblo MuseumCabot's Pueblo MuseumCabot's Pueblo Museum is historic house museum located in Desert Hot Springs, California, United States...
, Desert Hot Springs, CaliforniaDesert Hot Springs, CaliforniaDesert Hot Springs, also known as DHS, is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. The city is located within the Coachella Valley geographic region, sometimes referred to as the Desert Empire. The population was 25,938 at the 2010 census, up from 16,582 at the 2000 United States...
Native American Reservations
- Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla IndiansAgua Caliente Band of Cahuilla IndiansThe Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians of the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation is a federally recognized tribe of Cahuilla Indians, located in Riverside County, California.-Reservation:...
, Palm Springs, CaliforniaPalm Springs, CaliforniaPalm Springs is a desert city in Riverside County, California, within the Coachella Valley. It is located approximately 37 miles east of San Bernardino, 111 miles east of Los Angeles and 136 miles northeast of San Diego... - Colorado River Indian ReservationColorado River Indian ReservationThe Colorado River Indian Reservation is 189 miles west of Phoenix, Arizona, on highway 95. It lies in western La Paz County, Arizona, southeastern San Bernardino County, California, and northeastern Riverside County, California. It has a total land area of 432.22 sq mi , and most of it lies...
- Morongo Band of Cahuilla Mission IndiansMorongo Band of Cahuilla Mission IndiansThe Morongo Band of Mission Indians is a federally recognized tribe. The main tribal groups are Cahuilla and Serrano. Other lineages include Cupeño and Luiseño Indians,. Although many tribes in California are known as Mission Indians, some, like those at Morongo, were never a part of the Spanish...
- Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay IndiansEwiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay IndiansThe Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians, formerly known as the Cuyapaipe Community of Diegueno Mission Indians of the Cuyapaipe Reservation, is a federally recognized tribe of Kumeyaay Indians, who are sometimes known as Mission Indians...
- Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno IndiansLos Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno IndiansLos Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Cupeno Indians of the Los Coyotes Reservation is a federally recognized tribe of Cahuilla and Cupeño Indians, who are Mission Indians located in California.-Reservation:...
- Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla IndiansTorres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla IndiansThe Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians is a federally recognized tribe of Cahuilla and Chemehuevi Indians, located in Imperial and Riverside counties in California...
- Augustine Band of Cahuilla IndiansAugustine Band of Cahuilla IndiansThe Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians is a federally recognized Cahuilla band of Native Americans based in Coachella, California. They have the distinction of being the smallest tribal nation in the United States, consisting of only eight members, only one of whom is an adult.-Background:The tribe...
- Fort Yuma Indian ReservationQuechanThe Quechan are a Native American tribe who live on the Fort Yuma Indian Reservation on the lower Colorado River in Arizona and California just north of the border with Mexico...
- Paiute-Shoshone Indians of the Lone Pine Community of the Lone Pine ReservationPaiute-Shoshone Indians of the Lone Pine Community of the Lone Pine ReservationThe Paiute-Shoshone Indians of the Lone Pine Community of the Lone Pine Reservation is a federally recognized tribe of Mono and Timbisha Native American Indians near Lone Pine in Inyo County, California...
- TimbishaTimbishaThe Timbisha are a Native American tribe federally recognized as the Death Valley Timbisha Shoshone Band of California. They are known as the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe and are located in south central California, near the Nevada border.-History:The Timbisha have lived in the Death Valley region of...
Indian VillageIndian Village, CaliforniaIndian Village is an unincorporated community in Furnace Creek, Death Valley of Inyo County, California.Indian Village lies at an elevation of 197 feet below sea level. Indian Village is located in the Death Valley Indian Community reservation of the federally recognized tribe of Death Valley...
, Furnace Creek, CaliforniaFurnace Creek, CaliforniaFurnace Creek is a census-designated place in Inyo County, California, United States. The population was 24 at the 2010 census, down from 31 at the 2000 census. The elevation of the village is below sea level....
Cities and Settlements
- AdelantoAdelanto, CaliforniaAdelanto is a city in San Bernardino County, California about northwest of Victorville. The population was 31,765 at the 2010 census, up from 18,130 at the 2000 census.-Name:...
, AmboyAmboy, CaliforniaAmboy is an unincorporated town in San Bernardino County, in California's Mojave Desert, west of Needles and east of Ludlow on historic Route 66. It is roughly 60 miles northeast of Twentynine Palms.-Geography:...
, Apple ValleyApple Valley, California-Climate:*On average, the warmest month is July.*The highest recorded temperature was in 2002.*On average, the coolest month is December.*The lowest recorded temperature was in 1949.*The most precipitation on average occurs in February.-History:...
, - BakerBaker, CaliforniaBaker is a census-designated place located in San Bernardino County, California, USA. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 735.Baker was founded as a station on the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad in 1908,...
, BarstowBarstow, CaliforniaBarstow is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population was 22,639 at the 2010 census, up from 21,119 at the 2000 census. Barstow is located north of San Bernardino....
, Big Bear LakeBig Bear Lake, CaliforniaBig Bear Lake is a city in San Bernardino County, California along the south shore of Big Bear Lake, located northeast of the city of San Bernardino. The population was 5,019 at the 2010 census, down from 5,438 at the 2000 census...
, BlytheBlythe, CaliforniaBlythe is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, in the "Palo Verde Valley" of the Lower Colorado River Valley region, an agricultural area and part of the Colorado Desert along the Colorado River. Blythe was named after Thomas Blythe, a gold prospector who established primary...
, BrawleyBrawley, CaliforniaBrawley is a city in Imperial County, California, United States. Brawley is located north of El Centro. The population was 24,953 at the 2010 census, up from 22,052 at the 2000 census. The town has a significant cattle and feed industry, and hosts the annual Cattle Call Rodeo. Year-round...
, *BoronBoron, CaliforniaBoron is a census-designated place in Kern County, California, United States. Boron is located east-southeast of Castle Butte, at an elevation of 2467 feet . The population was 2,253 at the 2010 census, up from 2,025 at the 2000 census...
, Borrego SpringsBorrego Springs, CaliforniaBorrego Springs is a census-designated place in San Diego County, California. The population was 3,429 at the 2010 census, up from 2,535 at the 2000 census. Many residents are seasonal while others remain year round...
, - CalexicoCalexico, CaliforniaCalexico is a city in Imperial County, California. The population was 38,572 at the 2010 census, up from 27,109 at the 2000 census. Calexico is about east of San Diego and west of Yuma, Arizona...
, California CityCalifornia City, California-2000:According to the census of 2000, there were 8,385 people, 3,067 households, and 2,257 families residing in the city. As of 2006 the city's population grew 8.9% from 12,106 to 13,219. California City outpaced rivals Palmdale and Lancaster, making the city the 12th fastest growing city in...
, CalipatriaCalipatria, CaliforniaCalipatria is a city in Imperial County, California. Calipatria is located north of El Centro, It is part of the El Centro Metropolitan Area. The population was 7,705 at the 2010 census, up from 7,289 at the 2000 census, including 4000 inmates at Calipatria State Prison...
, CantilCantil, CaliforniaCantil is an unincorporated community in Kern County, California. It is located southwest of Saltdale, at an elevation of 2018 feet . Cantil is located in the northern Antelope Valley in the Fremont Valley section....
, China LakeChina Lake, Kern County, CaliforniaChina Lake is an unincorporated community in Kern County, California. It is located north-northeast of Ridgecrest, at an elevation of 2264 feet...
, CoachellaCoachella, CaliforniaCoachella is a city in Riverside County, California; it is the easternmost city in the region collectively known as the Coachella Valley...
, - DaggettDaggett, CaliforniaDaggett is an unincorporated town located in San Bernardino County, California in the United States. The town is located on Interstate 40 ten miles East of Barstow. The town has a population of about 200. The ZIP code is 92327 and the community is inside area code 760.-History:The town was...
, DarwinDarwin, CaliforniaDarwin is a census-designated place in Inyo County, California, United States. Darwin is located southeast of Keeler, at an elevation of 4790 feet . The population was 43 at the 2010 census, down from 54 at the 2000 census. It is named after Dr...
, Deep SpringsDeep Springs, CaliforniaDeep Springs is an unincorporated community in Inyo County, California. It is located in the northeastern section of Deep Springs Valley, east of Bishop, 2.6 km north of Soldier Pass and 6.4 km southwest of Chocolate Mountain , at an elevation of 5194 feet...
, Desert CenterDesert Center, California-"Desert Steve" Ragsdale:The town was founded in 1921 by Stephen A. Ragsdale, also known as “Desert Steve”, and his wife, Lydia. Ragsdale was an itinerant preacher and cotton farmer, originally from Arkansas. In 1915, he left his farm in the Palo Verde Valley along the Colorado River to attend to...
, Desert Hot SpringsDesert Hot Springs, CaliforniaDesert Hot Springs, also known as DHS, is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. The city is located within the Coachella Valley geographic region, sometimes referred to as the Desert Empire. The population was 25,938 at the 2010 census, up from 16,582 at the 2000 United States... - El CentroEl Centro, CaliforniaEl Centro is a city in and county seat of Imperial County, the largest city in the Imperial Valley and the east anchor of the Southern California Border Region, and the core urban area and principal city of the El Centro metropolitan area which encompasses all of Imperial County. El Centro is also...
, Essex, - Fort IrwinFort Irwin Military ReservationFort Irwin & the National Training Center is a major training area for the United States Military and is a census-designated place located in the Mojave Desert in northern San Bernardino County, California. Fort Irwin sits at an elevation of . The 2010 United States census reported Fort Irwin's...
, Furnace CreekFurnace Creek, CaliforniaFurnace Creek is a census-designated place in Inyo County, California, United States. The population was 24 at the 2010 census, down from 31 at the 2000 census. The elevation of the village is below sea level....
, - HeberHeber, CaliforniaHeber is a census-designated place in Imperial County, California. Heber is located north-northwest of Calexico. The population was 4,275 at the 2010 census, up from 2,566 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Heber is located at ....
, HinkleyHinkley, CaliforniaHinkley is an unincorporated community in the Mojave Desert in California, U.S., northwest of Barstow, east of Mojave, and north of Victorville. It sits just north of California State Highway 58....
, HoltvilleHoltville, CaliforniaHoltville is a city in Imperial County, California. Holtville is located east of El Centro, The population was 5,939 at the 2010 census, up from 5,612 at the 2000 census. It is part of the 'El Centro, California, Metropolitan Statistical Area'...
, Homewood Canyon-Valley WellsHomewood Canyon-Valley Wells, CaliforniaHomewood Canyon-Valley Wells is a former census-designated place in Inyo County, California, United States. The population was 75 at the 2000 census.Prior to the 2010 census, it was dissolved into Homewood Canyon CDP and Valley Wells CDP.-Geography:...
, - ImperialImperial, CaliforniaImperial is a city in Imperial County, California. Imperial is located north of El Centro. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 14,758. It is part of the El Centro metropolitan area. The City of Imperial is a bustling center in the Imperial Valley due to its central location in The...
, Indian WellsIndian Wells, CaliforniaIndian Wells is a city in Riverside County, California, in the Coachella Valley , in between Palm Desert and La Quinta. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 4,958....
, IndioIndio, CaliforniaIndio is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, located in the Coachella Valley of Southern California's Colorado Desert region. It lies east of Palm Springs, east of Riverside, and east of Los Angeles. It is about north of Mexicali, Baja California on the U.S.-Mexican border...
, InyokernInyokern, CaliforniaInyokern is a census-designated place in Kern County, California, United States. Inyokern is located west of Ridgecrest, at an elevation of 2434 feet . Located in the Indian Wells Valley. The population was 1,099 at the 2010 census, up from 984 at the 2000 census...
, - JohannesburgJohannesburg, CaliforniaJohannesburg is a census-designated place in Kern County, California, in a mining district of the Rand Mountains. Johannesburg is located east-northeast of Randsburg, at an elevation of 3517 feet . The terminus of the Randsburg Railway was here from 1897 to 1933. The population was 172 at the...
, Joshua TreeJoshua Tree, CaliforniaJoshua Tree is a census-designated place in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population was 7,414 at the 2010 census, up from 4,207 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Joshua Tree is located in the Mojave Desert at ....
, - KeelerKeeler, CaliforniaKeeler is a census-designated place in Inyo County, California, United States. Keeler is located on the east shore of Owens Lake south-southeast of New York Butte, at an elevation of 3602 feet...
, KelsoKelso, CaliforniaKelso is a ghost town and defunct railroad depot in the Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California, USA. It was named after a railroad worker who won a contest to have the town named after him...
, Kramer JunctionKramer Junction, CaliforniaKramer Junction is a small community in the Mojave Desert at the intersection of U.S. Route 395 and State Route 58.Solar Energy Generating Systems sites SEGS III-VII are located less than a mile to the northwest....
, - La QuintaLa Quinta, CaliforniaLa Quinta is a resort city in Riverside County, California, USA, specifically in the Coachella Valley between Indian Wells and Indio. The population was 37,467 at the 2010 census, up from 23,694 at the 2000 census. The Robb Report credits La Quinta as the nation's leading golf destination...
, LancasterLancaster, CaliforniaLancaster is a charter city in northern Los Angeles County, in the high desert, near the Kern County line. Lancaster currently ranks as the 30th largest city in California, and the 148th largest city in the United States. Lancaster is the principal city within the Antelope Valley...
, LandersLanders, CaliforniaLanders is an unincorporated community in San Bernardino County, California. The town lies in the Homestead Valley of the Mojave Desert, northeast of Flamingo Heights. The closest large towns are Yucca Valley and Joshua Tree. The town has its own small airport, Landers Airport.Near Landers is Giant...
, Lone PineLone Pine, CaliforniaLone Pine is a census-designated place in Inyo County, California, United States. Lone Pine is located south-southeast of Independence, at an elevation of 3727 feet . The population was 2,035 at the 2010 census, up from 1,655 at the 2000 census. The town is located in the Owens Valley, near the...
, - MojaveMojave, CaliforniaMojave is a census-designated place in Kern County, California, United States. Mojave is located east of Bakersfield, at an elevation of 2762 feet...
, MontclairMontclair, CaliforniaMontclair is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population was 36,664 at the 2010 United States Census.The current mayor is Paul M. Eaton.-Description:...
, Morongo ValleyMorongo Valley, CaliforniaMorongo Valley is a census-designated place in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population was 3,552 at the 2010 census, up from 1,929 at the 2000 census.-Geography and climate:... - NeedlesNeedles, CaliforniaNeedles is a city located in the Mojave Desert on the western banks of the Colorado River in San Bernardino County, California. It is located in the Mohave Valley, which straddles the California–Arizona border. The city is accessible via Interstate 40 and U.S. Route 95...
, Newberry SpringsNewberry Springs, CaliforniaNewberry Springs is an unincorporated area in the western Mojave Desert of Southern California, located at the foot of the Newberry Mountains in San Bernardino County, California, USA...
, NilandNiland, CaliforniaNiland is a census-designated place in Imperial County, California. The town is located north of Calipatria, southeast of Salton Sea. The population was 1,006 at the 2010 census, down from 1,143 at the 2000 census...
, - OcotilloOcotillo, CaliforniaOcotillo is a census-designated place in Imperial County, California. Ocotillo is located west of El Centro, The population was 266 at the 2010 census, down from 296 at the 2000 census...
, OlanchaOlancha, CaliforniaOlancha is a census-designated place in Inyo County of the U.S. state of California. Olancha is located on U.S. Route 395 in California, south-southeast of Independence, at an elevation of 3658 feet...
, - PalmdalePalmdale, CaliforniaPalmdale is a city located in the center of northern Los Angeles County, California, United States.Palmdale was the first community within the Antelope Valley to incorporate as a city on August 24, 1962; 47 years later, voters approved creating a charter city in November, 2009. Palmdale is...
, Palm DesertPalm Desert, CaliforniaPalm Desert is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, in the Coachella Valley, approximately east of Palm Springs. The population was 48,445 at the 2010 census, up from 41,155 at the 2000 census...
, Palm SpringsPalm Springs, CaliforniaPalm Springs is a desert city in Riverside County, California, within the Coachella Valley. It is located approximately 37 miles east of San Bernardino, 111 miles east of Los Angeles and 136 miles northeast of San Diego...
, PearsonvillePearsonville, CaliforniaPearsonville is a census-designated place in Inyo County, California, United States. The population was 17 at the 2010 census, down from 27 at the 2000 census...
, - Rancho MirageRancho Mirage, CaliforniaRancho Mirage is a resort city in Riverside County, California, United States. The population was 17,218 at the 2010 census, up from 13,249 at the 2000 census, but the seasonal population can exceed 20,000. In between Cathedral City and Palm Desert, it is one of the eight cities of the Coachella...
, RandsburgRandsburg, CaliforniaRandsburg is a census-designated place in Kern County, California, United States. Randsburg is located south of Ridgecrest, at an elevation of 3504 feet . The population was 69 at the 2010 census, down from 77 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Randsburg is located at . It is on the west side of U.S...
, RidgecrestRidgecrest, CaliforniaRidgecrest, formerly known as Crumville, was incorporated as a city in 1913. It is located in the Indian Wells Valley in northeastern Kern County, California, adjacent to the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake . Ridgecrest is the only incorporated city along US 395 in Kern County...
, RosamondRosamond, CaliforniaRosamond is a census-designated place in Kern County, California, USA, north of Palmdale, in the Antelope Valley, the westernmost desert valley of the Mojave Desert. Rosamond is also south of Mojave, , and north of Lancaster at an elevation of 2342 feet...
, - Salton CitySalton City, CaliforniaSalton City is a census-designated place in Imperial County, California. The population was 3,763 at the 2010 census, up from 978 at the 2000 census. It is the largest Imperial County development on the Salton coast. It is part of the El Centro, California Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, SeeleySeeley, CaliforniaSeeley is a census-designated place in Imperial County, California. Seeley is located west of El Centro, The population was 1,739 at the 2010 census, up from 1,624 at the 2000 census. It is part of the El Centro Metropolitan Area.-History:...
, ShoshoneShoshone, CaliforniaShoshone is a census-designated place in Inyo County, California, United States. Shoshone is located on the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad east of Epaulet Peak, at an elevation of 1585 feet . The population was 31 at the 2010 census, down from 52 at the 2000 census.The town was founded in 1910...
, - TecopaTecopa, CaliforniaTecopa is a census-designated place in the Mojave Desert, in Inyo County, California, United States. Tecopa is located south-southeast of Shoshone, at an elevation of . The population was 150 at the 2010 census, up from 99 at the 2000 census.One of Tecopa's popular features is its natural hot...
, TronaTrona, CaliforniaTrona is an unincorporated community in San Bernardino County, California. In 2000 it had a population of 2,742. Trona is at the western edge of Searles Lake, a dry lake bed in Searles Valley, southwest of Death Valley. The town takes its name from the mineral trona, abundant in the lakebed.It is...
, Twentynine PalmsTwentynine Palms, CaliforniaTwentynine Palms is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. It was previously called Twenty-Nine Palms...
, - VictorvilleVictorville, CaliforniaVictorville is a city located in the Victor Valley of southwestern San Bernardino County, California. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2010 census, the city had a population of 115,903, up from 64,030 at the 2000 census.-Geography and climate:...
, WestmorlandWestmorland, CaliforniaWestmorland is a city in Imperial County, California. Westmorland is located southwest of Calipatria, The population was 2,225 at the 2010 census, up from 2,131 at the 2000 census...
, - YermoYermo, CaliforniaYermo is a town in San Bernardino County, California. Its name is derived from the Spanish word for wilderness. It is located 13 miles east of Barstow in the Mojave Desert on Interstate 15, just south of the Calico Mountains...
, Yucca ValleyYucca Valley, CaliforniaYucca Valley is an incorporated town located in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population was 20,700 at the 2010 census, up from 16,865 at the 2000 census...
Military reservations
- Edwards Air Force BaseEdwards Air Force BaseEdwards Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located on the border of Kern County, Los Angeles County, and San Bernardino County, California, in the Antelope Valley. It is southwest of the central business district of North Edwards, California and due east of Rosamond.It is named in...
- China Lake Naval Weapons CenterNaval Air Weapons Station China Lake- About : is part of under Commander, Navy Installation Command and is located in the Western Mojave Desert region of California, approximately north of Los Angeles. Occupying three counties – Kern, San Bernardino and Inyo – the installation’s closest neighbors are the cities of Ridgecrest,...
- Fort Irwin Military ReservationFort Irwin Military ReservationFort Irwin & the National Training Center is a major training area for the United States Military and is a census-designated place located in the Mojave Desert in northern San Bernardino County, California. Fort Irwin sits at an elevation of . The 2010 United States census reported Fort Irwin's...
- Twentynine Palms Marine Corps BaseMarine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine PalmsThe Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center , also known as 29 Palms, is a United States Marine Corps base. It was a census-designated place officially known as Twentynine Palms Base located adjacent to the city of Twentynine Palms in southern San Bernardino County, California. As of the 2000...
- Chocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery RangeChocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery RangeThe Chocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery Range , is a 456,000 acre restricted area, approximately 20 miles wide, east to west, and 50 miles long, northwest to southeast, which is used by the Navy and Marines for aerial bombing and live fire aerial gunnery practice...
Other sights
- Blythe IntagliosBlythe IntagliosThe Blythe Intaglios or Blythe Geoglyphs are a group of gigantic figures found on the ground near Blythe, California in the Colorado Desert. The intaglios are found east of the Big Maria Mountains, about north of downtown Blythe, just west of U.S. Highway 95 near the Colorado River. The largest...
- Bradshaw TrailBradshaw TrailThe Bradshaw Trail, nicknamed the Gold Road at one time, is an historic overland stage route in Southern California which originally connected San Bernardino, California to gold fields in La Paz, Arizona, some miles north of Ehrenberg...
- Calico Ghost Town
- Coso Rock Art DistrictCoso Rock Art DistrictCoso Rock Art District, containing the Big and Little Petroglyph Canyons, is a rock art site containing over 20,000 of Paleo-Indian and/or Native American Petroglyphs The Coso Range is between the Sierra Nevada and the Argus Range. Indian Wells Valley lies to the south of this location...
petroglyphPetroglyphPetroglyphs are pictogram and logogram images created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, and abrading. Outside North America, scholars often use terms such as "carving", "engraving", or other descriptions of the technique to refer to such images...
s - Mojave RoadMojave RoadThe Mojave Road or Mojave Trail is a historic route and present day 'four-wheel drive road' across what is now the Mojave National Preserve in the Mojave Desert of California, United States.-History:...
- PioneertownPioneertown, CaliforniaPioneertown, California is an unincorporated village in the Morongo Basin region of Southern California's Inland Empire Metropolitan Area. It is located approximately 56 miles east of San Bernardino.-History:...
- U.S. Route 66U.S. Route 66U.S. Route 66 was a highway within the U.S. Highway System. One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926 -- with road signs erected the following year...
- Trona PinnaclesTrona PinnaclesTrona PinnaclesDesignationNational Natural LandmarkLocationCaliforniaNearest CityTrona, CaliforniaCoordinatesArea Date of Establishment1968Governing BodyBureau of Land Management...
- ZzyzxZzyzx, CaliforniaZzyzx, California , formerly Camp Soda and Soda Springs, is a settlement in San Bernardino County, California. It is the former site of the Zzyzx Mineral Springs and Health Spa and now the site of the Desert Studies Center...