The Great Basin Desert encompasses most of northern Nevada, western and southern Utah, the southern tip of Idaho, and a bit of eastern Oregon. It's the most northern of the Southwestern U.S. deserts, which accounts for its "cold desert" classification. The Great Basin has mountains, valleys, lakes and, of course, basins.
Plant life in the desert includes mountain mahogany, juniper, quaking Aspen and a variety of pine. In addition to plant life, the Great Basin also has a variety of animals, including jackrabbits, mule deer and mountain lions.
Just below the Great Basin is the Mojave Desert. This desert includes southeastern and central California, southern portions of Nevada and Utah, and northwestern Arizona. The Mojave is home to many popular destinations, including Las Vegas, Death Valley and the Greater Los Angeles area.
Several cacti plants live in the Mojave as well as desert lily and star, juniper and prairie clover. The Mojave also houses a variety of lizards and snakes, as well as coyotes, jackrabbits, tarantulas and bighorn sheep.
The Sonoran Desert is located just south of the Mojave Desert. Sonoran covers large sections of southern California, Arizona, Baja, California and parts of northwestern Mexico. The southern areas of the Sonoran include the valuable home of the only Jaguar population in the U.S.
Other animals of the Sonoran Desert include: tortoise, kingsnake, desert iguana and 350 species of bird. The desert is also home to the saguaro cactus, prickly pear and bur sage.
The Chihuahuan Desert encompasses a small part of southeastern New Mexico and western Texas, and it extends south into Mexico. The Chihuahuan is the second largest desert (after the Great Basin) in North America.
Common plant life in the Chihuahuan includes agave, peyote and mesquite. The Chihuahuan houses many types of animals such as the scorpion, kangaroo rat and the elf owl.
