Determine which high desert the person is living in. There are high-desert locations in New Mexico, California, Nevada, Utah and Oregon. The Mojave Desert and the Great Basin Desert are two of the most famous locations.
Attempt to contact a representative from the closest township, city or county offices. At the very least, someone should be able to direct you to local authorities or record keepers for assistance.
Use the Internet to perform a search of the person's name. Social networking sites or online record keepers often have detailed information for free or for a small fee.
Search public records online for the area in question. Some areas in California provide free public record searchers, which should allow you to read through deeds and local court information.
Hire a private investigator or an online group like US Search or People Finder that provides assistance. The private detective will be more expensive but may produce better results. According to the People Finder website, its "search tools ... give you access to billions of people search records at no cost".
Travel to the high desert and try to find the person yourself. You can use all of the same techniques but attempt to locate the person directly. Contacting locals will be much easier in person.
