Deserts With Rock Formations

Mojave Desert

• The Mojave Desert is an arid region between the Great Basin and the Sonoran Desert. The desert covers more than 25,000 square miles in southeastern California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah.

  White Tank Arch is a natural rock formation there in Joshua Tree National Park.. The arch formed from igneous rock known as White Tank granite. It is believed that the rock began forming 135 to 155 million years ago. The shape of this rock was sculpted through cavernous weathering and under-cutting.

  Natural Bridge is another rock formation in the Mojave Desert. The formation is located in Death Valley. This rock formation was created by flash floods.

  Joshua Tree National Park

  74485 National Park Drive

  Twentynine Palms, CA 92277

  760-367-5500

  nps.gov

Great Basin Desert

• The Great Basin Desert is in Utah. It is known as a cold desert with long periods of cold and snow in the winter. Zion National Park, located in the Great Basin Desert, has a cliff and canyon landscape. Kolob Arch, the world's largest arch with a span of 310 feet, is here, as well as three sandstone cliffs known as the Court of the Patriarchs, which stand over Birch Creek Canyon.

  Zion National Park

  Springdale, Utah 84767

  435-772-3256

  nps.gov

Arches National Park

• Arches National Park is another desert area in Utah. Situated near the town of Moab, the park contains the world's largest number of natural stone arches, composed of eroded sandstone. Delicate Arch is one of the most well known of these arches. It is not visible from the roadway. Those wanting to view the arch up close need to take the off-road one-mile hike to the arch.

  Another area of unusual rock formations in Arches National Park is Fiery Furnace, a maze-like area of narrow passages formed by sandstone rock formations.

  Arches National Park

  PO Box 907

  Moab, UT 84532

  435-719-2299

  nps.gov