Mojave and Colorado Deserts Biosphere Reserve

The Mojave and Colorado Deserts Biosphere Reserve is a vast protected area spanning southern California that encompasses Death Valley, Joshua Tree, and Anza-Borrego. It features sandy plains, rocky mountains, and diverse desert terrain crisscrossed by research stations and hiking paths.

UNESCO designated this vast desert region as a biosphere reserve in 1984, creating protected zones for research and ecosystem preservation. This recognition was a turning point for safeguarding landscapes that took millions of years to form.

Indigenous peoples have lived in these deserts for thousands of years, developing profound knowledge of the harsh landscape. You can encounter evidence of their presence through ancient settlements and rock art scattered across the region.

Visit between October and April when temperatures are more bearable and the sun less intense across these areas. Bring plenty of water since freshwater is scarce throughout much of the reserve and the dryness is extreme.

Parts of the reserve hold one of North America's most complete collections of desert plant species, with specialized cacti and drought-resistant vegetation. This biological variety allows researchers to study survival mechanisms found nowhere else quite as densely.