Mojave National Preserve
Defending the Desert: Joshua Tree | Death Valley | Mojave
Mojave National Preserve's vast expanse of desert lands includes one of the most diverse desert environments in the world, representing three of the four major North American deserts: the Mojave, Great Basin, and Sonoran. The Preserve is a land of old mountain ranges, sand dunes, great mesas and volcanic features such as cinder cones, domes, and lava flows. The most ancient rocks in the preserve, found in the Clark Mountains, are 2.5 billion years old.
The Preserve's remarkable geology and geography contributes to its unique ecology. Changes in elevation and soil type, combined with dozens of seeps and springs, create a wide range of microhabitats that support a rich diversity of plants and animals. This diverse ecology has produced 35 wildlife habitat types that support over 800 plant species, including the world's largest and densest Joshua tree forest, and nearly 300 wildlife species, including the gila monster, Mohave tui chub, Mojave fringe-toed lizard, prairie falcon, golden eagle, mule deer, mountain lions, and bighorn sheep. Nearly half of the Preserve is critical habitat for the endangered desert tortoise.
