The Chihuahuan Desert

Along the foothills trail on Tortugas Mountain

The Chihuahuan Desert is the largest desert in North America, over 200,000 square miles. Most of the desert lies in Mexico, but it extends into the states of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona.  Its lower elevations are just above 1,000 feet, but most of the desert lies between 3,500 and 5,000 feet.  The desert is cool in winter (temperatures of 18 to 20 Farenheit are not uncommon) and hot in summer (often over 100 Farenheit).  Most regions in the Chihuahuan Desert get less than 10 inches of rain per year.

The seemingly-flat plane of desert

The Potrillo Mountains, southwest of Las Cruces, New Mexico

The Franklin Mountains near El Paso, Texas

Old jeep road through the desert

An Ocotillo in front of Tortugas (Tortoise) Mountain

The western flank of Tortugas in front of the Organ Mountains



Typical Chihuahuan Desert flora