Great Basin Desert

The Great Basin Desert spans approximately 492,000 square kilometers, covering the majority of Nevada and extending into parts of Utah, California, Oregon, and Idaho. It is the largest desert in the United States.

Unlike the hot deserts of the Southwest, the Great Basin is a cold winter desert where temperatures regularly drop below freezing and snowfall is common. This temperature extreme is largely due to its higher elevation and northern latitude.

The region is defined by its endorheic basin, meaning its rivers and streams do not flow out to the ocean. Instead, water collects in terminal lakes, such as the Great Salt Lake in Utah, or evaporates in alkaline flats.

The landscape is heavily defined by vast expanses of sagebrush and bitterbrush, rather than the cacti found in hotter deserts. These plants are specially adapted to survive the freezing temperatures and arid conditions of the basin.