Desert Mexico (Explore the Deserts of Mexico)

Narrow dusk alley in Rovinj, Croatia—warm stone walls, glowing windows and lantern light, polished cobbles tapering toward the sea—an invitation to wander and discover Europe. — DISCOVER DESERT MEXICO

There's no place on Earth like the dry, dusty deserts of Mexico — a surreal borderlands geography spanning the Chihuahuan, Sonoran, and Altar deserts, united by the marine paradise of the Sea of Cortez.

Sierra del Pinacate Range

It is North America's last frontier, a barren, hundred-mile stretch of blackness and inhospitability. It is The Pinacate, named after its primary inhabitant; a rather insignificant beetle which stands on its head and lets out a rather putrid odor...

Desert Roads of Baja California Norte

Under our feet was a giant hole in the earth. The sea had cut an underground cave and settled here: a stretch of beach underneath the earth. Four seals were in the water. One had no head. Sharks.

Bahia Coyote and Baja California Sur

Notes on an overland trek From Los Angeles to Mulegé in the Baja Peninsula's southern state.

San Jose del Cabo Estuary

Notes on three mornings exploring the wildlife wonderland of Baja's freshwater oasis.

Chili Peppers of the World

An illustrated field guide to 176 chili peppers, from wild chiltepins to modern superhots. Explore their origins, evolution, cultivation, and the global journey that transformed cuisines around the world.

Hot Sauces of the World

My guide to the hot sauces of the world. Hot sauce, originally invented in Mexico, are now part of global cuisine, with as many types as there are cultures.

Yuccas of the World

A journal of sketches portraying every yucca species, hand-drawn with short descriptions and data.

Isla Espiritu Santo Journal

I am on a skiff flying through the Sea of Cortez from the capital of Baja Sur, La Paz. Destination is Isla Espiritu Santo.

Map of Mexican Deserts

Mexico is home to two vast desert regions, both contiguous with the United States. The map of desert regions below shows how the two deserts cover five states.

There are two primary desert regions in Northern Mexico. The states of Baja California Norte and Baja California Sur, the islands of the Sea of Cortez, and most of the state of Sonora comprise the Mexican portion of the Sonoran desert. The U.S. portion of the desert covers the Southeastern tip of California, and Arizona's southwestern quarter.

DISCOVER DESERT MEXICO