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Where does the North American Desert extend from southern Oregon and Idaho to northern Mexico?

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map of western North America — North American Desert Physical features of western North America.

The North American Desert is a vast, irregular belt of arid terrain that stretches north to south along the western side of the continent, extending from southern Oregon and Idaho down to northern Mexico.1

This region is situated within the sheltered, rain-starved intermontane area located between the Rocky Mountains to the east and the moist, fertile coast ranges along the Pacific Ocean to the west. The desert is characterized by its overall aridity, extreme temperatures, and stark landscapes, and it is subdivided into various regions, including the cold mid-latitude Great Basin Desert and hotter mid-latitude deserts such as the Mojave, Sonoran, and Chihuahuan deserts.12