This highly readable, spectacularly illustrated compendium is an ecological journey into a wondrous land of extremes. The California Deserts explores the remarkable diversity of life in this harsh yet fragile quarter of the Golden State. In a rich narrative, it illuminates how that diversity, created by drought and heat, has evolved with climate change since the Ice Ages. Along the way, we find there is much to learn from each desert species-- whether it is a cactus, pupfish, tortoise, or bighorn sheep--about adaptation to a warming, arid world. The book tells of human adaptation as well, and is underscored by a deep appreciation for the intimate knowledge acquired by native people during their 12,000-year desert experience. In this sense, the book is a journey of rediscovery, as it reflects on the ways that knowledge has been reclaimed and amplified by new discoveries. The book also takes the measure of the ecological condition of these deserts today, presenting issues of conservation, management, and restoration. With its many sidebars, photographs, and featured topics, The California Deserts provides a unique introduction to places of remarkable and often unexpected beauty.

""California Desert"" explores the intriguing desert variety, including Anz-Borrego Desert Park, Joshua Tree National Park, Death Valley, and the Coachilla Valley.

The latest Sierra Club Adventure Travel Guide is the most comprehensive guide available to the scenic desert regions of California. Includes area maps, access and information on climate and gear. 10 black-and-white photographs. 11 line drawings. 10 maps.

Presents 65 desert trips from Bishop to the Mexican border, including expanded coverage of popular destinations such as Death Valley National Park, Mojave National Preserve, and Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. This book makes high-walled canyons, lonely ghost towns, and soaring peaks from Mexico to the Great Basin easily accessible to recreational drivers. Tony Huegel's glove-box-sized Byways have been leading drivers to the hidden surprises found along unpaved backroads for more than 10 years. These books are for recreational drivers who want to use their four-wheel-drive or sport-utility vehicle beyond the pavement to explore, but who might not want to do hard-core or lengthy off-road driving. They are also for adventurers who use these trips as jumping-off points for muscle-powered exploration, such as hiking and mountain biking.

Publisher Description

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1964.

The sotry of how underpaid, underfunded volunteers fought to protect the last large area of wild land left in California, culminating in the enactment of the California Desert Protection Act of 1994.