The largest desert in North America, straddling the US–Mexico border and rich in agave, yucca and cacti.
Area
362,000 km²
Continent
North America
Location
US–Mexico border region
Temperature
Up to 40°C
Rainfall
150–400 mm a year
Climate
Hot desert
About the Chihuahuan Desert
The Chihuahuan Desert spreads across northern Mexico and into Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. Sitting at higher elevation than many hot deserts, it enjoys a summer rainy season that supports astonishing biodiversity — forests of agave, yucca and more than 3,000 plant species, including many found nowhere else.
Did you know?
It is one of the most biologically diverse deserts on Earth, with over 3,000 plant species.
Highlights
- The largest desert in North America
- Over 3,000 plant species
- Famous for agave and yucca
Photo gallery
Life in the Chihuahuan Desert
Animals, birds and plants that have adapted to survive this landscape.
Animals
Coyote
A clever, adaptable wild dog of North America’s deserts and plains.
Desert tortoise
A long-lived reptile that digs burrows to escape the searing heat.
Gila monster
One of the few venomous lizards, beaded in black and orange.
Birds
Greater roadrunner
A fast ground bird of the American deserts that chases down lizards.
Golden eagle
A mighty raptor that patrols open desert mountains and plains.
Trees & plants
Prickly pear
A flat-padded cactus with edible fruit, spread across many deserts.
Agave
A rosette of thick, spiny leaves that flowers just once, then dies.
Creosote bush
A hardy shrub whose clones can live for thousands of years.
Ocotillo
Whip-like spiny stems that burst into red flowers after rain.
Day & night in the Chihuahuan Desert
Deserts are famous for their extreme temperature swings. Flip between day and night to feel the difference — these are typical figures for a subtropical desert.
Midday sun
+45°C
typical daytime high
Blistering daytime heat gives way to surprisingly cool nights — clear skies let the day’s warmth escape, and the temperature can tumble by 30°C or more after dark.
Recorded range for the Chihuahuan Desert: Up to 40°C