Nature
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The most dangerous section of the Old Spanish Trail crossed the Mojave Desert, where extreme summer heat and the absence of major rivers made travel difficult. Springs and the Amargosa River, which drains into Death Valley, made crossing this smallest and driest North American desert possible. The section of the trail that passed through this park connected Las Vegas Springs to Cottonwood Springs at Blue Diamond. In winter, low temperatures in the Mojave Desert average between 20 and 30 degrees Fahrenheit. Summer highs average between 100 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit, reaching 130 degrees Fahrenheit or more in some areas. Rain totals only six inches per year, and Las Vegas Valley receives only four. The Mojave Desert is the only home of the Joshua Tree. Creosote bush, prickly pear, cholla, and barrel cactus are plentiful, while cottonwood trees grow near water and mesquite and acacia shrubs flourish far from streams and springs.
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Spring Valley, Nevada · United States
