Searching for Wyatt Earp's Gold Mine
In his book, Wyatt Earp, The Missing Years, the author Ken Cilch reports that Wyatt staked several claims in the Mojave and the Sonoran deserts. Earp bought his only home in Vidal, California, near the Colorado River and filed a number of claims at the base of the Whipple Mountains. Join DesertUSA as we search with the author Ken Cilch to find the location of his claims.

The Salton Sea
The Salton Sea is an inland saline lake in the Sonoran Desert of extreme southeastern California. It occupies the Salton Basin, a remnant of prehistoric Lake Cahuilla. It is borderded on the south by the rich agricultural areas of the Imperial Valley and on the west, by Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Both the Salton Sea State Recreation Area and the Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge are located on its shores.

Desert Pupfish
The rare Desert Pupfish has a unique ability to survive in water from near-freezing temperatures to almost 108 degrees Farenheit, and in salinity from almost no salt to twice that of sea water. Growing to only about two and a half inches in length, they are only found in the Anza Borrego Desert State Park and nearby Salton Sea.

Anza Borrego - The Overview
Anza Borrego is California's largest state park, encompassing more than 600,000 acres. The Park includes many rugged mountain ranges and contains more than 500 miles of roads, as well as many fascinating geologic formations and historic places of interest. Watch this video to get an idea of some places you may want to visit.

The Gray Wolf
Wolves are the wild members of the dog family.They are believed to be the ancestors of our domesticated dogs. The gray wolf still inhabits some areas of the norther hemisphere. The Mexican Gray Wolf is the only wolf that at one time roamed the southwestern deserts.

The Llama
The llama originated in the central plains of North America about 40 million years ago, and over time migrated to South America. Used as pack animals by the Incas, they are still in use today as beasts of burden. They can carry 25-30% of their own body weight for several miles. View the video to learn more about these social creatures.

Borrego Springs, CA - Free Standing Art Structures
History is unfolding in Borrego Springs with the placement of the Gomphotherium free standing art structures. These creatures lived in the area about 3 million years ago. Dennis Avery, landowner of Galleta Meadows Estates has added 'free standing art', original steel welded sculptures created by Perris Jurassic Park's Ricardo Breceda.

 

The Kingsnake
The Kingsnake gets its name from its habit of eating other snakes, and is most famous for eating rattlesnakes, copperheads and coral snakes. But it also feeds on other snakes, lizards, birds and their eggs, small mammals, turtles and frogs. This is one snake you want on your property. more videos like this

The Desert Food Chain
A food chain constitutes a complex network of organisms, from plants to animals, through which energy, derived from the sun, flows in the form of organic matter and dissipates in the form of waste heat. The desert food chain features unique forms of plants and animals capable of surviving conditions of high heat and very little water.

The Black Widow Spider
The female black widow spider is the most venomous spider in North America, but it seldom causes death to humans, because it only injects a very small amount of poison when it bites. Black Widows spin webs that lack shape and form. The silk is stronger than most spiders. more videos like this

The Rattlesnake
Rattlesnakes come in 16 distinct varieties, all positively identified by the jointed rattles on the tail. Most rattlesnakes, when disturbed, normally try to withdraw. But if they think they are cornered, the explosive sizzling buzz of their rattles is an unmistakable warning to retreat. more videos like this

The Tarantula
The tarantula family includes the largest spiders known. The Goliath Tarantula (Theraposa leblondi) which inhabits South America, reaches a body length of 5 inches with a leg span of up to 12 inches. Tarantulas occur worldwide. Those found in North America occur in the southern and southwestern states. more videos like this

The Saguaro
Saguaros often begin life in the shelter of a "nurse" tree or shrub which provides a shaded, moister habitat. The largest plants are estimated to be 200 years old and can reach heights of 15 to 50 feet.