BLM · BLM national monument or conservation area · Arizona

Sonoran Desert

The Sonoran Desert is a hot desert and ecoregion in North America that covers parts of the northwestern Mexican states of Sonora, Baja California, and Baja California Sur, as well as part of the Southwestern United States. It has an area of 260,000 square kilometers (100,000 sq mi).

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

National Conservation Lands unit495,942 acresBLMAZ1 campground within 10 mi
Search Bureau of Land Management ↗

Facts

Where each comes from ↓
DesignationNational Conservation Lands unit
Managed byBureau of Land Management
StateArizona
Size495,942 acres (computed from the boundary polygon)
National Conservation Lands idNLCS000058
Center point32.9086, -112.3997
Night skyVery dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 28)

Boundary map

1 outline

Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground

The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.

Where to camp

Campsite Atlas →

1 federal campground sits inside the boundary and 0 more are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.

BLM · Inside
Margies Cove West Campground
First-come3 sites

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Park System units within 30 miles · Park Atlas
National Monument · 30 mi
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
National Register listings within 15 miles · 48 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Sonoran Desert?

495,942 acres, measured from the published boundary polygon. The agency’s own figure can differ where the boundary includes water or inholdings.

Source: How acreage is computed

Who manages Sonoran Desert?

The Bureau of Land Management.

Source: Bureau of Land Management

What state is Sonoran Desert in?

Arizona.

Source: How states are assigned

Can I camp at Sonoran Desert?

1 federal campground sits inside the boundary, including Margies Cove West Campground. 1 in all are within ten miles. Rules vary by unit; the BLM page has the current camping rules.

Source: Where to camp

How do I get to Sonoran Desert?

A point inside the boundary is at 32.909, -112.400. Casa Grande Ruins National Monument is 30 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Bureau of Land Management

How dark is the night sky at Sonoran Desert?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 28 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, very dark ground, a faint glow at most.

Source: NASA Black Marble

Which national parks are near Sonoran Desert?

Casa Grande Ruins National Monument (30 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.

Source: Nearby on the other atlases

Are there historic places near Sonoran Desert?

48 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Gila Bend Overpass and Stout's Hotel.

Source: Register Atlas

Sources

  • Boundary, name: the BLM National Conservation Lands layer.
  • States: computed by intersecting the boundary with Census state polygons; a state is listed when it holds at least one percent of the area.
  • Acreage: geodesic area of the published polygon. The agency’s official acreage can differ where the boundary includes water, easements or inholdings.
  • Description: Sonoran Desert on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. The article was accepted because its title contains this unit’s name.
  • Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
  • Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
  • Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.