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.
| Designation | National Conservation Lands unit |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management |
| State | Arizona |
| Size | 495,942 acres |
| National Conservation Lands id | NLCS000058 |
| Center point | 32.91° N, 112.40° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 28) |
Boundary map
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.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
1 federal campground sits inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 2.8 miGila Bend Overpass ↗Gila Bend, AZ
- 3.9 miStout's Hotel ↗Gila Bend, AZ
- 5 miMacLennan House ↗Wickenburg, AZ
- 8.4 miGillespie Dam Highway Bridge ↗Gila Bend, AZ
- 10.5 miBuckeye Woman’s Club ↗Buckeye, AZ
- 10.8 miHassayampa River Bridge ↗Hassayampa, AZ
- 10.9 miBuckeye Union High School School A-Wing ↗Buckeye, AZ
- 11.6 miLiberty Methodist Episcopal Church, South ↗Buckeye, AZ
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Arizona
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Sonoran Desert?
495,942 acres.
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?
Rules vary by unit. The BLM page has the current camping rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Sonoran Desert?
A point inside the boundary is at 32.909° N, 112.400° W. Casa Grande Ruins National Monument is 30 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Bureau of Land Management
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?
The National Register has 48 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 and territories: computed by intersecting the boundary with Census state polygons and coarse outlines of the territories and outlying islands. A place is listed when it holds at least one percent of the area. A boundary that touches no outline is listed under the nearest one.
- 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.