Which desert contains California's Kelso Dunes?

California’s Kelso Dunes are contained within the Mojave Desert. The dune field lies in the Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, near the historic Kelso Depot and the town of Baker.

Kelso Dunes cover about 45 square miles (120 square kilometers), and the tallest dunes rise roughly 650 feet (200 meters) above the surrounding terrain. They are made mostly of quartz and feldspar, minerals carried by wind from older deposits in the Mojave River system and accumulated where surrounding mountains interrupt the prevailing winds.

The dunes formed in several episodes over approximately the last 25,000 years. During drier climate periods, reduced vegetation allowed more sand to move; later plant growth stabilized portions of the field. Some dunes can produce a deep rumbling sound when dry sand slides down their slopes, a phenomenon called singing or booming sand.

The Colorado Desert is a nearby subdivision of the broader Sonoran Desert, which makes it an easy distractor. Kelso Dunes, however, are specifically part of the Mojave Desert.