Which desert surrounds Las Vegas, Nevada?

Las Vegas, Nevada, is located in the Mojave Desert.

The Mojave is a hot desert spanning southeastern California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona. Las Vegas sits in its southern Nevada portion, in the Las Vegas Valley. The city’s dry climate, sparse natural vegetation and intense summer heat are characteristic of the desert environment.

The desert is named after the Mojave people, whose traditional homeland includes much of the region. Its boundaries are often identified using elevation, vegetation and geography rather than a single sharp line. The Joshua tree is one of its best-known plants, although the species also grows in areas outside the desert’s strict boundaries.

A common mix-up is the Great Basin Desert, which lies north of Las Vegas and has a colder, higher-elevation climate. The Sonoran Desert is farther southeast around Arizona and northern Mexico, while the Chihuahuan Desert lies mainly east of the Sierra Madre and extends into parts of Texas and New Mexico. Las Vegas is therefore firmly associated with the Mojave.