The Low Desert (colloquially known as the Desert in the region) is a common name for any desert in California that is under 2,000 feet (609.6 m) in altitude. These areas include, but are not exclusive to, the Colorado Desert and Yuha Desert branches of the Sonoran Desert, in the far southeasternmost portion of Southern California. The Low Desert is distinguished in biogeography from the adjacent northern High Desert or Mojave Desert by latitude, elevation, animal life, climate, and native plant communities.^[1][2]

Communities

The cities and towns in the Low Desert include:

Parks

• Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
• Joshua Tree National Park – northern portion of Low Desert
• Salton Sea State Recreation Area
• Indio Hills Palms Park
• Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument
• Big Morongo Canyon Preserve

Wildlife refuges and wilderness areas

• Coachella Valley National Wildlife Refuge
• Imperial National Wildlife Refuge
• Havasu National Wildlife Refuge
• Cibola National Wildlife Refuge
• Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge
• Fish Creek Mountains Wilderness
• Santa Rosa Wilderness
• Indian Pass Wilderness
• Whipple Mountains Wilderness
• Sawtooth Mountains Wilderness
• Little Picacho Wilderness