#desert-town

#desert-town

Laguna Beach takes its history and cultural heritage seriously—from the earliest Western settlers who set up artist studios, to our Indigenous peoples who made this special place home thousands of years ago.

The Wasteland Nomad is built from biochar and seeds of indigenous plants, which are both biodegradable materials. Biochar works like a sponge inside the soil, as it holds water, gives microbes a surface to live on, and locks carbon into the ground instead of letting it escape into the air.

Before state Route 62 was built, there was seamless 95-mile-long habitat connectivity between the San Bernardino and Little San Bernardino mountain ranges, extending from the I-10 south of Joshua Tree National Park to the I-15 near the Cajon Pass. Now, plans for two new wildlife crossings across the highway aim to bring back some of that connectivity, while potentially saving a local population on the brink of extinction in the process.

After years of traveling in a van, our wild hippie hearts wanted a place where we could build whatever we wanted, meditate outside in the sun, and feel inspired by natural, untouched land nearby. When we first visited Taos, New Mexico, we realized that this desert town - quirky, rural, spacious, and breathtaking - checked off everything on our list.

The Colorado River is an interconnected system, sustained by Rocky Mountain snowpack, rainfall and groundwater. It is fragile, and under increasing stress. Two and a half decades into this century, the river that built the modern West has 20% less water flowing through it than it did on average in the last century. As heat and drought intensify, so do the stakes: Failure to recognize the severity of changing conditions, managing the river in parts without considering needs of the whole and inadequate planning for long-term shortages put the future of all the basin at risk.

Bisbee is surrounded by the Mule Mountains, offering plenty of opportunities for hiking, rock climbing, and camping. The nearby Sabino Canyon Recreation Area has scenic hiking trails and stunning views. But beyond the art and beauty lies a long, fascinating history as a copper mining town.

Tens of millions of tourists visit Las Vegas each year, spending billions of dollars in the city's casinos, entertainment venues, and attractions. Yet my move brought me to Reno, a seven-hour drive from the desert of Las Vegas. Although Reno still has its fair share of casinos, the city feels like a world apart.

The formation closely matches the outline of the Buffalo Valley Intermediate Field, an emergency triangular airfield built in the 1930s to 1940s along early aviation routes. In Nevada and other Western US deserts, triangular airfields were common in the 1930s and 1940s, serving early aviation needs such as mail routes and emergency landings.

As a SoCal resident, I visit Anza-Borrego at least once a year to explore the sandstone Slot canyon and surrounding desert, keeping an eye out for animals like chuckwalla lizards and bighorn sheep. Despite its incredibly dry environment (the park averages just four to eight inches of rain a year, and summertime temps routinely hit the hundreds), Anza-Borrego teems with life and opportunities to explore one of the nation's most unique ecosystems.

Western water law is based on the prior appropriation doctrine, which gives the first entity to make "beneficial use" of water the right to keep on using that amount, even if that means that upstream "junior" users' spigots will get shut off. By the early 1900s, a rapidly growing California was enthusiastically diverting the Colorado River, with huge irrigation districts gobbling up the senior water rights.

Luxury desert resorts here aren't just places to stay; they're destinations in their own right, with trails that invite sunrise meditation hikes to spas drawing on indigenous botanicals and healing rituals inspired by centuries of Native American tradition. According to recent tourism data, nearly 44 percent of high-end visitors to Arizona choose 5-star hotels or resorts, and a significant number of travelers list relaxation and wellness experiences - including spa time and desert recreation among their top holiday motivations.

Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and the University of Tokyo have made a prototype of botanical cement made of desert sand and plant-based additives in hopes that it can be used to build houses and roads. Once mixed, the team adds tiny pieces of wood together and presses them all with heat to produce the cement.

The body is a shifting landscape transformed by surfaces and sensations. Each look captures a different tactile world: the heat of blood, the cool weight of metal, the yielding drift of water. The result is a sculptural study of how the elements carve, shield, and release the self. The materials we embody become the emotions we carry, and the body becomes a materialised exhibition of our emotions, from the pulse of Blood to the discipline of Metal to the surrender of Water.

Wildlife populations are in decline. Recreation sites are crowded and often underfunded. Wildfires are larger, more destructive and harder to control. Climate change is reshaping natural systems, from ocean fisheries to mountain snowpacks, faster than institutions can respond. At the same time, communities are being asked to host new energy projects, transmission lines and mineral development - often without clear processes, adequate resources or trust that decisions are being made in the public interest.

Casa La Vista is a residential project by MEDEZA CDQ and VERTEBRAL located on a cliff within the desert landscape of Baja California Sur, . Positioned among dunes and overlooking the coastline of San José and Punta Gorda, the house is oriented toward the southeast to frame the horizon where sea and sky meet. The project responds to the region's extreme climatic conditions through a spatial and tectonic strategy that prioritizes orientation, shading, and material performance.

Santa Teresa on Costa Rica's Pacific coast is a favorite among surfers and traveling professionals because of its long beaches and relaxed atmosphere. The town offers several coworking spaces and cafés with reliable internet, which makes remote work easier. The area is accessible via Tambor Airport with onward road and ferry connections to larger cities. Accommodation prices range from budget hostels to luxury villas. The local community is international, and the abundance of healthy restaurants and yoga studios contributes to a comfortable and productive stay.

Last February, master of ceremonies Dennis Bowen (a Seneca elder) welcomed the reigning champion into the 2025 World Championship Hoop Dance Contest arena at the Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona. Thousands of spectators joined them to watch more than 100 dancers compete across the two-day event. Bowen announced Josiah Enriquez's (Pueblo of Pojoaque, Navajo, Isleta) accomplishments as a top place finisher several years running in the teen division and as the surprise winner in an unprecedented tiebreaking round in the adult division the year before.

Perched high atop a dappled-colored horse at Alisal Ranch, I stroked the equine's coarse hair in an effort to bond before sauntering off to an authentic cowboy breakfast. I was with a group of like-minded women in search of a wellness weekend but we chose to trade our spa robes for cowgirl hats and forgo mani-pedis for dusty trail rides. This was not a typical dude ranch experience. It seamlessly blended nurturing self-care, enriching workshops, nourishing meals, and fostering friendships.

In November 2014, I crammed my possessions into my Toyota Corolla and drove 2,000 miles from Maryland to Salt Lake City, Utah, for a job. While temporarily staying with a friend's brother, I found the perfect house to rent. On a cold December morning, ready to head to my new place, I turned the key in my car's ignition. But I only heard rapid, grinding clicks. I turned the key again and again. The engine refused to work.

"One time is enough." That's what I'd heard countless times about visiting Las Vegas before making the trip myself. I'd always wanted to go, if only to have that once-in-a-lifetime experience. Turns out, one time wasn't enough. I've been five times now, and I have no doubt there will be a sixth. The nightlife and gambling aren't what keep me coming back, though. These days, I skip the casinos and explore nature instead - and one of my favorite places is about 45 minutes outside the city: Valley of Fire State Park. There was no turning back once I found a side of Vegas I didn't know I was missing