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The Mojave Desert is bound in part by the Tehachapi together with the San Gabriel and San Bernadino mountain ranges. The mountain boundaries are quite distinct since they are outlined by the two largest faults in California: the San Andreas and the Garlock . Its northern and eastern boundaries are less distinct. One way to determine entry is by observing the presence of Joshua Trees. The Mojave Desert receives less than 6 inches (150 mm) of rain a year and is generally between 3000 and 6000 feet (1,000 and 2,000 m) in elevation. The Mojave Desert also contains the Mojave National Preserve and the lowest-hottest place in North America: Death Valley, where the temperature normally approaches 120°F (50°C) in late JulyJuly is the seventh month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 31 days. July was renamed for Julius Caesar; previously, it was called Quintilis in Latin, since it was the fifth month in the Roman calendar which started in March. Because of its orig and early AugustSee August (album) for the album by Eric Clapton. August is the eighth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 31 days. Named in honor of Augustus Caesar. The month reputedly has 31 days because Augustus wanted as many days as Julius Caesar's Ju. Despite its aridity, the Mojave (and particularly the Antelope ValleyThe Antelope Valley consists of northern Los Angeles County and the southeastern portion of Kern County, California. It lies north of the San Gabriel Mountains and east of the Tehachapis in the Mojave Desert and is at least 2,200 square miles (5,700 km²) in its southwest) has long been a center of alfalfaMedicago arabica Medicago heldreichii Medicago hybrida Medicago laciniata Medicago littoralis Medicago lupulina Medicago minima Medicago monantha Medicago monspeliaca Medicago orbicularis Medicago polymorpha Medicago praecox Medicago rigidula Medicago rug production, fed by irrigation coming from groundwaterGroundwater is any water found below the land surface. It is found in aquifers, in the pore spaces of rocks, in unconsolidated sediments, as permafrost, and as soil moisture. Groundwater flows to the surface naturally at springs and seeps and can form oas and (in the 20th century) from the California AqueductThe California Aqueduct is an artificial concrete-lined water transport channel. It is the main water transport structure of the California State Water Project and at nearly 450 miles in length, it is the longest river in California. It moves water from N.

The Mojave, like all deserts in general, is known for its summerSummer is one of the four temperate seasons. Astronomically, it begins with the summer solstice (around 21 June in the Northern hemisphere, and 21 December in the Southern hemisphere) and ends with the autumn equinox (around 21 September in the Northern h heat, however, much less is known about the Mojave's wintertimeThis article is about the winter season. For other uses of the term, see winter (disambiguation). Winter is one of the four seasons of temperate zones. Astronomically, it begins with the winter solstice (around December 21 in the Northern hemisphere and J cold. Snow, although uncommon, does fall in parts of the Mojave. Amounts range from just a trace to a foot or more of heavy wet snow which can lead to freeway traffic closures and being "snowed in". The coldest wintertime temperature ranges have been below freezing yet above 0°F. That said, many parts of the Mojave typically range from highs of around 95–105°F in the summer to lows of around 20–30°F in the winter.

Wind is also a weather factor. Las Vegas, situated on the desert's east, may not have many winds, but, the community of Mojave, situated at its western end, can have wind nearly every day — even winds surpassing fifty miles per hour. Nearby Tehachapi Pass, due to the high likelihood of reliable wind, is home to an extensive electrical windmill turbine "farm" which converts wind, a renewable-clean-resource, into electricity.

The Mojave Desert contains a number of ghost towns. The most significant of these being the silver-mining town of Calico, California. Some of them are of the more modern variety created when Route 66 (and the lesser-known US Highway 91) were abandoned in favor of the Interstates. Among the more popular and unique tourist attractions in the Mojave is the self described World's Largest Thermometer at 135 feet high, reportedly also the highest °F temperature ever recorded in the region, which is located along Interstate 15 in Baker, California.

The Mojave River is an important source of water in this arid land. A part of the Colorado River traverses its far eastern portion.

The Mojave Desert is crossed by major highways Interstate 15, Interstate 40, US Highway 395 and US Highway 95.

Cities in the Mojave Desert include Victorville, Barstow, Palmdale, Ridgecrest, and Needles, California. Las Vegas, Nevada is the Mojave's largest city and metropolitan area.