Okanagan Desert Archives - RVing with Rex

Osoyoos: Canada’s Desert Wine Country

Osoyoos is located in the South Okanagan in the south-central portion of British Columbia just north of the Washington (US) border

The Sonoran Desert reaches its Northern terminus in the shadow of the Cascade Mountains. This produces a hot and sunny environment with very little precipitation. Osoyoos experiences 2,039 hours of sunshine each year and an average of 9.8 inches of rain/2.1 inches of snow annually. While the warmest in Canada, the temperature does still see a significant range. The average high in the warmest month of August is just over 79 degrees while the average low in the coldest month of December is just over 13 degrees.

Osoyoos and Lake Osoyoos *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

The name Osoyoos comes from the Sylix word soo-yoos, referring to the lake’s narrow gap. Indigenous people lived in the Okanagan region for thousands of years before the arrival of the first European fur traders in 1811. In 1821, the Hudson Bay Company took over operations, and a major trade settlement developed in the Okanagan Valley. As of 1858, the gold rush began transforming the economic incentives of the region.

By the early 20th century, the first commercial orchards (apples, pears, cherries, apricots, peaches) were established taking full advantage of the long growing season. In 1927, a major irrigation project is known as “The Ditch” helped disperse more water into the desert climate. By the 1960s, the optimal combination of natural and artificial conditions led to the first large-scale grape vineyards that currently support Osoyoos’s thriving wineries.

Vineyard near Osoyoos *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

The Osoyoos area is one of the largest grape-growing regions of British Columbia with more than 15 estate wineries within a 15-minute drive of the town center. Most of the wineries are VQA rated (Vintners Quality Alliance), meaning that they have passed the rigid quality standards set by the alliance of Okanagan vineyards and that the wines are made from 100 percent BC-grown grapes. The wines have won many prestigious awards for wines produced from the many grape varieties grown in the area.

Related article: South Okanagan: Beaches, Peaches, Wine, and More

Grape harvest season near Osoyoos *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

The numerous microclimates and soil variations make it possible to cultivate some 60 different varieties of grapes within a small area. You’ll find wineries producing an assortment of varietal wines such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Malbec, Gamay, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer, and Ice Wine.

Local in Osoyoos are Nk’ Mip Cellars, Adega on 45th, Moon Curser, Borderland Vineyards, Young & Wyse, and La Stella wineries.

Nk’Mip Cellars *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Owned and operated by the Osoyoos Indian Band and located on 1,200 acres of band land, Nk’Mip Cellars is the first Aboriginal-owned and-operated winery in North America. The word Nk’Mip translates to “Bottomland” in English, and is located at the southern end of the Osoyoos reservation. Nestled in their vineyard overlooking the town of Osoyoos, the Cellars offers spectacular views of the lake and surrounding hills and mountains.

Related article: Taste Your Way through the Okanagan

During a recent visit a selection of wines from their Winemaker’s Series and premium Qwam Qwmt (which translates to “achieving excellence”) reserve were available for tasting—2015 Pinot Blanc, 2014 Pinot Noir, 2014 Merlot, 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon QQ, 2014 Syrah QQ, and 2014 Mer’r’iym QQ. Mer’r’iym is their word for “marriage” and the inspiration for a wine that represents a perfect union of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec.

Moon Cursor Vineyard *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

On the east side of town just before ascending the steep switchbacks of Anarchist Mountain (Highway 3) is Moon Curser Vineyards. We knew—and previously visited—this winery under its original name, Twisted Tree, which had been the name of this winery since it first opened in 2004. In the dark of winter 2011, they made the bold move to change their identity to Moon Curser Vineyards—a name that captures many colorful stories of the Osoyoos area, as well as the renegade spirit of their winemaking.

Moon Curser Vineyard *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Osoyoos, the border town where Moon Curser Vineyards is located, has long been celebrated for the rich soil and brilliant sunshine. But during the gold rush, it was the dark of night that brought commotion to the area. Then, an unscrupulous procession of gold-smuggling miners returned stateside by the hundreds, if not by the thousands. All under the cover of night—trying to avoid customs agents at all cost. Often, the light of the moon would foil their plans, shedding light on their covert travels and activities. Need we say more about the name?

Moon Curser Vineyards *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

And you don’t forget a Moon Curser bottle when you see one. The labels are whimsical.

Related article: 4 of the Best Wineries in the Okanagan Valley

While the name and packaging are memorable, the wine inside the bottle is what is most important. From the start they decided to get creative and try different varieties in their portfolio. The approximate 5,000-case production includes 13 different wines.

As alternative varieties are becoming a trend all over the world, the vintners at Moon Curser are a few steps ahead of everyone else, fittingly, just as the moon cursers on their labels try to keep one step ahead of the law.

I enjoyed a selection of some serious and inventive wines—2015 Afraid of the Dark (a blend of whites from France’s Rhone Valley), 2014 Tempranillo, 2014 Dead of the Night, 2013 Contraband Syrah, and 2014 Border Vines (Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Carménère).

Adega on 45th *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Adega on 45th has a bell tower, set in a vineyard not far from Nk’Mip Winery overlooking the town of Osoyoos. The 6,000-square-foot winery has thick concrete walls and a naturally cooled cellar for 400 barrels buried against the hillside. The winery’s ambience reflects the Portuguese heritage of the owners.

The winery sits high on the vineyard’s west-facing slope. The tasting room windows offers a grand view over the town and the lake.

Odega on 45th *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Young & Wyse is owned by Stephen Wyse former winemaker at Burrowing Owl Winery and his partner Michelle Young. The vineyard is located on the East bench overlooking beautiful Osoyoos Lake. The plantings are on sloping terraces and consists primarily of sandy loam soil. The southwesterly exposure offers long days of sunlight hours. The cooling effect from the lake balances the heat from the day, which is optimal for grape and vine growth. Plantings include four acres primarily with Melbec, Zinfandel, and Viognier.

Nk’mip RV Park *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Where to Stay: Nk’mip RV Park and Campground; Walton’s Lakefront RV Resort

Worth Pondering…

Wine is constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy.

―Benjamin Franklin

The Ogopogo! One More Reason to Visit the Okanagan

What is Ogopogo?

Throughout the course of history, there has been a sense of mystery when it comes to deep water and what could be living beneath the surface. Just as Lake Champlain has its legendary lake monster, Champ, and Loch Ness has woven a tale of Nessie, the legendary monster that supposedly swims beneath its dark waters, Canada, too, has a legend of its own.

Okanagan Lake *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

In the Western Canadian province of British Columbia, near the very bottom of Canada, there is a series of lakes in a desert. The Okanagan is characterized by a dry, sunny climate and beautiful landscapes. The region receives about 12 inches of rain and two inches of snow annually and is the hottest and driest place in Canada. On the horizon are mountains of green foliage, aqua blue lakes, and, in the distance, rolling vineyards as far as the eye can see.

Before becoming a wine destination, the Okanagan was a family holiday spot, best known for its “beaches and peaches”—the lakes with their sandy shores, boating, and waterskiing as well as the countless fruit stands. The beaches and peaches—and cherries, apricots, apples, and pears—are still there, and the Okanagan still welcomes families. With its mild, dry climate, the region is also popular with golfers, hikers, and bikers.

Okanagan Lake is home to boating, swimming, and general summertime recreational fun. It’s a place for families and adults to gather and enjoy the warmest days of the year but as it turns out, many think they may not be alone in the water. Ogopogo, the sea serpent that’s believed to live in the waters of this scenic lake, may just be swimming around right beneath their feet. For many, this is enough of a reason to visit the area—but how likely is an Ogopogo sighting, really?

The Legend Of Ogopogo

The legend of Canada’s lake monster and sightings of it dates back to the 19th century. It’s believed that the serpent which is consistently estimated to be anywhere from 40 to 60 feet in length lives in Okanagan Lake, the largest of the five freshwater lakes that are interconnected by a river channel in the British Columbia interior.

While the legend of Ogopogo seems like it should be older, the lake itself is much older than the legend. These glacial lakes were formed some 10,000 years prior when the water from melted glaciers flooded the Okanagan Valley. The depth of the lake is 762 feet which, for some, means that the lake is far too expansive to know for sure what lives in it. For others, all of this depth is just further proof—who’s to say that something this extraordinary couldn’t be hiding beneath the surface?

One night in 1924, a song was sung in a local music hall about a strange creature. Not too many details of the song are known but the lyrics are cited as being:

His mother was an earwig,

His father was a whale;

A little bit of head

And hardly any tail

And Ogopogo was his name.

Two years later, the song was published in the Vancouver Province. Since then, the elusive creature has gained the nickname Oggy, with potential names for its offspring being ‘Ogopups.’

Native Myths Surrounding Lake Okanagan

Some have consulted history that dates much further back than the first settlers to the region to understand the mystery surrounding Ogopogo. The Secwepemc and the Sylix native tribes believed that the lake monster was an evil supernatural entity with great power. It was believed that the creature was destined to carry out an ill will and they referred to it as Naitaka.

The word “n’ha-a-itk” has various translations, such as “water-demon”, “water god”, or “sacred creature of the water”. In native lore, Naitaka demanded a live sacrifice for a safe crossing of the lake. For hundreds of years, First Nations would sacrifice small animals before entering the water.

Oral traditions often described visiting chief Timbasket who rejected the required sacrifice denying the existence of the demon. Upon entering the lake on a canoe with his family, Naitaka “whipped up the surface of the lake with his long tail” and the canoe and its occupants were sucked to the bottom of the lake. The Naitaka was often described as using its tail to create fierce storms to drown victims. In 1855, settler John MacDougal claimed that his horses were sucked down into the water and nearly his canoe before he cut the line.

It is reputed that the demonic view of Naitaka came about through miscommunication between Canada’s early European settlers and the Syilx/Okanagan people. To the Syilx, it’s n ̓x̌ax̌aitkʷ (n-ha-ha-it-koo), a sacred spirit of the lake that protects the valley. The spirit was said to dwell in caves under Rattlesnake Island (a.k.a. Monster Island) or adjacent to Squally Point.

Modern-Day Sightings of Ogopogo

During the 1980s, there was a reward of one million dollars offered for anyone who could obtain definitive proof of the monster. From that point on, the legend of Ogopogo became almost a part of daily life around Okanagan Lake. From sculptures that were made of the mythical creature to people claiming that they sighted him on an almost monthly basis, there was seemingly no escaping the legend. According to BBC, the lake monster was even declared an ‘endangered species’ by Greenpeace and was featured on an episode of Unsolved Mysteries.

Compelling Evidence

The most recent and most compelling evidence for the existence of Ogopogo comes from a cell phone video taken back in 2019. A man by the name of Jim La Rocque captured footage of what appears to be several large humps rising out of the water and swimming away from where he and his children were enjoying the lake on a sunny day.

The movement in the water is unlike any other known creature and has a snake-like appearance that one might expect with lake monsters such as Champ or Loch Ness. While some scholars believe that the motion in the water is the result of varying temperatures in the lake, others swear that it’s Ogopogo—to this day, nothing as convincing has been spotted or caught on camera.

Worth Pondering…

His mother was an earwig,

His father was a whale;

A little bit of head

And hardly any tail

And Ogopogo was his name.

South Okanagan: Beaches, Peaches, Wine, and More

In the Western Canadian province of British Columbia, near the very bottom of Canada, there is a desert

The Okanagan is characterized by a dry, sunny climate, beautiful landscapes, and a series of lakes. The region receives less than 12 inches of rain and two inches of snow annually and is the hottest and driest place in Canada. On the horizon are mountains of green foliage, aqua blue lakes, and, in the distance, rolling vineyards as far as the eye can see.

Okanagan Lake near Penticton © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

The Okanagan Desert, defined as an antelope brush ecosystem, is just a small narrow finger stretching past the U. S. border and nearly reaching the city of Penticton. Surrounding the desert, however, are grasslands that look and feel as arid and dry as the official desert territory. But within this land, there is fertility. The desert and sandy slopes and benches that make up the South Okanagan also doubles as wine country, bursting with goodness.

Okanagan orchard post-harvest season © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

Before becoming a wine destination, the Okanagan was a family holiday spot, best known for its “beaches and peaches”—the lakes with their sandy shores, boating, and waterskiing as well as the countless farm stands offering fresh produce and fruit. The beaches and peaches—and cherries, apricots, apples, and pears—are still there, and the Okanagan still welcomes families. With its mild, dry climate, the region is also popular with golfers, hikers, and bikers.

S.S. Sicamoose and the sandy beach off Okanagan Lake at Penticton © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

Two towns are standouts for their concentration of vineyards and wineries: Oliver (named for long-ago British Columbia Premier John Oliver) and Osoyoos (which shares a name with one of seven Okanagan tribes (called “bands” in Canada); pronounce it “oo-SUE-yooze”). Together the towns boast 39 wineries that extend from the lush valley into the semi-arid mountains that surround the area.

Wine tasting at the Black Hills Estate Winery near Oliver © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

Wine tasting here is as much about the surroundings as the wine itself. Wedged between the Cascades and the Columbia Mountains, the Okanagan Valley enjoys hot summers and mild winters unique to Canada—it constitutes the country’s only temperate desert region.

Osoyoos Lake, the warmest lake in Canada, is particularly suited for a dip early in the morning before the beach traffic reaches its busy peak, a blissful way to start a day packed with even more wine tasting.

Tinhorn Creek Winery © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

Although the premium Okanagan Valley wine industry didn’t begin until the late 1980s, it’s booming now with over 180 licensed wineries.

After dabbling for decades in easy-to-grow hybrids and labrusca (native American varieties), the Okanagan wine industry got its real launch in 1988. In a move designed to counter the North American Free Trade Agreement’s negative effect on the Canadian wine industry, the government began paying growers to pull out labrusca and French hybrid vines and replant with the more desirable European (Vitis vinifera) grape varieties.

Grapes at harvest time © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

Today, most vines in the Okanagan Valley are less than 25 years old and many of its wineries are still run by the families who started them.

The wide diversity of growing environments in the Okanagan means that the region is suited to an unusually varied selection of grape varieties.

Nk’Mip Cellars in Osoyoos © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

The top white varietals include Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Gewurztraminer, and Riesling with some grapes being left to freeze on the vine for the region’s famed ice wines. These are concentrated, sweet dessert wines often served in chocolate shot glasses.

Among the reds, expect outstanding Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Gamay Noir, and Marechal Foch.

Hester Creek Winery © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

Wineries that clearly exceed our grape expectations include Tinhorn Creek, Burrowing Owl, Gehringer Brothers, and Hester Creek along Oliver’s Miracle Mile, and NK’mip (pronounced ‘Ink-a-meep’) Cellars, North America’s first aboriginal owned and operated winery near Osoyoos Lake. NK’mip sits on natural desert land surrounded by the stunning contrast of sagebrush and vineyards.

Adaga on 45th Winery © Rex Vogel, *all rights reserved*

The summer beach experience and tree-ripened fruit are still part of the Okanagan’s unique charm. But now the RV also comes back loaded with cases of wine.

Where to Stay: Desert Gem RV Resort, Oliver; NK’mip RV Park and Campground, Osoyoos; Walton’s Lakefront RV Resort, Osoyoos

Worth Pondering…

Anyone who tries to make you believe that he knows all about wines is obviously a fake.

―Leon D. Adams, The Commonsense Book of Wine

The Okanagan Valley: A Special Place

The Okanagan Valley is an amazingly diverse land that attracts visitors from around the world. With parks, lakes, orchards, and wineries around every corner, this area of BC is a very special place.

From the moment you first see the Okanagan Valley, it is obviously a special place. Whether you descend the steep switchbacks of the Crowsnest Highway into Osoyoos or drive from Penticton past the rugged Skaha Bluffs, the valley appears completely different from its surroundings, almost un-Canadian.

Okanagan Valley *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Its reputation often precedes it of course—Canada’s “pocket desert“, a place of great geological and biological diversity. Birders know this diversity and come from all over the continent to see the 200 species that breed in the Okanagan. There are few places of similar size in North America that could match that total.

Canadian naturalists are attracted by the long list of plants and animals found nowhere else in the country. The diversity is a product of both location—sandwiched between the coast and the prairies, between cold northern forests and Great Basin deserts—and elevation.

Wild Goose Vineyards in the Okanagan Valley *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

The Okanagan is British Columbia’s deepest interior valley, extending from the hot valley floor at 900 feet to alpine peaks at 7,300 feet elevation.

The valley was born millions of years ago in the collisions of continents that built the entire west coast of North America. Two hundred million years ago the west coast was somewhere between the Okanagan and Calgary; then a large piece of land known as Quesnellia slid into North America, creating much of the British Columbia interior. A second collision formed the coastal regions of the province.

Vaseux Lake in the Okanagan Valley *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Then, about 55 million years ago, the collisions subsided and the monumental pressure that had been pushing eastward throughout British Columbia eased. This relaxation created deep cracks throughout the province, among them the newborn Okanagan Valley. The ancient rocks that had once been the continental shelf of North America, long-buried by Quesnellia, rose to the surface. They now form the cliffs along the east side of the Okanagan, as well as the massive McIntyre Bluff that forms the west wall of the valley at the south end of Vaseux Lake.

Lake Osoyoos Okanagan Valley *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Volcanic activity was common during the birth of the Okanagan, creating mountains throughout the central Okanagan including Knox Mountain in Kelowna, Giant’s Head in Summerland, and most of the hills around the White Lake Basin northwest of Oliver.

The final geological touch in the shaping of the valley came 2 million years ago when the valley was covered by a series of ice sheets. The Pleistocene glaciers rounded off the local mountains and brought massive amounts of sand and gravel to the valley bottom.

As the last glaciers melted about 10,000 years ago, the meltwaters created the silt benches between Penticton and Naramata that are now renowned for their fine vineyards, as well as the sandy benches of Oliver and Osoyoos that are so ideal for the noble grape varieties.

The Okanagan lies in the rain shadow of the Cascade Mountains. Pacific storms, pushed by westerly winds, are wrung dry as they ascend the cold coastal slopes of these high peaks. As the air descends into the Okanagan, it is relatively warm and dry, and often the only local sign of a storm that brought torrential rain to Vancouver and Seattle are grey skies and a brisk southerly wind on Osoyoos Lake.

Penticton, a city between two lakes in the Okanagan Valley *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

As a result, the south Okanagan receives only 12 inches of precipitation each year—about the same as Tucson, Arizona. The cold Canadian winters are strongly moderated by the large lakes in the valley, and vintners needing to harvest icewine grapes at 16 degrees F (-8 °C) are often forced to wait for the coldest night in January.

This warm, dry climate produces Canada’s “pocket desert”, a small area of bunchgrass, prickly pear cacti, and rattlesnakes that clings to undeveloped sites in the valley bottom between Oliver and Osoyoos. The dominant shrub in this area is the antelope brush, a gangly plant that is covered with fragrant yellow blossoms in spring.

Wildflowers abound in spring and early summer when the soil still carries moisture left by the meager winter snowpack.

Visitors can experience this natural diversity in several short drives. Meadowlark Road climbs east of Black Sage Road in Oliver at the south end of Burrowing Owl Vineyards; at the end of the road is a small parking area and trails through native desert grasslands with a great view of Osoyoos Lake and the Okanagan River.

Where to Stay: Desert Gem RV Resort, Oliver; NK’mip RV Park and Campground, Osoyoos; Walton’s Lakefront RV Resort, Osoyoos

Worth Pondering…

This is not another place.

It is THE place.

—Charles Bowden

The 5 Most Spectacular Deserts in the US and Canada

This article takes a look at the four major deserts of the southwestern US and one in Western Canada

People may often think of deserts as hot places; however, some deserts can be quite cold. We have put together a list of some of the most incredible deserts in the US and Canada proving that they can be diverse places.

Mojave Desert

The Mojave Desert is in the southwestern United States primarily within southeastern California and southern Nevada and occupies 47,877 square miles. Small areas also extend into southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona. The Mojave receives less than 2 inches of precipitation every year which makes this desert the driest in North America. The hottest temperature recorded here is 134 degrees.

Across its wide expanse, the Mojave Desert experiences a significant change in elevation. The highest point located here is the Telescope Peak at 11,049 feet above sea level. In contrast, the lowest point is Death Valley, at 282 feet below sea level. One of the most famous features of this desert is the Joshua Tree which is native to the Mojave. The Mojave is also home to the stunning Joshua Tree National Park and Valley of Fire State Park plus many unique towns and museums.

The Mojave Desert at Keys View in Joshua Tree National Park *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Joshua Tree National Park is an amazingly diverse area of sand dunes, dry lakes, flat valleys, extraordinarily rugged mountains, and oases. Explore the desert scenery, granite monoliths, old mines, and ranches. The park provides an introduction to the variety and complexity of the desert environment and a vivid contrast between the higher Mojave and lower Sonoran deserts that range in elevation from 900 feet to 5,185 feet at Keys View.

Sonoran Desert

The Sonoran Desert covers large parts of the southwestern United States in Arizona and California and northwestern Mexico. It covers an area of around 100,000 square miles bordering the Mojave Desert, the Peninsular Ranges, and the Colorado Plateau. The lowest point in the Sonoran Desert is the Salton Sea which is 226 feet below sea level and has a higher salinity level than the Pacific Ocean. Other sources of water for this desert include the Colorado and Gila Rivers.

The Sonoran Desert is a beautiful landscape brimming with endemic fauna and flora including the Saguaro and Organ Pipe cacti. The Saguaro can reach over 60 feet in height and grows branches from its main trunk resembling human arms. Its flowers are pollinated by bats, bees, and white-winged doves. Instead of growing with one massive trunk like the saguaro, the many branches of the organ pipe rise from a base at the ground. Their fruit, like a saguaro, mature in July and have red pulp and small seeds.

The Sonoran Desert in Lost Dutchman State Park *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

The area is also rich in culture with many Native American tribes calling the area home plus cities such as Phoenix and Tucson. Attractions include national parks such as Saguaro and Organ Pipe, state parks including Anza-Borrego and Lost Dutchman, and wildlife refuges such as the Kofa and Cabeza Prieta.

Saguaro National Park protects and preserves a giant saguaro cactus forest that stretches across the valley floor and mountains. Saguaro is actually two parks separated by the city of Tucson: the Tucson Mountain District and the Rincon Mountain District.

The Sonoran Desert in Anza-Borrego State Park *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is a gem tucked away in southern Arizona’s vast the Sonoran Desert. Thanks to its unique crossroads locale, the monument is home to a wide range of specialized plants and animals, including its namesake. This stretch of desert marks the northern range of the organ pipe cactus, a rare species in the U.S. With its multiple stems, the cactus resembles an old-fashioned pipe organ—you can almost hear them serenading the desert.

Chihuahuan Desert

The Chihuahuan Desert runs between the US and Mexico and is comprised of an area of 139,769 square miles. The majority of this desert is located in Mexico. On the US side, it can be found in Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico.

The Chihuahuan Desert has a unique and ever-changing landscape. Its highest point is measured at 12,139 feet above sea level while its lowest point is at 1,969 feet above sea level but the vast majority of this desert lies at elevations between 3,500 and 5,000 feet. Although an arid desert, it is home to numerous plant and animal species including prickly pear cactus, agave, creosote bush, and yucca. Approximately 800,000 acres of this desert are protected by the Big Bend National Park. The Rio Grande River crosses the Chihuahuan Desert providing a much-needed source of water before emptying into the Gulf of Mexico.

Located in southwest Texas, Big Bend National Park can be wonderfully warm in the winter and unbearably hot in the summer offering year-round access to some of the most beautiful terrain in the state. Big Bend is where the Chihuahuan Desert meets the Chisos Mountains and it’s where you’ll find the Santa Elena Canyon, a limestone cliff canyon carved by the Rio Grande.

The Chihuahuan Desert in White Sands National Park *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

The largest gypsum dune field in the world is located at White Sands National Park in southern New Mexico. This region of glistening white dunes is in the northern end of the Chihuahuan Desert within an “internally drained valley” called the Tularosa Basin. Given its arid climate, the temperatures at White Sands vary greatly both throughout the seasons and within a single day. The most comfortable time to visit weather-wise is autumn when daytime temperatures reach the 80s with light winds and cooler evening temperatures in the 50s.

The Great Basin along the Fish Lake Scenic Byway in Utah *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Great Basin Desert

The Great Basin Desert covers an area of around 190,000 square miles making it the largest of the major US deserts. It is considered a temperate desert that experiences hot and dry summers with cold and snowy winters. This effect is in part due to its higher-than-average elevations encompassing Arizona, California, Utah, Oregon, and Idaho. During most of the year, the Great Basin Desert is dry because of the Sierra Nevadas block moisture from the Pacific Ocean. This desert is home to the oldest known living organism in the world, the Bristlecone Pine tree. Some of these trees are estimated to be over 5,000 years old.

Okanagan Desert

The Okanagan Desert is the common name for the semi-arid shrubland located in the southern Okanagan Valley in British Columbia and Washington. It is centered around the city of Osoyoos and is the only semi-arid shrubland in Canada. Part of this ecosystem is referred to as the Nk’mip Desert by the Osoyoos Indian Band though it is identical to the shrublands elsewhere in the region. To the northwest of this area lies arid shrubland near Kamloops.

The countryside is stunning. A ribbon of lakes with sandy beaches threaded between slopes of ponderosa pines, granite cliffs, and vine-covered benchland. The Okanagan Valley is unusual in having been a tourist destination before it was a wine region rather than the other way round.

The Okanagan Valley is the heart of British Columbia’s grape-growing region and boasts more than 130 licensed wineries. An ever-changing panorama, the valley stretches over 150 miles, across distinct sub-regions, each with different soil and climate conditions suited to a range of varietals.

Spotted Lake in the Okanagan Desert *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

The natural world has many wonders. One of the most remarkable is that of Spotted Lake near Osoyoos. It is a polka-dotted body-of-water that looks so bizarre you could be forgiven for thinking you were on an alien planet. During the summer the lake undergoes a remarkable transformation becoming spotted with different colors and waters that resemble a polka-dot design. This lake is also an important spiritual site for the local First Nation Peoples.

Worth Pondering…

Not to have known—as most men have not—either mountain or the desert, is not to have known one’s self.

—Joseph Wood Krutch