Subject: Sand dunes
Camera: Nikon Coolpix 800 digital camera
Location: Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area. Imperial County, California
Date: 5/8/00
Comments: Located in southeastern Imperial County, west of Yuma, Arizona and just north of the Mexican border,
the Imperial Dunes are the most extensive in California, extending 45 miles
in length and over 300ft high. The dunes were created by beach sand that was
left by several ancient lakes that occurred in the Salton Basin during the Pleistocene
era. During dry spells that plagued this era, sand from the
lakes' beaches was blown eastward by the prevailing winds, creating the dunes we see today.
As an interesting side note, these dunes were used in the filming of the movie Return of the Jedi, Episode VI in
George Lucas' Star Wars saga. For more information on the movie set and dunes, click here.