The Mojave Desert is a region that most people traverse as quickly as possible to get to and from places such as Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Although a stark and extremely harsh environment, exploration of this area reveals spectacular vistas traversed by some of the busiest mainlines in America. These include BNSF's Needles subdivision, which feeds into the lines to Tehachapi and Cajon, UP's Cima subdivision, which runs from Las Vegas to Barstow where UP connects with the BNSF for entry into the LA basin, and UP's ex-SP Mojave subdivision, which runs from Colton up to and past the world famous Tehachapi loop. With little in the way of vegetation, one can see trains for miles, giving great photographic opportunities almost everywhere!