Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes in late afternoon, Death Valley National Park, California, USA

Scrappy little trees

Mountains fill the upper half of our photo while dunes dominate the lower, but it’s those sand-rooted scrub trees that give both landforms their name. The Mesquite Mountains tower behind Mesquite Flat, a dune field that despite its dryness is home to hardy clusters of – you guessed it – mesquite trees. Believe it or not, humans have thrived in this tough environment too: Death Valley National Park is a traditional land of the Timbisha Shoshone, who once relied on mesquite bean pods as a winter foodstuff.