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Tuesday, May 01, 2012 3

The Top 10 Desert Getaways

Your favorite trails—for biking, hiking, and running—all turn to puddles and mud around the same time every year. The rain is coming down and, in some places, the winter thaw is just releasing its grip. Turn to these 10 spots, where excess water is never a problem, to get away.

By:
Tierra Atacama Hotel
Lounge poolside in the Atacama Desert Photo: Tierra Hotels

There’s no better way to escape the mess of mud season than by making a beeline for the desert. From the cholla-studded mountain bike trails of New Mexico to the shifting sand dunes of Namibia, these oases offer big sky, vertical rock playgrounds, wildlife, and miles of hiking, running, and mountain biking trails. All 10 come with sun-powered Vitamin D.

10. Sossus Dune Lodge, Namibia
9. Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
8. Atacama Desert, Chile
7. Tanque Verde Ranch, Arizona
6. Joshua Tree National Park, California
5. Death Valley National Park, California
4. Villa Santa Cruz, Todos Santos, Baja California
3. Moab, Utah
2. Ojo Caliente, New Mexico
1. Sedona, Arizona

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