There is a small desert called Carcross in Yukon, Canada. Its area is approximately 600 square meters and can be measured by counting footsteps.
According to Wolfe Smarch, the village of Carcross was established 4,500 years ago at a junction between Bennett Lake and Nares Lake. A bridge was built, and from that point, people began to migrate in larger numbers.
Carcross Small Desert
The Carcross Desert is also a site where many scientists and geologists debate to clarify various strange phenomena occurring here.
In the summer, the exposed sand dunes become a favorite spot for sandboarding and serve as a refuge for mountain goats, deer, and sheep. However, when winter arrives, it transforms into a beautiful skiing destination. It is rare to find a desert that experiences blazing summer sun but also snowfall in winter.
Many strange phenomena can be found in this small desert.
Geologists believe that the formation of the Carcross Desert is the result of 10,000 years of changes in the Earth’s crust. As the ice began to melt, water receded southward in Yukon, leaving behind a pockmarked valley. Over time, gigantic lakes formed in this valley, and as the ice continued to melt, the water level dropped once again. Subsequently, sand was blown in by winds from the Northwest, creating the Carcross Desert.
Another strange fact is that a barren desert typically receives between 250mm – 500mm of rainfall per year. However, despite being located in a high-humidity area with frequent rain, Carcross does not receive much precipitation.
This desert is in a high-humidity area with frequent rain but does not receive much precipitation.
Although it does not receive a lot of rainfall, the area remains moist due to water absorption from surrounding regions. This is why the vegetation here is very rich. Many visitors are astonished to discover several rare species of moths. Five new species of Gnorimoschema, a genus of moths, have been discovered, and it is believed that many other strange animal species exist here as well.
The formation of the Carcross Desert is the result of 10,000 years of changes in the Earth’s crust.
Meanwhile, scientists suggest that the Carcross Desert was once located within a Pleistocene glacial lake and became arid due to the rain shadow effect from the mountains to the south of Yukon. Although the winds are harsh and inhibit most plant life, the sand dunes are home to some unusual plant species that are rarely found (typically only found offshore of Lake Baikal in Siberia).
Despite its many peculiarities, the Carcross Desert is widely known as the smallest desert in the world. However, it is essentially just remnants of sand dunes left from a glacial lake, with a moist plant environment.
