“Hotdog Stand”: 10 Unusual And Bizarre Discoveries That Stunned Desert Explorers

Deserts are probably one of the harshest environments out there. With very little water and often extreme temperatures, they certainly aren’t places many ordinary people want to explore. Or are they?

You might be surprised to hear this, but today more than one billion people (yes, “billion” with a b) live in and around deserts. The reasons for that are a few, the most important of them being the fact that humans are simply very adaptable. We have figured out ways to survive and even thrive in places where very few animals can. Dubai, Casablanca, Phoenix, and Las Vegas are all desert cities with thousands of people enjoying their everyday lives.

Still, that doesn’t make the uninhabited parts of deserts any less menacing. Especially with all the weird things people come across there—such as the ones on this list. Scroll down to see the oddities that people have captured while out in the desert.

10 PHOTOS

#1 A Desert Rose In Yemen

Hiking in the desert is probably one of the weirder pastimes that people willingly subject themselves to. It sounds uncomfortable, dangerous, and totally not worth it. Nonetheless, there are many enthusiasts out there. And, unsurprisingly, some of them get lost in the wilderness once in a while.

A lot of the time, this happens to people who get comfortable with danger and forget how treacherous nature can be. This is what happened to Ed Rosenthal who, one fine day in September 2010, decided to go on his usual 4-mile hike. He’d done it plenty of times, so he only took a small bottle of water with him and went on his merry way.

#2 Libyan Desert Glass

#3 10,000-Year-Old Giraffe Engravings In The Sahara Desert

During the hike though, Ed decided to take a little detour to explore the canyons. The views were beautiful and he was enjoying it until he realized the sun was setting and he had no clue how to get home. Whoopsie-daisy! 

The man decided to stay put and not wander anywhere else in case he got even more lost. A couple of days passed and he was parched, so he started praying for rain. Miraculously, his prayers were answered and he made attempts to get people’s attention with fire, but even then there was no sign of anyone around. That was not until the sixth day when the helicopter that was looking for him spotted Ed on the Canyon floor. 

After a few days in the hospital, Ed recovered. Unsurprisingly, he swore off hiking in that area ever again.

#4 Found This Little Guy Abandoned In The Desert

#5 Swirling Patterns In Rock, Nevada Desert

#6 Rare Super Blooms In The Desert Of Joshua Tree, CA

Accidentally getting lost is one thing. But going to the desert to run 155 miles in extreme conditions is on a completely new level of danger. But, surprise, surprise, people do that every year. 

#7 Found A Wild Watermelon Plant In The Sahara Desert

#8 Bobcat Sitting On Top Of 40-Foot-Tall Cactus In The Arizona Desert After Being Chased By A Mountain Lion

#9 An Old Man I Met In The Desert Of California

Marathon des Sables is a 9-day long race that happens in the southern Moroccan Sahara. People pay thousands of dollars to participate in what’s called a “self-sufficient adventure.” This means every runner has to carry all their own supplies for the whole week with them. The only thing they get at the rest stations is water and a place to sleep. Sounds enticing?

#10 Walking Mesquite In The Sonoran Desert