Valle de los Cirios Protected Area

The central desert of Baja California Norte protects the world's largest population of the boojum tree (cirio) — Mexico's most bizarre endemic plant, which grows as an inverted carrot shape to 18 metres and can live 700 years — alongside cardón cacti taller than 20 metres in a landscape that appears to be from another planet. The Baja 1000 off-road race passes through this reserve, creating Mexico's most extreme intersection of natural heritage and motorsport culture.