It is difficult to overstate the importance of a river in the desert. Life along a desert river is abundant; a variety of plants flourish on the banks and in the flood plain, wildlife gathers here and for many centuries humans have settled nearby and cultivated the rich soil. A short distance away, a sparse but still rich desert regime prevails. These are pictures of the Rio Grande, the most important river in New Mexico. The State's largest cities are along or near its banks. Rising high in the San Juan Mountains of Southwestern Colorado, the Rio Grande flows south through the State before forming the border between Texas and Mexico and flowing into the Gulf of Mexico. This desert riparian environment is a place rich in opportunities for traditional western landscape photography.