The Great Basin and Plateau lie within the boundaries of three great mountain ranges: the Rockies, the Cascades and the Sierras.
The Plateau consists of high mountains, broad river plains and immense forests of large needle bearing conifers like hemlock, spruce, and cedar. Very little vegetation grows in the Plateau because of the mountainous terrain and tall trees, however, streams and rivers from the mountains offer plenty of food such as berries and fish. The Plateau peoples migrated with the seasons from winter villages to fishing camps to berry patches and back to their villages. In early autumn, they hunted elk, deer, and bear along the edge of the forests. Once the horse arrived they also travelled to the Plains to hunt the buffalo. Some of the Plateau peoples are the Nez Perce, Yakima, Flathead, and Shoshone-Bannock
The Great Basin is sandy, bowl shaped desert which acts as a drainage sink for water from the surrounding mountains. The mountains also block ocean moisture from reaching the Basin so it has very little precipitation. Much of the Great Basin cannot be farmed as the soil contains high concentrations of mineral salts left over after the evaporation of ancient bodies. Much like their Plateau neighbours, the peoples of the Great Basin were hunters and gatherers. Because of the arid climate, big game was scarce, however, smaller animals like antelope, jackrabbits, muskrats and even reptiles were available in the region for hunting. The Great Basin people also foraged and dug for edible plants and roots, berries, seeds and nuts. While they fought at times with the Plains Indians, they also traded goods with them. The exchange influenced the culture and the technology of both peoples. Peoples of the Great Basin include the Paiute, Ute and Washoe.