Data from triangulation and trilateration surveys made during 1934-1982 are used to calculate shear strain rates in the central Mojave Desert of California. For the region between the Helendale and Camp Rock faults the shear strain rate was determined to be 0.16¿0.03 μstrain/yr, with maximum right-lateral shear strain occurring on a plane oriented N41¿W¿5¿. If we assume that this deformation is due to right-lateral motion across the northwest trending local faults, the average shear straining corresponds to a relative displacement of 6.7¿1.3 mm/yr across this portion of the network, accounting for ~12% of the predicted 56 mm/yr of relative motion between the North American and Pacific plates. From the Camp Rock fault eastward across the network there is a transition from significant to very low strain rates. Examination of nine focal mechanisms and their relation to the local geology and the strain data suggests that most of the long-term displacement occurs on the major northwest trending faults oriented nearly along the direction of relative motion between the North American and Paific plates. Secondary faulting controlled by a Coulomb-Anderson failure mechanism or by slip on preexisting faults, can account for the occurrence of earthquakes on faults of other orientations.