Upcoming Events

Birding Walk-About, Desert Willow

Desert Willow Golf Resort 38-995 Desert Willow Drive, Palm Desert, CA, United States

Calling All Birders!Grab your binoculars and join a Friends volunteer docent birding expert to look for our feathered desert residents. In this unique urban area, we are still able to find a little native desert environment surrounded by local trees and shrubs that many of our feathered friends call home.As you walk on the sidewalk […]

Free

Ed Hastey Garden Walk

Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Visitor Center 51500 Highway 74, Palm Desert, CA, United States

Enjoy strolling the Ed Hastey Garden Walk led by Friends’ volunteer docent. It is a great introduction to learn about native plants and animals that inhabit our desert, and the value of urban conservation. This short, easy walk is suitable for persons of all ages and abilities with a paved 3-foot-wide path. All topics are […]

CANCELLED – VOLUNTEER ONLY: Boyd Deep Canyon Field Day

Friends of the Desert Mountains 51500 California 74, Palm Desert, CA, United States

THIS EVENT IS CANCELLED DUE TO A SCHEDULING CONFLICT. Expand your knowledge of the Desert Mountains and be a better “Friend”. We have arranged a special trip to the Boyd Deep Canyon. While there we will have a rare opportunity to hike and explore the canyon. This lecture is limited to 20 people. We will […]

Free

2025 Wildflower Trail Run/Walk

Santa Rosa-San Jacinto Mountains National Monument 51-500 California 74, Palm Desert, CA, United States

Families and friends, come out and start your day with a TRAIL RUN/WALK on the Randall Henderson Trail on Saturday, February 22. Registration begins at 7:30 AM, Trail Run/Walk starts at 8:00 AM. All ages are welcome! This family fun event is about experiencing nature at its best, with beautiful spring wildflowers and breathtaking views […]

Free – $35.00

Star Party in the Mountains

Sawmill Trailhead Parking Lot HGHX+XQG, Pinyon Pines, CA

Join members of the Astronomical Society of the Desert for fun “sky tours” and direct observations of the night sky through telescopes and binoculars. This is a family event. Minors must be accompanied by parent or guardian. For more information call 760-862-9984. Etiquette: please do not touch equipment unless requested. No white lights near telescope […]

Randall Henderson Interpretative Hike – Partial Trail

Randall Henderson Trailhead 51500 Highway 74, Palm Desert, CA, United States

Explore this popular trail on the National MonumentWILDFLOWERS! HOW DO THEY SURVIVE IN A DESERT?Not every year in the desert produces a super bloom. So how do the seeds of these beautiful wildflowers survive years of drought as they wait for the combination of rain and warmth? A volunteer docent will talk about the seed […]

Free

Randall Henderson Interpretative Hike – Full Trail

Randall Henderson Trailhead 51500 Highway 74, Palm Desert, CA, United States

Explore this popular trail on the National MonumentWILDFLOWERS! HOW DO THEY SURVIVE IN A DESERT? Not every year in the desert produces a super bloom. So how do the seeds of these beautiful wildflowers survive years of drought as they wait for the combination of rain and warmth? A volunteer docent will talk about the […]

Free

Birding Walk-About, Desert Willow

Desert Willow Golf Resort 38-995 Desert Willow Drive, Palm Desert, CA, United States

Calling All Birders!Grab your binoculars and join a Friends volunteer docent birding expert to look for our feathered desert residents. In this unique urban area, we are still able to find a little native desert environment surrounded by local trees and shrubs that many of our feathered friends call home.As you walk on the sidewalk […]

Free

Earl Henderson Trail Hike

Earl Henderson Trail Bogert Trail at Barona Rd, Palm Springs, CA, United States

Our volunteers will take you on a guided hike through the Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument!Enjoy this easy hike along the hillside above Araby Wash. Explore the wonders of this critical habitat area to learn about the endangered Casey’s June Beetle and fire ecology in this sensitive habitat area. On our return […]

Free

Willis Palms – West Mesa Trail Hike

Willis Palm Trailhead 29200 Thousand Palms Canyon Road, Thousand Palms, CA, United States

Our volunteers will take you on a guided hike in the Thousand Palms Preserve.Join Susan and Steve this spring as they explore the different Preserves that surround the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument. This trail in the Coachella Valley Preserve/Thousand Palms Preserve is rated as easy with a hike distance of 2 […]

Free

Mecca Aster Canyon Hike

Box Canyon and Painted Canyon Roads Box Canyon Road and Painted Canyon Road, Mecca, CA, United States

Join us for a hike into the Chuckwalla National Monument. On this hike we will walk through a wash full of amazing geology with colors that you will not see elsewhere. We will explore an impressive slot canyon with walls towering over our head and then return to the main canyon to continue exploring. With […]

Free

Mecca Aster Canyon Hike

Box Canyon and Painted Canyon Roads Box Canyon Road and Painted Canyon Road, Mecca, CA, United States

JUST ADDED – 2ND HIKE AT 1PM! Join us for a hike into the Chuckwalla National Monument. On this hike we will walk through a wash full of amazing geology with colors that you will not see elsewhere. We will explore an impressive slot canyon with walls towering over our head and then return to […]

Wildflower Walks at the Monument

Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Visitor Center 51500 Highway 74, Palm Desert, CA, United States

Friends’ volunteers are celebrating our annual Coachella Valley Wildflower Festival. We will be walking on the paved Ed Hastey Garden Trail enjoying a conversation about the various native plants in the Monument, and where the wildflowers may be hiding this spring. It is highly suggested you wear close-toed shoes, sun hat, sun screen and bring […]

The Coachella Valley Wildflower Festival

Palm Desert Civic Center Park 43900 San Pablo, Palm Desert, CA, United States

Join us for the 18th annual Coachella Valley Wildflower. Wildflower Festival is a free day-long event featuring skilled local artisans, shopping and information booths, enchanting wildflower displays, an exciting raffle, fun times and live music on the 1st Saturday in March. Our huge interactive Kids’ Zone and “Naturally Inspired” youth art contest brings families from […]

Birding Walk-About, Desert Willow

Desert Willow Golf Resort 38-995 Desert Willow Drive, Palm Desert, CA, United States

Calling All Birders!Grab your binoculars and join a Friends volunteer docent birding expert to look for our feathered desert residents. In this unique urban area, we are still able to find a little native desert environment surrounded by local trees and shrubs that many of our feathered friends call home.As you walk on the sidewalk […]

Free

Red Dome Trail Hike

Whitewater Preserve 9160 Whitewater Canyon Rd, Whitewater, CA, United States

The Red Dome trail is in the Sand to Snow National Monument and part of the historic Pacific Crest Trail. The Friends’ docent will discuss how recent rain events and snow melt has changed the river bed. As we leave the ranger station, we will follow the trail and crossing the river and head North […]

Mission Creek Preserve Hike

Mission Creek Preserve 61598-61548 Mission Creek Road, Whitewater, CA, United States

Our volunteers will take you on a guided hike in the Sand to Snow National Monument.Grab your hiking poles and join a Friends’ volunteer docent for the Mission Creek Preserve trail. This trail is in the Sand to Snow National Monument created in 2015.We will trek along a riparian area and anticipate seeing an area […]

Free

Yoga with a Ranger

Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Visitor Center 51500 Highway 74, Palm Desert, CA, United States

Join a park ranger for yoga at a National Monument!Join a National Monument park ranger for an outdoor fun yoga flow for all skill levels. Connect with the landscape through a sequence of physical postures, movements, and breathing techniques that also strengthen your body and mind. Poses commonly mimic Earth, animals and trees. This outdoor […]

Free

Lecture: Water in the Coachella Valley

Rancho Mirage Library 71100 CA-111, Rancho Mirage, CA, United States

Friends of the Desert Mountains Director of Education Oscar Ortiz will be delivering a presentation that discusses where our water comes from and how our water is used in the Coachella Valley. He will discuss topics such as the Salton Sea, the Colorado River, the underground aquifer, and how we interact with these systems during […]

Birding Walk-About, Desert Willow

Desert Willow Golf Resort 38-995 Desert Willow Drive, Palm Desert, CA, United States

Calling All Birders!Grab your binoculars and join a Friends volunteer docent birding expert to look for our feathered desert residents. In this unique urban area, we are still able to find a little native desert environment surrounded by local trees and shrubs that many of our feathered friends call home.As you walk on the sidewalk […]

Free