Join Friends of the Desert Mountains as their hike leaders share their tips and tricks for hiking in the Coachella Valley! You’ll learn about different trails, tips for safe hiking, trail accessibility, and how to be a good steward for our natural lands and wildlife as you’re enjoying the outdoors. No reservations required for this […]
Explore this steep trail overlooking Palm Desert.Our docents will take you on a guided hike through the Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument! You will see excellent views of the Coachella Valley and learn the history of the area. You will see many unique desert plants and learn how they survive the long […]
Explore this popular trail on the National Monument WILDFLOWERS! 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 […]
Explore this popular trail on the National Monument WILDFLOWERS! 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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Our volunteers will take you on a guided hike in the Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument.Join us for this strenuous hike along Cathedral Canyon Trail. This distance is 5.7 miles with an elevation gain of over 1,100 feet. The hike begins in Cathedral Canyon Cove and climbs steeply up a series of […]
Our volunteers will take you on a guided hike in the proposed Chuckwalla National Monument.Join us for a hike into the Mecca Wilderness and the proposed Chuckwalla national Monument. This hike is classified as easy with 2.7 to 3.0 miles and an elevation gain of 400 feet. We will start our hike in a sandy […]
Join us at our monthly Desert Mountains Art Fair! Mediums may include photography, paintings, ceramics, hand painted silks, and more. Support local artists and find beautiful and unique gifts and desert mementos, all while enjoying the natural beauty of our desert mountains! For more information contact the Visitor Center at 760-862-9984. Sponsored by the […]
Enjoy lectures at the Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountain National Monument Visitor Center.Ready, set, explore! The Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument is a national treasure with over 280 miles of designated trails, geological wonders, thousands of plant and animal species and a living laboratory for various scientific studies.Embark on a visual […]
Join the Astronomical Society of the Desert to view the night sky through telescopes.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 […]
Explore this popular trail on the National MonumentWHO MADE THAT HOLE! As you walk the desert trails, have you noticed the holes and wondered who made them?Explore the Randall Henderson Trail with our volunteer docent leaders to learn the difference between burrows and holes, and the importance of these to the delicate balance of the […]
Explore this popular trail on the National MonumentWHO MADE THAT HOLE! As you walk the desert trails, have you noticed the holes and wondered who made them? Explore the Randall Henderson Trail with our volunteer docent leaders to learn the difference between burrows and holes, and the importance of these to the delicate balance of […]
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 […]
Our volunteers will take you on a guided hike through the Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument!Grab your hiking poles and join our Friends’ volunteer docent, on the Theilman Trail. This urban hike begins with a few rolling hills, a steep ascent with some switchbacks and levels out as you near the Whitehorse […]
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 […]
Our volunteers will take you on a nature walk in Rancho Mirage. Join our Friends’ volunteer docents for an interactive nature conversation at Blixseth Mountain Park. As we walk along the paths we can talk geology and look for evidence of how both fault systems and water have shaped our land. Perhaps we can sit […]
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 […]
Explore this diverse trail in the Indio Hills.This trail offers a spectacular loop through a classic badland topography formed by thousands of years of erosion and an active San Andreas Fault. You will hike through slot canyons, in the shadow of tectonic up-tilts, sandy washes, switchbacks, a short but steep incline and along a prominent […]
Enjoy the garden surrounding the National Monument Visitor Center.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 […]
