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!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 […]
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 […]
Our volunteers will take you on a guided hike in the Chuckwalla National Monument.Join us for a hike into the Mecca Wilderness and 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 […]
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 […]
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 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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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.Hikers will journey through a variety of habitats including desert wash, sand dunes, rocky canyon, and native palm oasis. Cameras recommended for this famous view of Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument. Wildlife watching opportunities and vistas are stunning!The hike to a less traveled destination […]
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 […]
Join SoCal Adaptive Sports and Friends of the Desert Mountains volunteer docents on a hike for persons with disabilities, their family, and friends on this wheelchair assessable hike. This time, we will meet at the gate and drive to the Stone House. From the picnic area we will start hiking to the PCT (Pacific Crest […]
Orientation for new volunteersWe need ALL volunteers (that are new or have not attended an orientation in the prior season) to attend orientation and sign paperwork. If you have not already attended a general volunteer orientation this season, please attend one of these sessions to begin or continue your great work with our organization.RETURNING VOLUNTEERS […]
Orientation for returning volunteersWe need RETURNING volunteers (those who have attended a general volunteer orientation) to attend ONE session this year and sign new BLM volunteer agreements. Please attend one of these sessions to continue your great work with our organization.Questions? Contact Dallas Williams at 760 568-9918 or email dwilliams@desertmountains.orgTo learn more about volunteering with […]
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 […]
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 […]
Our volunteers will take you on a guided hike on the Pacific Crest Trail.Join a Friends’ volunteer docent on a hike on the spectacular Pacific Crest Trail and learn about some of the epic resources unique to the Monument!Moderate hike through desert wash, 300-foot elevation gain, 3.0-miles round trip. Bring 2 liters of water, snacks, […]
Enjoy lectures to enhance your knowledge and share with the public. Expand your knowledge of the Desert Mountains and be a better “Friend”. Join speaker Joe Migliore and learn the facinating geology of the Coachella Valley. Questions? Contact Dallas Willams at 760 568-9918 or email dwilliams@desertmountains.org VOLUNTEERS: Please register. REGISTER This event is for current […]
Experience the desert in the moonlight! Grab your hiking boots and join Friends of the Desert Mountains volunteer docents on a full moon hike on the lower portion of the Chuckwalla Trail. You will experience the views of our desert mountains in the amazing wash of moonlight and shadows, as well as the urban night […]
Experience the desert in the moonlight!Join Friends of the Desert Mountains volunteer docents on a full moon hike on the Jackrabbit/Bighorn Overlook trail loop. You will experience the views of our desert mountains in the amazing wash of moonlight and shadows, as well as the urban night lights of the Coachella Valley. This is a […]
Experience the desert in the moonlight!Join Friends of the Desert Mountains volunteer docents on a full moon hike on the Jackrabbit/Bighorn Overlook trail loop. You will experience the views of our desert mountains in the amazing wash of moonlight and shadows, as well as the urban night lights of the Coachella Valley. This is a […]
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 […]
Join us to view the night sky through telescopes. Friends of the Desert Mountains volunteer astronomers will be setting up their telescopes and are inviting you to their “star party”. A clear night sky offers an ever-changing display of fascinating objects to see — stars, constellations, bright planets, a full moon, and sometimes special events […]
Experience the desert in the moonlight!Experience a hike by moonlight! See the beauty of the shadows and wash of moonlight over our mountains. We will be looking for all types of night creatures along the trail. Our astronomers will have their telescope set-up to view the night sky.This is a family friendly easy 3-mile loop […]
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 […]
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 […]
Join us to view the night sky through telescopes. Únase a nosotros para ver el cielo nocturno a través de telescopios.A Friends of the Desert Mountains volunteer astronomer will be setting up a telescope and is inviting you to a “star party”. A clear night sky offers an ever-changing display of fascinating objects to see […]
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.The Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument has been a living laboratory for scientific research even before the Monument was designated. Learn about some of the studies that have occurred over the years, as well as some of the research […]
Explore this popular trail on the National MonumentENDANGERED ANIMALS OF THE MONUMENT!Explore the Randall Henderson Trail with a volunteer docent and learn about two of our federally threatened animals and the challenges they face in the ever-changing environment. Both play different, but equally important roles in the desert ecology. The docent will help you search […]
Explore this popular trail on the National MonumentENDANGERED ANIMALS OF THE MONUMENT!Explore the Randall Henderson Trail with a volunteer docent and learn about two of our federally threatened animals and the challenges they face in the ever-changing environment. Both play different, but equally important roles in the desert ecology. The docent will help you search […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 MonumentGEOLOGY OF THE COACHELLA VALLEY!Hiking the Randall Henderson Trail makes the ideal place to talk about the Geology of the Coachella Valley. From the foothills of the Santa Rosa Mountains, we have views of the San Bernadino, San Gorgonio and San Jacinto Mountains. There is evidence of how […]
Explore this popular trail on the National MonumentGEOLOGY OF THE COACHELLA VALLEY!Hiking the Randall Henderson Trail makes the ideal place to talk about the Geology of the Coachella Valley. From the foothills of the Santa Rosa Mountains, we have views of the San Bernadino, San Gorgonio and San Jacinto Mountains. There is evidence of how […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]