Join Friends of the Desert Mountains for a lecture at the Rancho Mirage Library on the amazing native plants found in our Coachella Valley. Native plants can enhance any landscape while also providing many benefits, from increasing local biodiversity to saving water and saving you money on your utility bills. Come learn more about our […]
WHILE THE GOVERNMENT IS SHUT-DOWN, THIS EVENT IS CANCELLED. Have questions about desert tortoises? Come visit our desert tortoise enclosure and learn about conservation efforts to study and protect our wild desert tortoise population in the Monument. Also, great opportunity to meet Bowser, our adopted Mojave desert tortoise who lives on site. Meet at […]
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. This event is wheelchair accessible with asphalt surfaces. Etiquette: please do not touch equipment unless requested. No white […]
WHILE THE GOVERNMENT IS SHUT-DOWN, THE SPECIAL ONE DAY EVENT TO GO OUT WITH OUR RESEARCHERS WILL BE CANCELLED. YOU ARE FREE TO BIOBLITZ ON YOUR OWN DURING THIS WEEK. The Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains is a hotspot for biodiversity with over 3,100 species. Help us find and document more species by participating […]
WHILE THE GOVERNMENT IS SHUT-DOWN, THIS EVENT IS CANCELLED. Have questions about desert tortoises? Come visit our desert tortoise enclosure and learn about conservation efforts to study and protect our wild desert tortoise population in the Monument. Also, great opportunity to meet Bowser, our adopted Mojave desert tortoise who lives on site. Meet at […]
We begin at the location of the town known as Kenworthy. Using the old mining road, we will trek to the mine ruins. We will discuss some Cahuilla culture and colorful early pioneer settlers. Can you name a few significant events from the mid-20th century to today that have shaped Garner Valley? This 6.0-mile hike […]
Join Us for a Community Event on Rebuilding Our Natural Habitat. Come learn how to restore our natural environment in our neighborhoods. Enjoy complimentary food and receive free native trees and shrubs! Reservation is required. For more information contact Edeli R. Gonzalez at egonzalez@desertmountains.org or at Friends of the Desert Mountains 760-568-9918.
IF THE GOVERNMENT IS SHUT-DOWN, THIS EVENT IS CANCELLED. Come out to celebrate the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument 25th anniversary with a special hike lead by the Monument Manager. Join us for a hike on the spectacular Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail and learn about some of the epic resources unique […]
Join our volunteers for a unique hiking experience in the Magnesia Spring Ecological Canyon trail. This canyon is only open Oct-Nov-Dec as it is home to the endangered Peninsular Bighorn sheep. We begin our trek from Blixseth Park to the canyon. At the canyon entrance you will begin hiking a series of dry waterfalls. The […]
WHILE THE GOVERNMENT IS SHUT-DOWN, THIS EVENT IS CANCELLED. Have questions about desert tortoises? Come visit our desert tortoise enclosure and learn about conservation efforts to study and protect our wild desert tortoise population in the Monument. Also, great opportunity to meet Bowser, our adopted Mojave desert tortoise who lives on site. Meet at […]
IF THE GOVERNMENT IS SHUT-DOWN, THIS EVENT IS CANCELLED. Celebrate Bat Week and learn about one of the most amazing mammals on the planet…BATS! These critters are incredible wonders of nature that represent nearly a quarter of all species on the planet. Come to learn about local bat species, the important role they play in […]
WHILE THE GOVERNMENT IS SHUT-DOWN, THIS EVENT IS CANCELLED. Have questions about desert tortoises? Come visit our desert tortoise enclosure and learn about conservation efforts to study and protect our wild desert tortoise population in the Monument. Also, great opportunity to meet Bowser, our adopted Mojave desert tortoise who lives on site. Meet at […]
Carrizo Canyon is open October through December and provides wonderful opportunities to see the endangered Peninsular Bighorn Sheep and many other desert critters. You will learn about the geology of the area and a great outdoor experience close to downtown Palm Desert. This trail is in a sandy wash with uneven terrain. As the canyon […]
Join Us for a Community Event on Rebuilding Our Natural Habitat. Come learn how to restore our natural environment in our neighborhoods. Enjoy complimentary food and receive free native trees and shrubs! Reservation is required. For more information contact Edeli R. Gonzalez at egonzalez@desertmountains.org or at Friends of the Desert Mountains 760-568-9918.
Carrizo Canyon is open October through December and provides wonderful opportunities to see the endangered Peninsular Bighorn Sheep and many other desert critters. You will learn about the geology of the area and a great outdoor experience close to downtown Palm Desert. This trail is in a sandy wash with uneven terrain. As the canyon […]
Dead Indian canyon is only open from October through December and provides wonderful opportunities to see the endangered Peninsular Bighorn Sheep and many other desert critters. You will learn about the geology of the area and a great outdoor experience close to downtown Palm Desert. This trail traverses a sandy wash with uneven terrain with […]
You will be hiking on the San Andreas fault and experiencing all the beauty and adventure it delivers on this unique trail. During the hike we will discuss the incredible biodiversity as we explore 3 different desert habitats; examine the complex geology in and around the oasis and hike through the middle of the 4th […]
IF THE GOVERNMENT IS SHUT-DOWN, THIS EVENT IS CANCELLED. Come visit our adopted desert tortoise and get answers to your questions about our charming state reptile. We will also be hosting a story time nearby and reading the bi-lingual book, “The Tortoise and the Jackrabbit”; the first 70 visitors each day will even get a […]
IF THE GOVERNMENT IS SHUT-DOWN, THIS EVENT IS CANCELLED. 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 […]
IF THE GOVERNMENT IS SHUT-DOWN, THIS EVENT IS CANCELLED. Celebrate the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument’s 25th with this fun and interactive program to learn and test your knowledge on this special place here in the Coachella Valley. Each season brings a new set of trivia questions that highlights all the Resources, […]
IF THE GOVERNMENT IS SHUT-DOWN, THIS EVENT IS CANCELLED. Be a Bat Hero, Super Hero Bat Walk! Explore the desert and learn about the super powers of bats! We will be checking the desert for all creatures large and small. Bring a flashlight, a blacklight (if you have one) and water for an easy walk. […]
Carrizo Canyon is open October through December and provides wonderful opportunities to see the endangered Peninsular Bighorn Sheep and many other desert critters. You will learn about the geology of the area and a great outdoor experience close to downtown Palm Desert. This trail is in a sandy wash with uneven terrain. As the canyon […]
IF THE GOVERNMENT IS SHUT-DOWN, THIS EVENT IS CANCELLED. Come visit our adopted desert tortoise and get answers to your questions about our charming state reptile. We will also be hosting a story time nearby and reading the bi-lingual book, “The Tortoise and the Jackrabbit”; the first 70 visitors each day will even get a […]
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 the perimeter of an […]
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 loop, we will wander down into the wash to checkout a few desert plants. Sorry, no dogs allowed […]
Join us for an engaging talk with Tony Quiroz from the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG). He will discuss the history of trails in the Coachella Valley, current trail projects, and the important work CVAG does in our community. This meeting is for volunteers only and space is limited! You must be a current […]
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 hike with 150 feet […]
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 like meteor showers or an eclipse. While observing the […]
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 lights of the Coachella Valley. This […]
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 family friendly easy 1-mile hike […]