Grab your swimsuit and join your fellow Friends volunteers at Cheryl’s home as we celebrate another successful year! Friends volunteers, staff, and board members are all invited to enjoy an afternoon of relaxation, good company, and great conversation. This is a wonderful opportunity for our newest volunteers to get to know other volunteers, meet Friends […]

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 […]

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 the tortoise enclosure any time between 8:30am – 10:30am. NO […]

Discover how the desert comes alive after dark! Do you know which animals change colors when you use a blacklight? Using blacklights, a Friends’ volunteer docent will begin a short walk on uneven cobbled desert terrain in the basin below the dike/levy looking for scorpions and other nocturnal creatures that inhabit our desert. This is […]

Friends of the Desert Mountains volunteer astronomers will be setting up their telescopes and are inviting you to stop by any time while they are there to view the ever-changing display of fascinating objects to see — stars, constellations, bright planets, moon and sometimes meteors. This is a family friendly event. Minors must be accompanied […]

Discover the wonders of the night sky at the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument! Join Friends of the Desert Mountains and the Astronomical Society of the Desert for a free evening of stargazing beneath some of Southern California’s darkest skies. Volunteer astronomers will guide you through the cosmos, sharing fascinating stories while […]

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 […]

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 the tortoise enclosure any time between 8:30am – 10:30am. NO […]

Discover how the desert comes alive after dark! Do you know which animals change colors when you use a blacklight? Using blacklights, a Friends’ volunteer docent will begin a short walk on uneven cobbled desert terrain in the basin below the dike/levy looking for scorpions and other nocturnal creatures that inhabit our desert. This is […]

Friends of the Desert Mountains volunteer astronomers will be setting up their telescopes and are inviting you to stop by any time while they are there to view the ever-changing display of fascinating objects to see — stars, constellations, bright planets, moon and sometimes meteors. This is a family friendly event. Minors must be accompanied […]

Description: The Carrizo Canyon Ecological Preserve opens for the season on October 1st. This docent led hike takes you into a canyon that provides a chance to see the endangered Peninsular Bighorn Sheep and other desert critters. Learn about the geology of the area and a great outdoor experience close to downtown Palm Desert. Overview: […]

Calling All Nature Lovers & Community Champions! Are you passionate about protecting our beautiful desert landscapes? Do you love hiking, wildlife, or simply giving back to your community? Friends of the Desert Mountains needs YOU! We’re looking for enthusiastic, dedicated volunteers to help us preserve the natural wonders of the Coachella Valley. Whether you’re a […]

Welcome Back, Volunteers! As we gear up for another amazing season, we’re inviting all returning Friends of the Desert Mountains volunteers to join us for a mandatory orientation session. Why Attend? Get the latest updates on our programs and projects *IMPORTANT* Brush up on best practices and volunteer guidelines Sign your updated volunteer paperwork for […]

Discover the wonders of the night sky at the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument! Join Friends of the Desert Mountains and the Astronomical Society of the Desert for a free evening of stargazing beneath some of Southern California’s darkest skies. Volunteer astronomers will guide you through the cosmos, sharing fascinating stories while […]

Description: Carrizo Canyon is open October through December and this docent led hike takes you into a canyon that provides a chance to see the endangered Peninsular Bighorn Sheep and other desert critters. Learn about the geology of the area and a great outdoor experience close to downtown Palm Desert. Overview: This easy hike (Rating below […]

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 […]

Description: Carrizo Canyon is open October through December and this docent led hike takes you into a canyon that provides a chance to see the endangered Peninsular Bighorn Sheep and other desert critters. Learn about the geology of the area and a great outdoor experience close to downtown Palm Desert. Overview: This easy hike (Rating below […]

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 […]

Description: Carrizo Canyon is open October through December and this docent led hike takes you into a canyon that provides a chance to see the endangered Peninsular Bighorn Sheep and other desert critters. Learn about the geology of the area and a great outdoor experience close to downtown Palm Desert. Overview: This easy hike (Rating below […]

Let’s come together to keep our beautiful Palm Desert community clean and preserve the natural beauty of our local trails! We invite you to join us for a community clean-up at the Bump and Grind Trail. Every helping hand makes a difference, and we’d love to have you be part of the effort. Gloves and […]

Discover the wonders of the night sky at the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument! Join Friends of the Desert Mountains and the Astronomical Society of the Desert for a free evening of stargazing beneath some of Southern California’s darkest skies. Volunteer astronomers will guide you through the cosmos, sharing fascinating stories while […]

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 in this year-long bioblitz event to keep identifying new species. Anyone can participate by going outside and exploring any of the over 280+ miles of designated trails in the Monument […]

Description: Carrizo Canyon is open October through December and this docent led hike takes you into a canyon that provides a chance to see the endangered Peninsular Bighorn Sheep and other desert critters. Learn about the geology of the area and a great outdoor experience close to downtown Palm Desert. Overview: This easy hike (Rating below […]

Description: This hike is part of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument’s 25th Anniversary event. Join us for a docent-led hike through beautiful Carrizo Canyon, open October through December, for a chance to spot the endangered Peninsular Bighorn Sheep and other fascinating desert wildlife! Along the way, discover the fascinating geology of the […]

Description: This hike is part of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument’s 25th Anniversary event. 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 […]

Come out and celebrate the Monument’s 25th anniversary on the last day of its anniversary year!  On-going events planned throughout the morning include a time-capsule dedication, guided hikes, lectures and more. Space is limited, please RSVP. REGISTER HERE Contact: The Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Visitor Center, (760) 862-9984

Description: Come out to celebrate the Monument’s 26th anniversary with a special hike lead by the Monument Manager for the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument. Join her on a hike on the spectacular Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail and learn about some of the epic resources unique to the Monument! Overview: This […]

Description: Strap on your hiking boots for a family-friendly full moon hike on the first mile of the Indio Badlands Trail. As we embark on this hike, the moonlight casts enchanting shadows on the desert terrain. The sky will be brilliantly lit up for the desert creatures to be scurrying about. Overview: This easy hike […]

While the brilliant moonlight means the faintest, most distant galaxies will take a back seat tonight, it opens the door to a completely different astronomical spectacle. Our volunteer astronomers will turn their high-powered telescopes toward the Moon itself to explore its dramatic craters, mountain peaks, and ancient lava plains in stunning detail. You will enjoy […]

We are excited to announce Full Moon Hikes in Palm Desert! There will be four different hikes offered, please read each description carefully and select the trail best for your skill level. Homestead Trail: (MODERATE; for Experienced Hikers) This hike has full moon shadows beginning with the Homestead Trailhead, to the Hopalong Cassidy Trail, as […]