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 […]
Learn about our desert through hands-on activities that explore the land, animals, and plants. After completing six challenges, you’ll earn your Junior Ranger Badge! This program is suited for ages 8 to 18, and tickets should be in the youths’ name. For more information contact Friends of the Desert Mountains 760-568-9918 or the Visitor Center […]
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 […]
Our experienced Friends’ birding volunteer docent will share interesting facts about the Coachella Valley native species and other migratory birds found in the National Monument. We begin the search for our feathered friends in their native desert habitat on the Randall Henderson Trail into the lower sandy wash. We circle back and walk to the […]
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: 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. Overview: This easy hike (Rating below 50) is generally […]
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 free copy of the book to take home in […]
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: We begin our trek walking in the Araby Wash. We will explore the wonders of this critical habitat area to learn about the endangered Casey’s June Beetle. On the upper hillside trail, we will talk about fire ecology. Overview: This easy hike (Rating below 50) is generally suitable for anyone who enjoys walking. Mostly […]
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 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 activity is routinely performed barefoot. Bring a yoga mat […]
Description: We will start our hike in a sandy wash that provides excellent views of the Mecca Hills that have been eroded, folded and crushed by the San Andreas Fault network over the eons. Then we will enter a side canyon and explore two separate paths that twist and turn their way through these hills. […]
This special educational tour takes participants on an epic adventure along a portion of the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail corridor. The program shares stories of the historic Juan Bautista de Anza expedition that began 250 years ago, that spanned over 1,000 miles of the southwest. We will stop at a few points […]
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 […]
Description: This remote trail will reward you with incredible panoramic views of the sacred Cahuilla lands, and is a hidden jewel of the desert. After climbing a cactus-lined rocky ridges, you will come to an oasis with palms, ferns, and other water-loving plants. Overview: This moderate hike (Rating 79) is generally suitable for novice hikers […]
Description: Join a ranger‑led interpretive hike along the Pacific Crest Trail to experience the Monument’s diverse landscapes. Participants will learn about thru‑hiker culture, local wildlife and plant adaptations, Indigenous history, and the importance of stewardship and Leave No Trace practices. This family‑friendly program blends storytelling, hands‑on discovery, and sensory exploration to help visitors connect with […]
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: Join our volunteers for a unique hiking experience in the Magnesia Spring Ecological Canyon trail. Magnesia Canyon is only open from October through December and provides wonderful opportunities to see the endangered Peninsular Bighorn Sheep and many other desert critters. The dramatic canyon walls tell their own story of how rain events have shaped […]
Celebrate National Public Lands Day with us! Show your love and support of public lands by getting outdoors and helping with some restoration projects around the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Visitor Center Campus. Get your hands dirty planting new native plants along the Ed Hastey Garden Trail as well as other projects […]
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: 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. Overview: This easy hike (Rating below 50) is generally […]
Description: 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 hike. Overview: This easy hike (Rating […]
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 […]
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 […]
We offer two different Full Moon Hikes in Rancho Mirage! Please read both descriptions carefully and select the trail best for your skill level. Chuckwalla Trail: (EASY; for Beginner Hikers) This hike goes on the lower portion of the Chuckwalla Trail. You will experience the views of our desert mountains in the amazing wash of […]
Description: Explore this 1.0-mile loop trail in historic Indian Canyons. You will pass some great picnic areas as you hike along Andreas Creek. We begin the hike at Andreas Creek near the grinding stone. Keep your eyes out for the interesting red rock formations above the oasis-like vegetation on your right during the first half […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]