Desert Mountain

Tortoise Chat
2025-09-21 08:30 - 09:30, 2025-09-20 08:30 - 09:30, 2025-09-13 08:30 - 09:30, 2025-09-07 08:30 - 09:30, 2025-09-06 08:30 - 09:30, 2025-08-31 08:30 - 09:30, 2025-08-30 08:30 - 09:30, 2025-08-24 08:30 - 09:30 UTC and 10 more dates | Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, 51500 Highway 74, Palm Desert, CA, 92260, United States
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 – 9:30am. (Note: times may be reduced due to heat.)
NO RESERVATION REQUIRED.
For more information call the Visitor Center at 760-862-9984.
Sponsored by the Bureau of Land Management in partnership with Friends of the Desert Mountains.

Star Party in the Mountains
2025-09-20 19:00 - 22:00 UTC | Sawmill Trailhead Parking Lot, HGHX+XQG, Pinyon Pines, CA
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.
For more information call 760-862-9984. RSVP is not required.
Etiquette: please do not touch equipment unless requested. No white lights near telescope field.
NOTE: OVERCAST SKIES AND HIGH WINDS CANCEL THIS EVENT.
View map & UTM coordinates for the Sawmill Parking Lot: 33.57995, -116.45056

Tortoise Chat - CANCELLED
2025-09-14 08:30 - 09:30 UTC | Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, 51500 Highway 74, Palm Desert, CA, 92260, United States
VISITOR CENTER IS CLOSED THIS DAY.
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 – 9:30am. (Note: times may be reduced due to heat.)
NO RESERVATION REQUIRED.
For more information call the Visitor Center at 760-862-9984.
Sponsored by the Bureau of Land Management in partnership with Friends of the Desert Mountains.

Night Sky Viewing Stars and Planets
2025-09-13 19:30 - 22:30, 2025-08-16 20:15 - 22:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Art Smith Trailhead, MH9R+7Q, Palm Desert, CA, 92260, United States
Night event-

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 by parent or guardian. Bring water and wear closed-toed shoes.
RSVP is required. Ticket reservations begin 14 days prior to the event. A suggested non-refundable donation of $5.00 per person is appreciated and encouraged to support our volunteer programs.
NOTE: CHECK WEATHER BEFORE DEPARTING, THIS EVENT WILL BE CANCELLED FOR HEAVY CLOUD COVER, WIND OR RAIN.
For more information contact Friends of the Desert Mountains at 760-568-9918.
We will meet at the Art Smith Trailhead parking lot located just past the driveway for the Visitor Center approximately 100 feet on the southwest side of Highway 74.
View map at coordinates: 33.667957, -116.407666

Monument Night Adventures 7:30p Group
2025-09-13 19:30 - 22:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Art Smith Trailhead, MH9R+7Q, Palm Desert, CA, 92260, United States
Night hike-

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 a family friendly event. Minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Bring water, wear closed-toed shoes and a black light if you have one. If not, we will have a few black lights to share. Sorry, no dogs allowed on this trail.
RSVP is required, check-in 15 minutes prior to start time. Ticket reservations begin 14 days prior to the event. A suggested non-refundable donation of $5.00 per person is appreciated and encouraged to support our volunteer programs.
For more information contact Friends of the Desert Mountains at 760-568-9918.
Please note: We will meet at the Art Smith Trailhead parking lot located just past the driveway for the Visitor Center approximately 100 feet on the southwest side of Highway 74.
View map at coordinates: 33.667957, -116.407666

Star Party at the Monument
2025-08-30 19:30 - 22:00, 2025-07-26 20:00 - 22:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Visitor Center, 51500 Highway 74, Palm Desert, CA, 92260, United States
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 field.
NOTE: OVERCAST SKIES CANCELS THIS EVENT.
Registration begins 14 days prior to the event. A suggested nonrefundable donation of $5.00 per person is appreciated and encouraged to support our volunteer programs.
View map/UTM Coordinates for the Visitor Center: 33.67149, -116.40839

CANCELLED - Star Party in the Mountains
2025-08-23 20:00 - 22:00 UTC | Sawmill Trailhead Parking Lot, HGHX+XQG, Pinyon Pines, CA
THIS EVENT IS CANCELLED DUE TO CLOUD COVER.

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 field.
NOTE: OVERCAST SKIES AND HIGH WINDS CANCEL THIS EVENT.
View map & UTM coordinates for the Sawmill Parking Lot: 33.57995, -116.45056

Monument Night Adventures 8:15p Group
2025-08-16 20:15 - 22:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Art Smith Trailhead, MH9R+7Q, Palm Desert, CA, 92260, United States

VOLUNTEER ONLY! POTLUCK AND SUMMER SWIM PARTY
2025-08-14 15:00 - 19:00 UTC | Cheryl’s Place, Royal Carrizo neighborhood, Mountain Center, CA, 92561, United States
Grab your swimsuits and join fellow Friends’ volunteers at Cheryl’s home to celebrate another successful year for the Friends volunteeers, staff and board members. This is a great event for the Friends’newest volunteers to relax and get to know other volunteers and Friends staff. And of course, find out what everyone has been doing to stay cool during the heat wave.
Bring your favorite dish to pass and your favorite drink.
RSVP to Ada (AdaNuckels@gmail.com) to receive directions and codes.

Scary Desert Creatures
2025-07-26 20:00 - 21:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Visitor Center, 51500 Highway 74, Palm Desert, CA, 92260, United States
Enjoy a lecture and scorpion hunt at the Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountain National Monument Visitor Center.

Get to know the critters that come out during the night in an illustrated lecture, followed by a walk in the dark using ultraviolet lights in search of scorpions!
Wear closed-toe shoes and BYOBC (Bring Your Own Beach Chair) and flashlight for this armchair adventure and guided stroll in the dark. UV lights will be provided and participants are welcome to bring their own. RESERVATION IS REQUIRED.
Reservations begin 14 days prior to the event.
For more information contact the Visitor Center at 760-862-9984.
View Map for the Visitor Center: UTM coordinates: 33.67149, -116.40839
Hosted by the Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Visitor Center. Co-sponsored by Friends of the Desert Mountains.

Summer Bioblitz: Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument
2025-07-20 05:00 - 2025-07-26 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, 51500 Highway 74, Palm Desert, CA, 92260, United States
Join us for a week of recording observations in the SRSJM National Monument’s desert, foothills and mountains.

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 yearlong 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 and identifying any plants or animals you see using the iNaturalist app on your phone. Be sure to add the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument project to your iNaturalist account to participate. Alternatively, you can upload your photos from your computer at iNaturalist.org to share with us. Click here for basic information on using iNaturalist.
Participants are encouraged to explore the trails and record as many species as they can using the iNaturalist app.
There will be one day that week that participants can participate in a special bioblitz event with other participants and local researchers and specialists. Info can be requested by calling the Visitor Center (760) 862-9984 a week prior to the start of the event.
Location: Special one day event with researchers and specialists is To Be Determined. Otherwise, participants can explore any of the Monument trails on their own at any time.
Guides: Various Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument staff and research partners
THE REGISTRATION HERE IS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE WEEK-LONG EVENT. REGISTRATION FOR A DAY OUT WITH OUR RESEARCHERS WILL BE POSTED THE WEEK PRIOR.
We will send an email to registered participants to advise when sign-ups are ready for this special research activity. Space will be limited, so sign up ASAP after receiving notice. This is a free event.
Sponsored by the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service in collaboration with the Friends of the Desert Mountains.
