7 events found.
Please review our hiker info page to familiarize yourself with hiker safety rules and our hike ratings so that you can select hikes that meet your level of fitness. Unless specified otherwise in the activity descriptions below, hikes have a 15 person limit, and they begin in the ABDNHA parking lot.
Week of Events
Sunday, February 15, 2026
-
February 15, 2026 -Hike: Borrego Badlands – East Truckhaven Lollipop (Moderate) – FULL (waitlist)
-
February 15, 2026 -Short Walk in ABDNHA’s Desert Garden
Hike: Borrego Badlands – East Truckhaven Lollipop (Moderate) – FULL (waitlist)
Leaders: Sanjiv Nanda and Alan Parks
PROGRAM IS FULL - PLEASE CALL ABDNHA at 760-767-3098 to get on waitlist.
We will take the east fork of Truckhaven Wash. At about three-quarters of a mile, we will come to a boulder blockage that we will crawl our way through. An easy scramble then takes us over to Arroyo Salado. We will do an out-and-back exploration of this lightly visited portion of Arroyo Salado. On the way back, we will climb out of Arroyo Salado and visit the Elephant, a Native American solstice site. Here, you will have an opportunity to scale some of the iconic uplifted slanting Truckhaven Rocks. We complete the lollipop by returning via the east fork of Truckhaven. This six-mile hike is rated moderate, with one place where you will have to get down on your hands and knees. Bring water, snacks, and lunch. Meet at 8:30 am at the ABDNHA Nature Center. We will carpool to the trailhead, as parking on the shoulder at Truckhaven Wash is limited. Max: 22. No charge, call or stop by to reserve, 760-767-3098.
Short Walk in ABDNHA’s Desert Garden
Leader: Amateur Botanist Kathy Bussey
Join Kathy Bussey for a short stroll around ABDNHA’s garden, a peaceful and beautiful spot filled with desert plants from throughout the southwest deserts, trees, cacti, shrubs, and annual flowers, featuring many colorful signs and artwork. The garden begins to bloom in mid-February. Bird activity, artwork, and information panels lend additional color. The garden surface is flat, making it very easy to walk on. Meet in the ABDNHA Parking lot. Call or drop by the Nature Center to register.
Monday, February 16, 2026
No events on this day.
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
-
February 17, 2026 -Hike: Mountain Palm Springs & Torote Bowl (Strenuous)
-
February 17, 2026 -Nature Journaling in the Field (Easy)
Hike: Mountain Palm Springs & Torote Bowl (Strenuous)
Leaders: Carmelita Logerwell and Terri Straub
Hike five miles, 800’ gain. We will hike to all six oases and Torote Bowl. Lots of endangered elephant trees and six beautiful palm groves. A bit steep and rocky to Torote Bowl. One hour, 15 minute drive to trailhead. $10 parking fee. Short, unpaved road ok for any vehicle. Meet at ABDNHA by 7:50 am. Bring lunch/snacks, water, good hiking shoes. Call 760-767-3098 to reserve.
Nature Journaling in the Field (Easy)
Leader: Pam Blake, ABDNHA Volunteer
Come practice nature journaling in the field with Pam Blake. Meet in the ABDNHA parking lot at 9 a.m. and set out from there. You’ll need your own supplies and some familiarity with this practice, as this session offers a chance for further nature journaling with a group but without instruction. No charge; call the Nature Center to reserve. This activity is repeated on the third Tuesday of each month.
Wednesday, February 18, 2026
No events on this day.
Thursday, February 19, 2026
No events on this day.
Friday, February 20, 2026
-
February 20, 2026 -ABDNHA Friendly Friday Bike Ride
-
February 20, 2026 -Hawkwatch Training Session 2
-
February 20, 2026 -Lecture: Mojave Desert Tortoises
ABDNHA Friendly Friday Bike Ride
Leader: Paul Petersen, ABDNHA Volunteer. Relaxed social ride of 20-30 miles, mostly flat, at a 10-12 mph pace. Routes vary weekly, and fun rides to highlight the roads less traveled. Return times vary depending on the chosen route. FREE, every Friday. No registration required. Meet in the parking lot opposite the County Public Library.
Hawkwatch Training Session 2
Second training session in preparation for the 2026 Borrego Springs Hawkwatch that will begin on Feb. 21. We will begin inside at the ABDNHA Library, followed by a visit to the viewing sites. All are welcome — those interested in finding out more, as well as new and returning volunteers. Please sign up at hawkwatchborregosprings@gmail.com and abdnha2@att.net. Eyes to the sky!
Lecture: Mojave Desert Tortoises
Speaker: Melissa Merrick, Ph.D, Researcher, San Diego Zoo and Wildlife Alliance
Dr. Merrick will present an update of her presentation last year about her research of the Desert Tortoise Recovery Program at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, highlighting a partnership with The Living Desert Zoo to raise larger, less vulnerable juvenile tortoises for release. The research focuses on various aspects of juvenile tortoises, including personality, anti-predator trainability, thermal ecology, and the impact of release-site selection on predation risk. In the ABDNHA library. GP $12, M $10, V $8. Register online or at the Nature Center, 760-767-3098.
Register here for the program.
Saturday, February 21, 2026
-
February 21, 2026 -Geology Hike: Ash Wash
-
February 21, 2026 -4WD Tour: Yaqui Flats (Members Priority) – FULL (Waitlist)
-
February 21, 2026 -Talk & Walk: Plants of Anza-Borrego
-
February 21, 2026 -Lecture: Revealing the Wonders of Five Iconic Desert Plants
Geology Hike: Ash Wash
Speaker: Don Barrie, Geoscience Educator, ABDNHA Board Member
Join Don Barrie for this moderate 5-mile loop hike to Ash Wash, a tributary of Coyote Canyon. Our destination will be the Bishop Tuff—an ash layer deposited around 760,000 years ago when an enormous volcanic eruption created the Long Valley Caldera in the eastern Sierras. During this eruption, huge volumes of ash were blown into the atmosphere, resulting in widespread deposition as far away as the Midwest. At the entrance to Ash Wash, we’ll examine the Coyote Creek Fault—the western branch of the San Jacinto Fault Zone. Max 23 people (carpooling is encouraged). Bring lunch and water. 4WD vehicle recommended. Hiking poles, if you have them. Meet at ABDNHA. No charge, but registration is required at the Nature Center, 760-767-3098.
4WD Tour: Yaqui Flats (Members Priority) – FULL (Waitlist)
Leader: Dave Walters, ABDNHA Volunteer
PROGRAM IS FULL - PLEASE CALL ABDNHA at 760-767-3098 to get on waitlist.
Level 4 Short Wheel Base Vehicle only**
We meet for our trip at ABDNHA parking lot at 9:00am. Leaving Borrego Springs, we caravan west on Highway S22 for 7 miles and enter the trailhead at Old Culp Valley Rd. Next we turn onto Jasper Trail and then the Grapevine Trail. We stop at our destination of Yaqui Flats. If winter rains were sufficient, there will be abundant flowers. When leaving, we continue to Yaqui Well and highway 78. Bring food and water. Wear weather-appropriate clothes, and bring a hat and chair. We will using 2-way GMRS radios on channel 15. No charge. This is a members priority trip. Stop by or call the Nature Center to reserve, 760-767-3098.
**Level 4 4WD REQUIRED due to deep sand, large rocks, steep sections, large obstacles, or rough conditions
Talk & Walk: Plants of Anza-Borrego
Leader: Don Rideout, Coordinator, Desert Botany Club
Short Lecture and Field Trip (Easy walk, okay for all vehicles)
An offering of the new Botany Club, these walks will focus on the plants of Anza-Borrego Desert, with locations varying depending on where we find the most interesting plants. Our pace will be generally slow, allowing plenty of time for plant identification, questions, discussion, and photography. All levels of knowledge are welcome, including children. Meet at ABDNHA; carpool as best we can, as we head to the field trip site. No Charge. Space is limited. Register at the Nature Center or call 760-767-3098.
Lecture: Revealing the Wonders of Five Iconic Desert Plants
Speaker: Botanist Kate Harper
Discover the hidden wonders behind five desert favorites—Ocotillo, Honey Mesquite, Barrel Cactus, Creosote, and Dune Evening Primrose—with Botanist Kate Harper. Prepare to be captivated and surprised by fascinating facts and little-known secrets that will change how you see these remarkable plants. An extensive handout is included. In the ABDNHA library. GP $12, M $10, V $8. Register online or at the Nature Center, 760-767-3098.
Register here for the program.