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Plants of Anza-Borrego – FULL (waitlist)

Leader: Don Rideout, Coordinator, Desert Botany Club PROGRAM IS FULL - PLEASE CALL ABDNHA at 760-767-3098 to get on waitlist 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.

Hike: Moonlight Canyon & Inner Pasture Overlook (Fairly Strenuous)

Leader: Tom Keffer, ABDNHA Volunteer This year, we will be hiking the Moonlight Canyon loop. Halfway around, we’ll take a three-mile round-trip side trail (four to six-foot waterfalls, uneven footing, steep sections) to a terrific view of the Inner Pasture. Five miles round-trip, 900’ vertical. Park fee $5. Travel time is one hour each way. Meet in the ABDNHA parking lot by 7:50 am. Wear sturdy boots (not tennis shoes). Bring lunch/snacks and water. Call 760-767-3098 to reserve. Limit: 10.

Birding Walk: Dos Palmas Reserve (Easy)

Leaders: Tom Keffer and Lee Christie, ABDNHA Volunteers Dos Palmas is a delightful desert oasis on the northeast side of the Salton Sea. First, we’ll visit a cathedral-like grove of desert palm trees. Then, a 1-mile walk with beautiful desert views leads us to a series of ponds surrounded by lots of vegetation, which attract a variety of birds. We’ll look for Ring-necked Duck, Bufflehead, Ruddy Duck, Sora, Kingfisher, and others. Maybe we’ll get lucky and see a Prairie Falcon. Total distance, 5 miles, flat. The travel time is 1.5 hours each way. Meet at ABDNHA by 7:50 a.m. Bring lunch/snacks, binoculars, and water. Call 760-767-3098 to reserve. Limit: 10.

Full Moon Walk: South Palm Wash (Easy) – CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER

Leader: Mike McElhatton, ABDNHA Education Director PROGRAM IS CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER Join ABDNHA’s Program Director Mike McElhatton on this month’s Full Moon Walk in South Palm Wash. Experience the unique and serene beauty of moonlight on the canyon walls as we take a 1.5-mile walk through South Palm Wash. This is primarily a moderate walk, with a few areas that require “big steps” and flexibility on inclines. We meet at the ABDNHA Library and carpool from there. A flashlight, water, and good hiking shoes are required. Space is limited to 22. Activity cancels whenever cloud cover limits the moonlight. No charge. Call the Nature Center at 760-767-3098 to make a reservation.

Plant Amble (Easy) – FULL (waitlist)

Leader: Pam Blake, ABDNHA Volunteer PROGRAM IS FULL - PLEASE CALL ABDNHA at 760-767-3098 to get on waitlist. This is a variation on Pam’s ambles, focused on plants. We will take a leisurely stroll through the desert, discussing various plant adaptations that enable them to thrive in this challenging environment. Meet at the ABDNHA parking lot at 9:30 and return by noon after a relatively short and easy walk. Call the Nature Center to reserve. Activity repeats 2nd Tuesday of the month.

Hike: “Rockhouse hike” REPLACED BY RATTLESNAKE CANYON (STRENUOUS) DUE TO FLOODING – FULL (waitlist)

Leaders: Carmelita Logerwell and Terri Straub HIKE IS FULL - PLEASE CALL ABDNHA at 760-767-3098 to get on waitlist. N.B: This hike is replaced by a hike to Rattlesnake Canyon due to flooding. Hike 8 miles, 1375’ gain. Walk up a beautiful canyon to where it ends at an interesting 25 foot dry waterfall. Have fun figuring out the best way up the canyon, as it is quite wide, and there are many different routes you could take, and many rocks to step up and around. But none of them are too difficult. No dirt driving, park right off the road. Max 15 people. Meet at ABDNHA by 7:50. Bring lunch, snacks, and water. Call 760-767-3098 to reserve.

4WD Tour: Yaqui Flats (Members Priority)

Leader: Dave Walters, ABDNHA Volunteer 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

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.

Hike: Smugglers’ Canyon Overlook & Pictographs (Moderate) – FULL (waitlist)

Leader: Bruce Kelley, ABDNHA Volunteer HIKE IS FULL - PLEASE CALL ABDNHA at 760-767-3098 to get on waitlist. This hike is located in Blair Valley, off S2, and involves a 45-minute drive from the ABDNHA parking lot, with the last five miles on a jeep road that is rough in places and requires 4WD/high clearance. This is a three-mile (round-trip) hike past pictographs and a native American village to a beautiful overlook. Bring water, sunscreen, good shoes, and a 4WD vehicle. Carpooling is encouraged. Meet in the parking lot of ABDNHA no later than 7:50 am. No charge; call the Nature Center to reserve.

4WD Tour: Canyon Sin Nombre-Diablo Dropoff-Fish Creek (MEMBERS PRIORITY) – FULL (waitlist)

Leader: Jim Torian, ABDNHA Volunteer TOUR IS FULL - PLEASE CALL ABDNHA at 760-767-3098 to get on waitlist. Level 4 Required – 4WD High Clearance** We'll meet at 9:00 am at the south entrance to Canyon Sin Nombre, off the S2, 34 miles south of SR78 (Scissors Crossing), about 0.6 miles south of Sweeney Pass. We'll brief and air down before starting our journey within ABDSP. We'll travel 13 miles on Canyon Sin Nombre to Vallecito Creek Road, then to Arroyo Seco del Diablo, reaching the Diablo drop-off, which has both easy and challenging descents. From there, we’ll head north to Split Mountain Road, where our trip ends. Expect rocky roads, washboard, soft sand, and mild challenges. Lunch is BYO, and a stop will be made. Check the weather and dress accordingly. Bring water and a full tank of gas. GMRS channel 15 is optional. 4WD is required; no AWD. This is a members-priority trip. Visit the Nature Center or call to reserve: 760-767-3098. ** Level 4: 4WD High Clearance REQUIRED due to deep sand, large rocks, steep sections, large obstacles, or rough conditions