Read more about the article Full Moon Walk: South Palm Wash (Easy)
Join ABDNHA for a full moon night hike in South Palm Wash, highlighting local natural beauty and nighttime desert ecology.

Full Moon Walk: South Palm Wash (Easy)

Leader: Mike McElhatton, ABDNHA Education Director 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. Mostly a fairly easy walk, with a few moderate areas that require “big steps” on inclines. We meet at the ABDNHA Library and carpool from there. A flashlight, water, and good hiking shoes are required. Limit 22. Activity cancels if cloud cover limits the moonlight. No charge. Call the Nature Center at 760-767-3098 to reserve.

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Hike: Geology Hike to Canyon Sin Nombre (Moderate) – FULL (waitlist)

HIKE IS FULL. Call 760-767-3098 to get on waitlist. Leader: Geologist Don Barrie Join Don on a hike to explore the geology of Canyon Sin Nombre, located in a major fault zone, and shaped by ancient faulting, sedimentary rock, and ongoing erosion. Meet along S2, at the intersection of  S2 and Canyon Sin Nombre Road. Bring lunch and water. 4WD required. Register at the ABDNHA Nature Center or call 760-767-3098. Note: Meet at the intersection of S2 and Canyon Sin Nombre Road.

Continue ReadingHike: Geology Hike to Canyon Sin Nombre (Moderate) – FULL (waitlist)

Hike: West Butte, Hawk Valley (Fairly Strenuous) – FULL (waitlist)

HIKE IS FULL. Call 760-767-3098 to get on waitlist. Trip leader: Tom Keffer Gorgeous sandstone cliffs, killer views out the Borrego Valley, all in a close-to-home package. We will be entering from Hawk Valley, then climbing up a hidden slot to the ridge above, then on to West Butte. 3.5 miles RT, 500' of climbing, steep sections with scary drop offs, some step-ups. Access road is suitable for most 2WD. Meet at ABDNHA by 7:50 a.m. Bring lunch/snacks, water. Call 760-767-3098 to reserve. Limit: 10.

Continue ReadingHike: West Butte, Hawk Valley (Fairly Strenuous) – FULL (waitlist)

Short Walk in ABDNHA’s Desert Garden

Leader: Amateur Botanist Kathy Bussey Join Kathy Bussey for a stroll around ABDNHA's desert garden, a peaceful and beautiful spot full of desert plants from throughout the southwest -- trees, cacti, shrubs, and annual flowers, with many colorful signs, artwork, and informational panels. Look for birds and other wildlife activity. The garden always has something in bloom. A good place for photographs. The garden surface is flat for easy walking. Meet in ABDNHA's parking lot. No charge. Register at the Nature Center or 760-767-3098. Walk repeats on Dec. 14, Jan. 11, 25.

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Plant Amble (Easy)

Leader: Pam Blake, ABDNHA Volunteer This is a variation on Pam's ambles, focused on plants.  We will enjoy a slow stroll through the desert discussing different plant adaptations to living in this challenging environment. Meet at ABDNHA parking lot at 9:30 a.m. and be back before noon after a relatively short and easy walk. Call the Nature Center to reserve, 760-767-3098. Activity repeats 2nd Tuesday of the month.

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Hike: Kiwanis Wash (Easy) – FULL (waitlist)

HIKE IS FULL. Call 760-767-3098 to get on waitlist. Leader: Kathy Bussey, ABDNHA Volunteer Just 5 minutes from ABDNHA is a little-visited wash that gives you that far-afield experience. Easy, flat terrain. Convenient street-side parking. See the tallest of ocotillos, mysterious holes drilled in sandstone walls, and the mysterious Kiwanis item! Learn a bit of local history. Under 2 miles RT. Meet at ABDNHA parking lot. Wear hiking shoes, hat, bring water. Register at the ABDNHA Nature Center, 760-767-3098.

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ABDNHA Members 4WD Tour: Cut Across Trail to Borrego Mountain – FULL (waitlist)

4WD TOUR IS FULL. Call 760-767-3098 to get on waitlist. Leader: Jim Torian, ABDNHA Volunteer This off-road adventure will take us through the scenic, soft sandy washes of Anza-Borrego’s northeast region. We’ll meet and brief at 9 a.m. in the ABDNHA parking lot, then drive the S22 for 17 miles to the Arroyo Salado Campground turnoff. From there, we’ll air down and head south to the serene 17 Palms Oasis, stopping at the historic post office. Next, we’ll tackle the Cut Across Trail to Borrego Mountain, then wind our way up Buttes Canyon, known for its stunning smoke trees. We’ll stop for lunch at Hawk Canyon before descending and continuing south on Buttes Pass Road to Highway 78, where our adventure ends. This 18-mile, 4-hour journey requires a 4WD vehicle with high clearance and a full tank of gas. A GMRS Ch. 15 radio is optional. Lunch is BYO. No charge. Limited space and vehicles. Register at the Nature Center or call 760-767-3098. ABDNHA members only. If you are not a member, you may request being put on the waitlist.

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Hike: Vista del Malpais (Moderate) – FULL (waitlist)

HIKE IS FULL. Call 760-767-3098 to get on waitlist. Leader: Bruce Kelley, ABDNHA Volunteer East of Font's Point several miles on the same escarpment, closer to the Salton Sea with 360-degree views, we'll 4WD off S22 on Palo Verde Wash and Center Cut Wash about 3 miles. We will park on the side of the jeep road to the Vista and do a moderate hike 1.5 miles (each way), gradual gradient up washes to the Vista, then walk along the rim for a few hundred yards, before returning down the same washes. There will be a narrow trail along the rim with a steep drop off for one-quarter mile. If you do not like heights, you may not want to do this one. Bring water, sunscreen, a windbreaker, a hiking stick, good hiking shoes, and 4WD vehicle if you can. Meet in ABDNHA's parking lot by 7:50 a.m.

Continue ReadingHike: Vista del Malpais (Moderate) – FULL (waitlist)

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.  Also presented on Dec. 20, Jan. 11, and Jan. 25.

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