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Hike: Casino Hike – Lots of Slots! (Strenuous) – FULL (waitlist)

Leaders: Carmelita Logerwell and Terri Straub HIKE IS FULL - PLEASE CALL ABDNHA at 760-767-3098 to get on waitlist. Hike, 6 miles, 900’ gain. The lucky people who join us on this hike will go through four, yes, four slot canyons! There are a few challenging dry waterfalls to go up and one steep, rocky area to climb. After two stops, we'll be at Calcite Mine, followed by two more stops on the way back. A really fun hike! AWD cars can drive to the start of the hike in South Palm Wash. Regular cars can park at the top and walk 0.2 miles to the start of the hike. No charge. Max 15 people. Meet at ABDNHA by 7:50 a.m. Bring lunch, snacks, and water. Call 760-767-3098 to reserve.

Hike: Borrego Badlands – Font’s Foot Loop (Moderate to Strenuous) – FULL (waitlist)

Leaders: Sanjiv Nanda and Alan Parks HIKE IS FULL - PLEASE CALL ABDNHA at 760-767-3098 to get on waitlist. Have you stood at the top of Font’s Point and thought it would be fun to be down in one of the colorful washes at the base? Join us for this moderate 8-mile loop hike in the Badlands washes below Font’s Point. We will include a trip to Font’s Foot, the very base of Font’s Point, and wave back at the incredulous visitors looking down at us. We will then scramble up to the Bowl and return via the west fork of Rainbow Wash. If time permits, we will explore a narrow slot canyon that requires twisting your body to get through. Meet at the bottom of Texas Dip (8.7 miles south of Christmas Circle on Borrego Springs Road) at the entrance to San Felipe Wash. Park on the east side of the road, from where we will carpool in 4WD/AWD vehicles several miles to the start of the hike in Rainbow Wash. Bring water, a snack, and lunch. No charge. Max: 22. Call or stop by to reserve: 760-767-3098.

Hike: Borrego Badlands, Billowy Loop (Moderate) – FULL (waitlist)

Leaders: Sanjiv Nanda and Alan Parks HIKE IS FULL - PLEASE CALL ABDNHA at 760-767-3098 to get on waitlist. This loop hike packs a complete badlands experience in just three miles. Appetizer, main course, and dessert! Fabulous, colorful vistas, soft, rounded, billowy mud hills, and steep malpais cliffs; cross-country route-finding and meandering walks in badlands washes in which you may lose all sense of direction. If you love the feeling of being lost in the badlands, this hike will keep you smiling. The hike is rated moderate but involves walking through mud hills and loose dirt, as well as short uphill and downhill scrambles. Meet at the entrance to Palo Verde Wash (S22 mile marker 32.9, 13.7 miles east of Christmas Circle) from where we will carpool in 4WD/AWD vehicles three miles to the start of the hike. No charge. Max: 22. Call to reserve: 760-767-3098.

4WD Tour: Culp Valley – Grapevine – Pinyon Mountain (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 Short Wheel Base Vehicle only ** see vehicle information Level 4 – 4WD Higher Clearance Join us for an adventure starting at ABDNHA. We’ll head west on S22, air down our tires on Culp Valley Road, and ascend to 4000 feet, taking Jasper Trail to a scenic overlook. We'll stop at Stuart Spring and the Angelina Spring Cultural Preserve. Afterward, we’ll turn south at Butler Creek Canyon and finish at Hwy 78. For part two, we'll go to Shelter Valley via Scissors Crossing and enjoy a surprise guest and potluck lunch at the Squeeze (please bring a side or dessert!). After lunch, you can return or hike to Heart Attack Hill (1.5 miles). Meet at the ABDNHA parking lot by 9 a.m. Open to Level 4 4WD vehicles only (no AWD). Ensure your vehicle is in good condition with a full tank. Check the weather and dress appropriately. The trip lasts about 5 hours. This is a member-priority trip. No charge. Call 760-767-3098 to reserve. ** Level 4: 4WD Higher Clearance REQUIRED due to deep sand, large rocks, steep sections, large obstacles, or rough conditions

Hike: Mecca Grotto (Fairly Strenuous) – FULL (waitlist)

Leader: Robin Halford, ABDNHA Volunteer HIKE IS FULL - PLEASE CALL ABDNHA at 760-767-3098 to get on waitlist. Note the meeting location. The Mecca grotto collapsed several years ago, so this hike leads to the beginning of the now impassable slot. Expect sandy washes, views of the Salton Sea from the high point of the ridge, as well as a visit to the palm grove on Hidden Spring on the way back. The total hike distance (round trip) is 5.7 miles. No bouldering, but there are some uneven, steep sections on the ridge. Sturdy shoes recommended. Bring snack/lunch, electrolytes, water, and poles. Call 760-767-3098 to reserve. Limit 10. Driving instructions to the meeting location: Drive North on Hwy 86 and go right (east) on 66th Ave. Go over the bypass bridge and turn right (east) at the light. Drive 9.9 miles and park just past the jeep road on the right side of Box Canyon Road. We will meet here. The road is usually OK for 2WD with high clearance.

Hike: Mountain Palm Springs (Moderate) – FULL (waitlist)

Leaders: Tom Keffer and Lee Christie, ABDNHA Volunteers HIKE IS FULL - PLEASE CALL ABDNHA at 760-767-3098 to get on waitlist. We will visit not one, not two, not three, but five different palm groves, some of them with up to a hundred trees! 4.5-mile RT, 550’ vertical, mostly soft sand, but there are some moderate sections with a bit of bouldering. Be prepared to pay a $10 parking fee. Travel time is 1 1⁄4 hours each way. Meet at ABDNHA by 7:50 a.m. Bring lunch/snacks, water. Call 760-767-3098 to reserve. Limit: 10.

4WD Tour: Dave McCain Spring (Members Priority) – FULL (waitlist)

Leader: Dave Walters, ABDNHA Volunteer TOUR IS FULL - PLEASE CALL ABDNHA at 760-767-3098 to get on waitlist. Level 4 Short Wheel Base Vehicle only ** see vehicle information We meet at the ABDNHA parking lot at 9 a.m., then caravan to the trailhead at Fish Creek. We will drive 18 miles through deep sand in the canyon to reach our destination, where we will have lunch and explore. We will return by the same route to the paved road. Bring food and water. Wear weather-appropriate clothes, a hat, and a chair. We will be using 2-way GRMS radios on channel 15. No charge. This is a member-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: Truckhaven Rocks to Coachwhip (Moderate to Fairly Strenuous) – FULL (waitlist)

Leader: Bruce Kelley, ABDNHA Volunteer HIKE IS FULL - PLEASE CALL ABDNHA at 760-767-3098 to get on waitlist.and see if This walk will explore ancient rocks that were split from the Santa Rosa Mountains and uplifted due to tectonic action, located just northwest of S-22, near the Salton Sea. This is a moderate+ 3-mile hike mostly in Truckhaven Wash, circling behind the main rocks visible from the highway. We will leave that wash and cross a ridge to emerge in Coachwhip Canyon. The last part up and the first part down the ridge are steep. Bring water, hat, sunscreen, hiking shoes & you may want a stick (I’ll have several extras). Bring your AWD or 4WD vehicle if possible. We are going to do a shuttle hike. Meet in the parking lot of ABDNHA by 7:50 a.m.

Hike: West Truckhaven Wash (Moderate) – FULL (waitlist)

Leader: Kathy Bussey, ABDNHA Volunteer HIKE IS FULL - PLEASE CALL ABDNHA at 760-767-3098 to get on waitlist. A mile east of Arroyo Salado, on the North side of S-22, lie the unique Truckhaven Rocks, a Swiss cheese sandstone formation. This 2.3-mile round-trip hike skirts the West side of the Rocks. We will walk up a sandy wash that eventually narrows between weathered sandstone walls. The hike is easy. However, there is one 3-foot dry waterfall that we need to climb up. Meet at ABDNHA and be willing to carpool. 2WD OK. Bring water, snacks, a hat, and sturdy boots. Call 760-767-3098 to reserve. Limit 18 people.

Hike: Hornblende Canyon (Moderate) – FULL (waitlist)

Leader: Rachel Rench, ABDNHA Volunteer HIKE IS FULL - PLEASE CALL ABDNHA at 760-767-3098 to get on waitlist. Meet at the ABDNHA parking lot at 8 a.m. to carpool to a parking area South of Blair Valley. Parking is limited there, so we need to take as few cars as possible. The hike up Hornblende Canyon is fairly flat in the beginning, but you'll need to be able to navigate a few small dry waterfalls until we reach a 40-foot-high dry waterfall and our turnaround point. We'll eat lunch here and then return the way we came. This hike will be limited to 15 people. Call the Nature Center to reserve.