Join the crew at Big Morongo Canyon Preserve for an official guided nature hike through the Preserve grounds, part of San Bernardino Regional Parks. Two options of family-friendly hikes are being offered on Saturday: the first at 10am, followed by one at noon. Cake and gifts will be offered to participants.
For those who have yet to visit, Big Morongo Canyon Preserve is one of the Morongo Basin’s most unique nature preserves. Nestled in the Little San Bernardino Mountains, the desert oasis is one of the 10 largest cottonwood and willow riparian (stream) habitats in California. Water draining from the surrounding mountains flows into a creek through the canyon, and groundwater rises along the Morongo fault to form the marsh habitat, which is a great attractor for wildlife.
The Preserve is an internationally recognized birding site. Several rare or unusual species are known to nest here, and many other species are abundant during the spring and fall migration seasons. The Preserve has been designated as one of the United States’ Important Bird Areas.
At 31,000 acres with elevations ranging from 600 feet on the canyon floor to 3000 feet at the top of the ridge, this diverse landscape is an important part of the Morongo Basin’s natural and cultural history, and in 2016 was incorporated into the Sand to Snow National Monument.
