Morongo Valley Trip Overview
This unique location is 30 min north of downtown Palm Springs & halfway to Joshua Tree National Park. Since it’s high desert it’s about 10 degrees cooler than Palm Springs. The Big Morongo Canyon Preserve is one of the largest cottonwood and willow riparian habitats in California. It’s an oasis located in the Sand to Snow National Monument in the Mojave desert town of Morongo Valley. The Morongo Valley fault runs through the preserve, don’t worry the fault has not moved in over 20,000 years. Some of the oldest rock formations in North America at approx 2.7 Billion years old can be seen here. The preserve is also an internationally known birding site. It’s on the fringes of the Mojave and Colorado deserts. Sand to Snow National Monument extends to the western border of Joshua Tree National Park, where elevations are as low as 600 feet to the eastern summits of the much higher San Bernardino range & the tallest peak in Southern Cali being the 11,503 foot San Gorgonio Mountain.
Additional Info
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
Starts: Morongo Valley, United States
Trip Category: Outdoor Activities >> Hiking & Camping
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What to Expect When Visiting Morongo Valley, California, United States
This unique location is 30 min north of downtown Palm Springs & halfway to Joshua Tree National Park. Since it’s high desert it’s about 10 degrees cooler than Palm Springs. The Big Morongo Canyon Preserve is one of the largest cottonwood and willow riparian habitats in California. It’s an oasis located in the Sand to Snow National Monument in the Mojave desert town of Morongo Valley. The Morongo Valley fault runs through the preserve, don’t worry the fault has not moved in over 20,000 years. Some of the oldest rock formations in North America at approx 2.7 Billion years old can be seen here. The preserve is also an internationally known birding site. It’s on the fringes of the Mojave and Colorado deserts. Sand to Snow National Monument extends to the western border of Joshua Tree National Park, where elevations are as low as 600 feet to the eastern summits of the much higher San Bernardino range & the tallest peak in Southern Cali being the 11,503 foot San Gorgonio Mountain.
Itinerary
The hike lasts approx 2.5 hours including time to stop to take pics & breaks. We’ll hike in the Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, located within the vast Sand to Snow National Monument, a unique area made up of an oasis in the Mojave desert with trees/vegetation depending on time of year
The north end of the preserve is in the Mojave Desert, while its south portion goes into the Colorado Desert. We’ll take a close look at some of the oldest exposed rock formations in North America at approx 2.7 billion years old & you’ll also be able to reach out and touch one of them. The Morongo Valley fault goes through here, don’t worry it’s safe. After exploring the oasis part of the preserve we’ll hike uphill for beautiful views into the preserve, the surrounding hills & mountains. We’ll see Mt. Gorgonio the tallest mountain in Southern Cali at 11,503 feet & you’ll also see the San Jacinto Mountains that tower over Palm Springs. We’ll head back downhill & hike in the canyon for a bit on a trail the Native Americans would have used for centuries.
Tripadvisor users click on Trail Ahead under hike title to see my other hikes. To do this or any of my hikes on a certain date or time contact me.
Stop At:
• Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, From I-10 take Route 62 to East Drive, Morongo Valley, CA