RVers often miss Big Morongo Canyon between Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park

Boardwalk through bog

Big Morongo Canyon is one of the ten largest cottonwood and willow oases in the California desert, a startling discovery surrounded by Mojave desert creosote and yucca.

The upstream end of the canyon lies in the Mojave Desert, while its downstream end opens into the Colorado Desert.

But RVers often miss is, headed instead to its neighbors upscale Palm Springs and th Coachella Valley to the south and Joshua Tree National Park to the north east.

Hooded Oriole and Vermilian Flycatcher

This soggy riparian habitat is nationally recognized for its migratory bird watching, and is also home to numerous songbirds, great horned owls, raccoons, ringtail cats, coyotes, bobcats, red-tailed and Cooper's hawks, and is frequented by bighorn sheep who come out of the high rocky canyons to drink.

Several trails of various lengths lace through and around the boggy canyon bottom, by desert plants of the dry canyon sides, and over a boardwalk through the fresh-water marsh where plants have adapted to a life-time of living up to their knees in water. Another trail canyon trail skirts the marsh providing overlooks into the wetlands.

With 31,000 acres and elevations ranging from 600 feet on the canyon floor to 3000 feet on the ridge top, this diverse landscape has been an important part of the Morongo Basin’s natural and cultural history for almost two billion years. In 1982 the Bureau of Land Management designated BMCP as an Area of Critical Environment Concern in recognition of its special values.

From Interstate 10 north of Palm Springs, turn north on Highway 62 (or from Joshua Tree National Park, drive south on 62) to Morongo Valley. Turn east on East Drive to the signed entrance. There is a large drive through parking lot suitable for large rigs. For more information call the Palm Springs BLM office at (619) 251-0812.