With late fall and early winter temperatures dropping to comfortable double digits, the great outdoors beckons adventurers eager to immerse themselves in the region’s unique beauty and learn more about local flora, fauna, and history.
Whether it’s hiking, exploring, or trying something entirely new outdoors that strikes your fancy, three naturalist experts serve up a few ideas to add to your itinerary.
BIRDING IN NATURE
Michaeleen Gallagher
Director, Sunnylands Center & Gardens
Michaeleen Gallagher.
PHOTO COURTESY MICHAELEEN GALLAGHER
Looking for an outdoor activity the whole family can enjoy? Grab your binoculars and spend some time identifying birds. Rancho Mirage’s historic Sunnylands Center & Gardens is a great place to do it.
Aspiring birders can choose from two tour options, says director Michaeleen Gallagher.
“We have an entry point for those who aren’t yet comfortable with birding, once a week — a walking tour,” she explains. “It’s about a 1 ¼–mile loop, and it’s very easy, with bird guides.” The walking tour is free, open to all ages, and takes about 60 to 90 minutes.
For those who are more advanced (ages 10 and up), a paid tour takes place three times a week. Gallagher notes that it “tends to sell out” and attracts “a lot of expert and even celebrity birders from all over the world.” These tours are formally set for 90 minutes, but, Gallagher notes, if “something cool” is spotted, they may run longer.
Birders at Sunnylands and a pathway in the gardens.
PHOTO COURTESY SUNNYLANDS CENTER & GARDENS
A vermilion flycatcher.
PHOTO BY JONATHAN GUY NEWBOLD, VIA GETTY IMAGES
“We take people out on a small shuttle,” she says. Past sightings include the vividly colored vermilion flycatcher and the Bell’s vireo. “We had a bald eagle land on the site,” she enthuses. “It happened to be when we had a tour out, so somebody got a picture of it. They do come through the area, but we had no record of them landing.”
Gallagher suggests dressing for a hike (“comfortable closed-toe shoes, a hat, sunglasses”) and bringing plenty of water. Several pairs of loaner binoculars are available.
The Indian Canyons.
PHOTO COURTESY VISIT GREATER PALM SPRINGS
Julie Oliff of Sensei Porcupine Creek recommends a hiking day.
PHOTO COURTESY JULIE OIFF
Hiking, But Make It Glam
Julie Oliff
General Manager, Sensei Porcupine Creek
Winter is the perfect time to get out in the desert and explore any one of its fascinating hiking trails or preserves. Many resort properties offer guided hiking experiences for guests, and the folks at Sensei Porcupine Creek are taking that one step further with an exclusive retreat taking place Jan. 16–20 that ventures into some of the most popular areas. So, we turned to the resort’s general manager, Julie Oliff, for a few recommendations.
“A top highlight of the retreat is going to be exploring the Indian Canyons, which is the ancestral home of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians,” Oliff says. Those planning their own adventures can take a tip from the resort’s itinerary and pack a picnic lunch. (Oliff plans to bring bento box lunches and snacks for retreat participants from their on-site restaurant, Sensei by Nobu.) She also recommends Joshua Tree National Park and Ladder Canyon.
A narrow passageway at Ladder Canyon.
PHOTO COURTESY DESERT ADVENTURES BYRED JEEP TOURS
Tours explore areas such as the fault zone and Joshua Tree National Park.
PHOTO COURTESY DESERT ADVENTURES BY RED JEEP TOURS
Adventure Off the Beaten Path
Richmond Curtiss
Naturalist Guide, Desert Adventures by Red Jeep Tours
Folks seeking an “engaging, enlightening, and educational” experience may enjoy an off-road tour with Desert Adventures by Red Jeep Tours, says naturalist guide Richmond Curtiss.
While the company offers several tour options, from the rocky horizons of Joshua Tree National Park to the lush palm oases of the Indian Canyons, Curtiss particularly recommends the San Andreas Fault tour, which includes a visit to Desert Adventures’ private Metate Ranch location in the Indio Hills, where riders get to view a replica Cahuilla village.
Richmond Curtiss.
PHOTO COURTESY RICHMOND CURTISS
The replica Native village at Metate Ranch.
PHOTO COURTESY DESERT ADVENTURES BY RED JEEP TOURS
The re-creation showcases how the Cahuilla lived in the desert before settlers arrived and includes an authentic metate — a grinding stone for honey mesquite pods and other plants — after which the ranch was named.
“We’ve been doing this for 37 seasons,” Curtiss says. “We provide ice water, granola bars, and blankets if it’s cold. Most of the guides even provide sunscreen.
