Big Morongo Canyon Preserve East Dr, Morongo Valley

The Big Morongo Canyon Preserve had no entrance fee, free parking, and was easy to get to. I visited in late March 2022. I liked that they had a one way path and you could choose the length of your walk. The trails were loops but interconnected, so you just had to follow the map provided online or at entrance. This walk included a marsh area and views of the snow topped mountains. We did not walk the 9 mile Canyon Trail. We started with the Marsh Trail, then hopped onto Mesquite Trail, then Desert Willow Trail back to parking lot. Our trails of choice were kid and senior citizen friendly.

We had a great time here on the first Friday of Spring. So many trails to choose from but we prefer the areas with the boardwalk. Plenty of sitting areas to take a break and enjoy the birds. Bring your binoculars!

Last time I was there over 30 years ago. It's much better now but sadly no marsh , there's no water. Ample trails and lots of wildlife. Definitely a go to place

Loved It, we saw a beautiful just 2 minutes into our hike!! Wheelchair Friendly and stroller friendly!! Can't believe we were in the desert. We went from riding quads to hiking into a beautiful canyon where deer, red foxes, mountain lions and Black Bear roam free. Best part, if u know someone in a wheel chair who has never been hiking this is the place. This hike has simple to hard hikes!!!

Lots of fun trails! Felt like I was in the jungle through some of these trails! Really nice break from the usual desert landscaped trails... the trees were just so big and beautiful, this was really fun! We will be going back to walk all the trails!

Covington is absolutely beautiful!! The new playground is awesome and they have a swing where your child rides in front, perfect for my autistic son 😍 The skate park is great! The trees are lush and are absolutely great for bird watching 🤩 Clean and absolutely gorgeous!!! 10 stars

I enjoyed the migratory birds near the Nature Center. Unfortunately I was unable to spend much time here so I definitely plan another visit. The boardwalk provided a welcome respite from the mid afternoon sun.

A variety of well-marked nature trails of varying degrees. The Marsh trail, with raised boardwalk, is safest for small children, a circular level walk. Insect repellent is a good idea and bottled water even on cooler days. There are picnic tables, restrooms, and recycle bins at the parking lot. Also nice images for wildlife identification. I saw lots of lizards and birds. (A group of mule deer was browsing near the lot in the late afternoon.) The trails have scrub, cottonwoods, reeds, palms, willow, and a lot of cleared deadwood plus benches for resting. There are warnings about both cougars & rattlesnakes. No dogs allowed.

Peaceful and scenic are the words to describe Big Morongo Canyon Preserve! Located in Morongo Canyon near Joshua Tree National Park and Yucca Valley California,Big Morongo Canyon Preserve offers hiking trails,bird viewing,wild life observing and the opportunity to get away and be surrounded by a beautiful environment! There is a convenient parking area for cars,trucks,campers,motorcycles,RV's and bicycles along with a helpful staffed information kiosk that offers great information about the Preserve and a free map of the area! There are some piknik tables to enjoy a meal or snack before or after your adventure! This is a great place if one is looking for a scenic adventure into nature! . . . . #bigmorongocanyonpreserve #hiking #trails # mountainbikes #preserve #californiatrails #ilikehiking #birding #ilovetocamp #rv #motorcycles #backpacking #nature #yuccavalley #morongovalley #morongocanyon #godisgood #waynesalvatti #seetheusa #goclimbarock #photografxworldwide

Great place to enjoy nature 😀, drive up by your GPS and your left side is entrance, you will see little parking. Right hand side you will see cute little 🏠 hut is bathroom 🚻.

Nice little oasis in the desert. Nice Walking pathway in the shade, friendly volunteers. Had the chance to view multiple species of bird and snakes

Nice hike. I was the only one on the trail. Weather was perfect. This is a nice easy hike down and back. Lots of interesting rock formations.

Easy drive from Palm Springs area. Free parking and self directed. Saw a few hikers but no staff/volunteers. Walked the marsh trail. It was completely still and peaceful, you could literally hear leaves fall. Much of it covered us from above so it was cooler and fresh. Mid-October visit did not lend itself to butterflies or even many birds. I am thinking a different time of year would be a more robust experience.

Best birding in the valley. Easy paths for elderly and disabled. Raised walkways. Stop by the caretakers 5th Wheel and take advantage of the feeders. We ID'd 26 different species of birds. Riparian areas.

Great easy hiking trail suited for family with kids. We went first Sun of Dec so it was 60s. There is limited free parking for regular sized vehicles, free info booth, map, guides and plenty of trail signs. Donation is encouraged.

Absolutely beautiful and so peaceful. I love going here

The preserve is a great place to go for a chill walk or you can take the longer trails and do a pretty decent hike. There are plenty of lush plants and trees around the main trails and walkway. Plus you never know what neat animal you'll see, different species of birds, mule deer, and all sorts of lizards. You don't have to pay to go, there is a parking lot and restrooms. Not far off the main road, near to gas stations and a couple restaurants. It isn't typically busy, so you can probably enjoy a quiet outing most days.

A beautiful green osais with all types of flowers and plants which you usually don't see in the desert. We took a "Desert Medicine Plant hike with Christina as the teacher" I'm amazed at all the plants that are used for Medicine. Some one told me long ago that the is no such thing as a "weed". I believe that now. Great place to get exercise and learn about plants.

Very nice site with multiple trails, so that you can make your own itinerary. Some of the trail is floored as well. The trail was beautiful, and we saw a few birds, but there is a lot of damage from the recent flooding (Feb 2019) in the lower area near the water. There is still a lot to see, and I would still recommend it !

The trails are amazing. it’s a desert oasis. three stars for being harassed three times over our service dog. one guy even came out of his camper full on karen. Five stars for the nature, one star for the workers.

Nice trails, great informational kiost with details about the original inhabitants (Native Americans), geology, animals, and plants of the area.

In Feb. we walked one of the 5 trails across the marsh. It was surreal. We will be back in the spring when birds are migrating.

Beautiful walk! Much cooler than I expected based on the heat in the city. We were lucky that the cacti and desert flowers were in bloom too. Bathrooms were clean.

Does this place really need to be preserve. I enjoy the PARK . but why is it anything more than that .

Great birding areas. Many trails to varying habitats. This is a "must visit" for birds.

First visit to the Canyon! Definitely a great hike and interesting Preserve! Worth the drive from Palm Springs.

This is a gorgeous preserve! As amateur birders we were able to see many as we hiked, and the paths and trails were a pleasure to walk on. Nothing was too tricky or challenging, and the seating areas and benches were convenient and made it easy to relax for a few.

This place is a must see if you're in Morongo Valley. It's free and there are a few hike options to see different areas of the preserve. Just watch out! we encountered many snakes along the path

If you need an escape from the desert heat this is an awesome option. Lots of shady seating areas and plenty of trail options. Even for those that aren't outdoors people. The boardwalk is clean and fairly well maintained. The trails lead to amazing views and are well laid out. Make sure to bring a set of binoculars because there are sure to be colorful birds chirping in the trees and deer grazing on grasses.

Had a lot of fun here! Very accessible and easy to walk. Beautiful and inspiring nature all around!! Serenity at its best!

I'm really thrilled that I found the preserve. I'm an avid birdwatcher and doing a search of best bird watching sites turned up Big Morongo. The trails are perfectly maintained, it's quiet and you'll meet other birdwatchers to share notes with. You can stay on flat or climb a bit to get some exercise. This place is a treasure.

Beautiful nature preserve not far from Palm Springs. The roads are good and it's easy to get to and there's a large, free parking lot right there. Entrance is free also. Trails are good and well marked. Lots of trees and deer🦌

A great place to view and hike in a high desert location. As a birder, I visit this Preserve once a week. The bird population here is great. Covington Park next door has even more birding opportunities.

Great spot to get some exercise with multiple trails of various difficulties and lengths.

Great place to walk or hike. Boardwalk and dusty trails through a marsh and canyons are easy-moderate. It’s a really good cross section of desert plants and animals. Easy to spend an hour, three is better to see all the diverse landscape and geology.

A beautiful area with some good trails and nature walks! I would say there are trails for people of all experiences. Great for families! Lots of nice views, greenery, and you will probably see some wildlife.

The bird feeders and trailer with the site manager were defunct when I visited last weekend.. The feeders have all been taken down. The trails and such are still open.

I just went there with my mom on an easy hike. The paths are nicely mapped and easy to follow. They have short loops and longer loops. The path to the overlook/photo spot is not too difficult. I didn't go all the way up the Yucca Trail to know how hard it is. The paths are well groomed with the trees cut back. We saw a few animals and they have a little education area where they have plants with name placards. I totally suggest it!

Shaded paths or sunny, they are well marked & maintained. Lots of wildlife, some plants are marked. It's a beautiful area with both flat & hill paths, short or long. There is an on site camp host for any assistance you might need & when we were there, maintenance was being done by CCC workers.

We choose this place instead of Joshua tree and are not a bit disappointed. Met interesting people along the way. The locals chatted with us and told us about the area. The trails are immaculately maintained and the vistas offer breathtaking views. Please stay on the trail, as the grass covered ground is home to many creatures; please don't step on someone's home. Be sure to take a photo of the trails map at the trailhead and note the closing hours, as the ranger really locks the gate at closing time. We were the last ones ushered by a friendly but a very punctual gentleman and he locked the gate behind us.

January -Excellent. Very much worth a trip. Very varied walks with surprising views and the marsh walk had water flowing through.. Kinda spooky for desert. We were there in January and look to return every few months to see how it changes with the season's. End of March - super bloom in full flower. Absolutely gorgeous.

Great place to get some fresh air and hike. Bring water espeically if you go in the summer time. It can get really hot.

This place was amazing. Spectacular trails, and stuff to learn. We could have spent multiple days coming back and exploring the different biomes present in each trail. If you want to walk a quarter or hike 10 miles this is an awesome stop.

It's worth a visit if you have time. Obviously in the Summer its HOT. On my visit, the temperature was 105 Deg F. Bring water, hat and sunglases. The breeze and shady spots were perfect to keep me cool. There are several easy boardwalk and dirt trails. There are a few little hills you can hike, and a ridge line as well. There are some seating areas in the lowlands, perfect for bird watching. I didn't do the 10 mile hike, maybe when it's not nearly as hot. I did hike all the little trails and a couple hilltops, it was a nice way to spend a couple hours.

We did the main loop trail in a wheelchair and didn't have any real issues. A lot of the trail was a great boardwalk, and the rest was compacted dirt. There were a few sections that went up and down the hill--sometimes at an odd angle, but we made it past with some help from a friend.

Really enjoy this preserve, it's a great place to bird watch, walk and hike. I have seen lots of birds, and deer hear so far. This place is free, and there is a donation box at the trail head.

Great place to take the kids for a nature walk!

Beautiful place ❤ went with my 8 year old. They have trails with different difficulty levels. Easy to navigate and not get lost.

Great place for a hike. Has wheel friendly boardwalks for some of the trails. Lots of birds and wildlife.

Good trails well interpreted, options of short and long challenging hikes, interesting birding, and a wheelchair accessible boardwalk section providing access to a wetland

Love this place. Quite a few different hiking trails, we come here all the time.