Location: From I-10 northwest of Palm Springs, take Highway 62 about 10.5 miles then turn right on East Drive. After about 200 yards, turn left into the Big Morongo Canyon Wildlife Preserve.
Comments: Big Morongo Creek rises to the surface for just three miles between the Mojave and Colorado deserts, before it disappears underground again. The resulting canyon oasis has gained a national reputation among birdwatchers as "a usual spot to see the unusual." At least 235 species of birds have been observed here - including the rare yellow-billed cuckoo and the endangered least Bell's vireo. The stream is a lifeline to migrating and breeding birds such as indigo buntings and yellow-breasted chats. Watch at evening for other wildlife including bighorn sheep, mule deer, raccoons, bobcats, and coyotes. A variety of lizards and snakes are found here, including whiptailed lizards and desert spiny lizards. The California tree frog also finds a home here, as do invertebrates such as butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies.
