Named as one of California’s important birding areas by the Audubon Society, this preserve encloses a natural spring-fed desert oasis that’s a native riparian habitat where cottonwoods and willows grow. More than 247 bird species have been identified here, including over 70 that actually breed here. Even bighorn sheep are occasionally attracted to its watering holes. Several short paths and one 5-mile trail meander through the grounds.
The entrance is in Morongo Valley, off Hwy 62, about a 25-minute drive west of Joshua Tree, toward I-10.