Trail enters desert marsh near Palm Springs

The Marsh Trail at Big Morongo Canyon crosses one of California's largest
cottonwood and willow riparian areas.

Marsh Trail in light green; click for larger map.

The following article originally was written for and appeared at the Uken Report.

Day hikers can explore one of California’s largest cottonwood and willow riparian areas only a few miles from Palm Springs.

The half-mile Marsh Trail at Big Morongo Canyon Preserve skirts then loops through the wetlands, a rare sight in the desert. An elevated boardwalk, the trail is wheelchair accessible.

To reach the preserve, from Interstate 10, head north on Calif. Hwy. 62, also known as the Twentynine Palms Highway. In about 10 miles, go right/south on East Drive then left/east onto Covington Drive, which heads into the preserve and to a parking lot.

Begin the day hike on the access trail at the lot’s southeast side. Upon reaching the first trail junction, go right/southwest. This is the trail’s open desert section that passes the preserve’s butterfly garden and education center.

At about 0.18 and again at 0.2 miles, the boardwalk junctions with the looping Mesquite Trail. Veer left and stay on the boardwalk each time. The trail then curls north and enters the marsh.

Birds by the score
The 31,000-acre preserve in the San Bernardino Mountains protects the riparian area and is overseen by the Bureau of Land Management. The preserve straddles the Mojave (the canyon’s upper portion) and the Colorado (the lower section) deserts.

Water flows out of the surrounding mountains to form Big Morongo Creek, which cuts through a canyon created by the Morongo Fault. The water pools in the preserve’s marsh, which attracts numerous birds, especially during the fall and spring migrations. Internationally recognized, more than 250 bird species have been spotted in the preserve with more than a quarter of them nesting on site.

Much of the boardwalk here is surrounded by thickets and shaded by the cottonwoods and willows, so the temperature is noticeably cooler than the desert portion of the hike. Several benches and decks to enjoy the birds and scenery can be found.

The birds flitting about here might surprise you. While there are the usual hawks and falcons, wrens and warblers, and hummingbirds and crows, keep an eye out for pelicans and an hear cocked for woodpeckers. Among the rarer of the latter is the gilded flicker, whose golden underwings can be seen when it flies.

Birds aren’t the marsh’s only denizens. After spring rains, wildflowers and butterflies alight the marsh with color. At dawn and dusk, if quiet, you often can glimpse other wildlife, including deer, bighorn sheep, raccoons and lizards, and even predators like bobcats and coyotes.

Observation decks
At 0.36 miles from the trailhead is the first of two junctions with the Desert Willow Trail. Go left/northwest on the boardwalk, continuing through the marsh. In a few yards, you’ll come to a large observation deck overlooking the marsh. After the trail curves to its western side, there’s another broad deck.

The other junction with the Desert Willow Trail is just west of the second deck. Stay left and cross a bridge as you re-enter the desert. At the next junction, go right/northwest back to the parking lot.

The preserve is open 7:30 pm to sunset, and there’s no entrance fee. Dogs are not allowed in the preserve.

Learn more about national park day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks series.

Morongo trail winds past Mojave desert flora

The Desert Willow Trail loops off the north side of the Marsh Trail
at Big Morongo Canyon Preserve.

Desert Willow Trail map. Note that north is at the
page's bottom. Click for a larger version.

With temperatures rising on the desert floor, the best way for hikers to beat the heat is to gain a little elevation. A great spot to do that in spring is the Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, a good 2100 feet higher than Palm Springs.

Among the half-dozen trails to hike at the preserve, the Desert Willow Trail makes for a pleasant walk in which hikers can see flora more common to the Mojave than the Colorado desert, which the Coachella Valley sits in. The route runs about 1.3 miles when done in a loop with a couple of segments of the Marsh Trail.

To reach the trailhead, from Interstate 10 in the Coachella Valley take Calif. Hwy. 62 north to Morongo Valley. Turn right/south onto East Drive then left/southeast into the park. From the southeast side of the parking area, go on the stem trail.

Wild desert rhubarb
At the first trail junction, turn left/northeast into the Marsh Trail. You’ll cross a bridge. In about 200 feet from the parking lot kiosk, go left/north onto the dirt trail. You’re now officially on the Desert Willow Trail.

Alkali goldenbush lines this section of the trail. The shrub grows up to 40 inches high and produces a brilliant yellow flower. It flourishes in arid, sandy soil, especially alkali flats, hence its name.

Clusters of wild desert rhubarb also grow along this part of the trail. The rhubarb’s waxy and ridged leaves nicely captures moisture, even from mists, and sends it down a central vein to its taproot, in a sort of self-irrigation process. The plant grows about 2-4 feet tall and usually at a lower elevation than the preserve.

Stands of tall creosote bush also can be found here. A common desert plant, creosote prefers the moist areas of washes and alluvial fans. Their roots are so efficient at absorbing water that they often prevent other desert plants from establishing themselves in an area. A creosote’s crown also can split to create a clone of itself; some colonies of the plant that grew from a single seed have been dated to 11,700 years old in California.

Honey mesquite
Another sight here is the desert willow, the trail’s namesake. Despite the name, the shrub is not related to the weeping willow tree found across the United States. Still, the desert version found here can grow between 15-40 feet high.

In 0.4 miles and after crossing a bridge over an intermittent stream, the path junctions with the Yucca Ridge Trail. Go right/south.

As the trail runs along the base of Yucca Ridge with a desert wash to the trail’s right, several stands of honey mesquite grow in dense thickets. The short tree serves as an important habitat for rabbits and quails.

Upon nearing the wetlands area, two observations decks – one on each side of the trail – let hikers enjoy the desert scenery stretching over the wash.

Spikerush
At 0.8 miles, the trail crosses the wetlands via bridge and junctions again with the Marsh Trail. Go right/west onto the Marsh Trail, a boardwalk.

The trail winds through the wetlands with a couple of large observation decks along the way. Among the interesting plants seen here is spikerush. It can grow close to seven feet high. As a grass, their stems usually can’t support itself at that height, so they bend downward under their own weight and form a dense cover. It’s the perfect shelter for small mammals and ground-nesting birds.

At 1.24 miles, the route reaches the junction with the Desert Willow Trail. Stay on the Marsh Trail by going left/southwest then take the next right/northwest onto the stem leading to the parking lot.

There’s very little shade on the trail, so you’ll want to don sunscreen, sunglasses and a sunhat for the hike.