About Friends of Big Morongo Canyon Preserve

The Friends of Big Morongo Canyon Preserve is dedicated to the stewardship of Big Morongo Canyon through education and responsible visitation.

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Photo by Julia Mogen, Bureau of Land Management

Friends of Big Morongo Canyon Preserve is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, is dedicated to the stewardship of Big Morongo Canyon through education and responsible visitation.

The organization is primarily staffed by volunteers and supported by small donations from visitors, in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management and San Bernardino County Regional Parks.

Volunteers from the Friends clear trails, remove invasive weeds, greet visitors, guide bird walks, teach outdoor education to elementary school children, homeschool programs, and local recreation departments, and maintain the native plant and pollinator gardens.

We use donations from visitors to maintain the Education Center and trails, to produce literature, and to support educational programs.

In 2025, we hosted approximately 40,000 visitors, provided outdoor education programs for over 500 elementary school students, conducted weekly bird walks for 1,400 birders, maintained trails, revitalized the native plant garden with new irrigation and planted over 75 specimens, and upgraded our visitor kiosk with new information displays. Visit our Support Page for examples of work we have done, and ways you can help.

Support the Preserve

Meet Our Staff

Kevin Wong

Executive Director
 director@bigmorongo.org

Kaeliegh Watson

Education Ranger
 ranger@bigmorongo.org

Board of Directors

Our board members serve as our ambassadors, communicating awareness of the preserve to their communities, and bringing expertise to the board’s decisions

Caroline Conway

For years, Big Morongo Canyon Preserve was a favorite escape from the low desert where I lived and worked. The preserve’s tall trees, shaded trails, wetland plants and birdsong made a trip to the preserve feel like a day away. I still feel that way and now I have more time to enjoy it.

Zoe Dagan

I discovered Big Morongo Canyon Preserve before ever moving to Morongo Valley. Instantly I was enamored by its exquisite landscape, abundant life, and the flowing water beneath the boardwalk and hidden underground. Now, I visit the preserve almost daily, observing the subtle changes as the seasons shift and time passes. Serving on the Board of Directors is my opportunity to help ensure Big Morongo Canyon Preserve is stewared in ways that safeguard the integrity of its thriving ecosystems.

Kellie Flint

Big Morongo Canyon Preserve is a true gem in the California desert. I find peace in the scent of desert plants and the shifting light through the cottonwoods. The sight of lizards darting across the trails and deer traversing the hillsides never fails to ground me. I’m honored to help protect this extraordinary place and always excited to share its wonder with others.

Andrea Jensen

Big Morongo Preserve is a special place to me for many reasons. It’s a place to relax, enjoy nature, and a place to challenge myself physically. It’s a refuge from the desert heat, refreshingly green with surprise bursts of color along the trails. It’s a place where I am delighted to see lizards darting, snakes sunning, deer wandering, and birds in flight. It’s a place to see old friends and meet new ones. It’s a place to help others enjoy the Preserve. I’m appreciative of the chance to help keep Big Morongo Canyon Preserve the special place that it is.

Kimberly Keilbach

I discovered Big Morongo Canyon Preserve by accident one hot summer day when my husband and I were driving out to Joshua Tree National Park. What turned out to be an unplanned detour ended up being a life-time journey. I fell in love with the hi- and low-desert and riparian ecosystems that converge here and with the variety of animals and birds who call this place home. There truly is no other place like it. Aside from the uniqueness of the terrain and the natural beauty of this very special place, I really appreciate that the volunteers and staff here have made this preserve accessible to virtually everyone, regardless of their physical abilities. I’m very honored to be a part of this wonderful community.

Kurt Kosek

I cannot say enough good things about Big Morongo Canyon Preserve: excellent birding, excellent wildlife viewing, and a wonderful trail system. Given the unique ecological location of the preserve, there is so much to see. It is a great place to take your non-outdoor friends to explore the outdoors. A walk along the Marsh trail will leave them scratching their heads on what is a desert habitat. I think my truly favorite activity at the preserve are the Wednesday bird walks run by a group of dedicated volunteers who share their passion for birding and nature. They make everyone feel welcome!

Maureen McCarty, chair

The preserve is a very special place for me. Initially, it was the birds that drew me there, but I soon discovered the quiet beauty of this wonderful spot. Becoming a volunteer added the icing on the cake. As a volunteer, I have had the privilege of working with an incredible group of people and meeting folks from all over the world, each bringing their unique energy to this preserve. Truly, this is a magical place.

Teresa Nolan

Big Morongo Canyon Preserve has been a favorite place of mine for years. I first came for the peaceful trails, beautiful desert landscape, and the chance to photograph wildlife and native plants. After becoming a volunteer, everything changed. One day, a fellow volunteer excitedly called me over to see a bird I had never seen before, and that single moment sparked a passion for birding that continues to grow. The preserve has enriched my life through friendships, learning, volunteer service, and a deeper appreciation for the remarkable diversity of this desert oasis. It has become much more than a place I visit, it has become part of who I am. Serving on the Board of Directors is an opportunity to give back to a place that has given me so much and to help ensure others can experience the same sense of wonder that I found here.

Tom Scanlan

Big Morongo Canyon Preserve is one of my favorite places in the Mojave Desert. I like to give back to my community by volunteering and I have the opportunity to share my knowledge and experience as a California Naturalist with school kids when I participate in our Docent programs. I also love to work on repairs and improvements to our infrastructure so our guests can have a safe, enjoyable visit.

Kathy Snyder

I am continually inspired by the beauty of Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, the quiet expressiveness of the plants, the colors and textures that shift with the seasons, and the joyful songs of the birds as they flit through the trees. Equally uplifting are the smiling faces of the people who visit the preserve. Seeing people from all over connect through their appreciation of this landscape is truly inspiring.

I am honored to join the board and to support the ongoing stewardship of the preserve.