Community Desert Studies

Copper Mountain College partners with Joshua Tree National Park for student internship opportunities and more.

Sky’s The Limit Observatory and Copper Mountain College have partnered to provide CMC Astronomy students with more opportunities for astronomical studies and night sky viewing.

Three of the four major North American Deserts come together at Mojave National Preserve, supporting a surprising diversity of plants and wildlife. A rich geologic history and a wide range of elevations throughout the park make for unique landscapes.

In this below-sea-level basin, steady drought and record summer heat make Death Valley a land of extremes. Yet, each extreme has a striking contrast. Despite its morbid name, a great diversity of life thrives in Death Valley.

The Mojave Trails National Monument spans 1.6 million acres of federal lands. It is a stunning mosaic of rugged mountain ranges, ancient lava flows, and spectacular sand dunes. The monument contains the longest remaining undeveloped stretch of Route 66 and some of the best preserved sites from the World War II-era Desert Training Center.

The 154,000-acre monument extends from Bureau of Land Management lands on the Sonoran desert floor up to over 10,000 feet in the San Gorgonio Wilderness on the San Bernardino National Forest.

The desert oasis at Big Morongo Canyon is one of the 10 largest cottonwood and willow riparian (stream) habitats in California. Look for Chief Ranger Kaeliegh Watson, CMC’s 2023 Minerva Hoyt Intern.

The 25,500-acre Pioneertown Mountains Preserve descends from the high piney 7,800-foot ridges into the Pioneertown Valley.

Located in a transition zone between the Sonoran and Mojave deserts, the 4,760-acre Mission Creek Preserve has a rich species composition with flora and fauna representing both deserts.

Whitewater Preserve is 2,851 acres surrounded by the Bureau of Land Management’s San Gorgonio Wilderness and includes the year-round Whitewater River.

A 20,000 acre sanctuary home to several species of increasingly rare wildlife.

The Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve has 880 acres and is contiguous with other conserved areas that are collectively known as the Coachella Valley Preserve System.

A 280,000 acre national monument rising from the desert floor to nearly 11,000 feet.

From the arid deserts to the tallest alpine mountains in Southern California, the San Bernardino National Forest is recognized as a top destination for people escaping the urban grind for a peaceful retreat in nature.

A permanent cultural center and sculpture park open to the public; to promote public recognition and appreciation for the values that Noah Purifoy’s work as artist and educator has embodied.

For 50+ years, the museum has dedicated itself to showing the culture and history of the area.

The Desert Institute offers classes ranging from desert studies to survival skills.

The premiere visual arts event of the year for the hi-desert. More than 40 Copper Mountain College art students participated in the 2023 Art Tours.

Johnson Valley Off Highway Vehicle Area. Johnson Valley is a varied landscape for the off-highway vehicle driver. It is punctuated by steep red rocky mountains, rolling hills, open valley, dry lake beds and sandy washes. Elevations range from 4,600 feet at Hartwell Hills to 2,300 feet at Melville Dry Lake.

The Native American Land Conservancy protects and restores sacred sites and areas, provides educational programming for Native American youth and the general public, and conducts scientific studies on cultural, biological, and historical resources on sacred lands.

The Morongo Basin Conservation Association is dedicated to preserving the environment in the Morongo Basin since 1969.

The Mojave Desert Land Trust is actively engaged in the conservation of native plant and animal species, and the protection of the unique desert environment and its cultural heritage for generations to come.

The Alliance for Water Awareness and Conservation is dedicated to achieving water conservation goals in the Mojave Desert.

The Desert Managers Group (DMG) was established to provide a forum for government agencies to work together to conserve and enhance the California Deserts for current and future generations.

The Mojave Desert Resource Conservation District is committed to the development of a land stewardship ethic that promotes long-term sustainability of the region’s rich and diverse natural resource heritage.

Formed in 1960, the Agency is responsible for managing groundwater resources in the Mojave River Basin and Morongo Basin.

“Making Environmental Education Irresistible”