There’s a difference between living somewhere and really knowing it. That’s why we took our youth to the Ocotillo Wells Discovery Center, where California State Park Rangers spent a day showing them the place they call home in a whole new way.

The adventure started on the nature trail. The Rangers taught the kids how to spot and identify different snakes, and along the way shared all kinds of facts about the plants and wildlife that make this landscape work. The desert can look empty at first glance. It doesn’t take long to learn how wrong that impression is.

Back at the visitor center, the kids got up close with some of the desert's native residents, from lizards and roadrunners to a coyote whose fur they got to feel. That part was a hit. There’s something about touching an animal you’ve only ever seen from a distance. The kids asked question after question, and the Rangers had an answer for every one.

To wrap up, everyone tapped into their creativity by painting their own desert lizards. A fun, hands-on way to hold onto everything they learned and take a piece of it home.

Summer is a season for fun, as it should be. But when school is out, the days can stretch long and the learning can slow down. That's where our Friends come in. Days like this keep kids curious and cared for at the same time.

We are lucky to live in a place with so much worth exploring, and even luckier to have partners like the California State Park Rangers at Ocotillo Wells who open their doors and share what they know. Thank you for helping our kids see the desert for everything it really is.