Friends of the Desert Mountains to celebrate National Monument anniversary

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) - Friends of the Desert Mountains will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument at the visitor center Friday in Palm Desert.

The festivities will take place at 8:30 a.m. at 51-500 CA-74, south of Highway 111. It will feature guided hikes, educational programs, youth activities, walking tours, giveaways and a time capsule installation.   

Participating attendees will include Mayor Evan Trubee, former Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Manager Jim Foote and former Rep. Mary Bono, R-Palm Desert.  

"We're excited to bring our community together to celebrate 25 years of this extraordinary place,'' Tammy Martin, executive director of Friends of the Desert Mountains, said in a statement. "The monument represents decades of dedication to protecting the land and connecting people with it. The
anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate what we've accomplished together and look ahead to the next 25 years."  

The monument was designated by Congress on Oct. 24, 2000 and protects roughly 280,000 acres of biological, cultural, recreational, geological and educational resources. It is managed by the Bureau of Land Management, the USDA Forest Service and the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians.

More information can be found at desertmountains.org.