Desert Dharma: Hike and Write 

Date: Saturday, February 24, 2024

Time: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (End time is approximate) 

Meeting Location: Meet at Anza-Borrego Foundation Administrative Office: 587 Palm Canyon Dr. #122, Borrego Springs, CA, 92004 

Note: This location is different from the State Park store, but in the same shopping center. The office is next to Kendall’s Café, here’s a link to a map. We’ll carpool and/or caravan to the trailhead.  

Cost:  Non-member – $40, ABF Member – $30, Student – $15 

Financial Assistance: A limited number of scholarships are available for those with financial hardship. If you’d like to request a scholarship, please reach out to [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph description about why you want to attend this program and your need for a scholarship. 

Description: As part of a series exploring quiet in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, we invite you on a “Quiet Hike” experience to consciously connect with the natural world, engage your senses, and quiet your mind. Join experienced writer and naturalist, Amy Brewster, along with like-minded community, in a guided experience including hiking, writing, and discussion. Amy will guide us on a quite hike interspersed with writing prompts while we pause at several points along the way to write and reflect. We’ll discuss nature writing, writing from our experiences, and provide an opportunity to share with the group for those so inclined. Please bring a notebook or journal and writing instrument.   

“Dharma” has been said to mean many things and here, we use refer to the true nature of existence, of experience, and truth. Slowing down to experience the desert in this way is the best antidote to a busy life. Research has shown that quiet and the sounds of nature allow the mind to better process emotions, reduce anxiety and depression, improve diseases like ADD and PTSD, and to clarify one’s purpose in the world.  When you engage the senses and focus on one thing at a time, you begin to center the mind and can quiet the “noise” of thoughts. 

This program comes on the heels of Anza-Borrego’s new designation as a Quiet Conservation Area, in collaboration with the research of Quiet Parks International, who have brought to light this powerful element. We are the first public land to be classified as a Quiet Conservation Area, which includes working to preserve the natural soundscapes and peace of Wilderness Areas and spread awareness about its importance. We’re excited to share this side of Anza-Borrego with you! 

Location & Ability: Location is still TBD (updates coming soon!). Hike will likely be no more than 3 miles with several places to stop, rest, and write. Length and speed will depend on time and interest. As with most hikes in the desert, we recommend participants be comfortable on their feet and able to do some very light scrambling over rocks. This hike will be accessible to most who fit that category – but please reach out with any questions or concerns!  

Note on bad weather:  If the forecast calls for heavy rain, thunderstorms, or high winds, the event may be cancelled and possibly rescheduled.  

Limited to 15 people! Please register in advance.  Register Here 

Cancellation Policy: Notification must be received at least 7 days before the first day of the event if you need to cancel and wish to receive a refund. For cancellations made after the 7-day deadline, we cannot issue refunds for any reason. We understand that unforeseen or emergency circumstances may arise, but our nonprofit organization operates on a limited budget and, while inconvenient, this policy enables us to sustain our programs even with last-minute cancellations. If ABF cancels a program, we will issue a full refund or credit.