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Field Classes

Desert Institute

Desert Institute Class on South Astrodome

Desert Institute Spring 2022 Catalog

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Desert Institute COVID-19 Safety Protocols and Promises

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Choosing a Field Class

The Desert Institute offers classes for adult learners in cultural history, natural science, survival skills, desert naturalist studies, women’s programs, citizen science, and creative arts. All programs are taught by expert instructors who provide a personal and enjoyable learning experience on these educational adventures.

Before registering, please take the time to review our General Class Info and download the Enrollment Attachments, that contain pertinent information about your class and Joshua Tree National Park. Please print and fill out the Participant Agreement. You can bring the completed form to the class.

If you are a member of JTNPA you will get a $10 discount off every Desert Institute class. If you are not a member you can become one here.

Eventbrite Registration & Schedule External Link

This season is made possible by the generous sponsorship of Visit 29 Palms. Check out Visit29.org to learn about all the great shops, restaurants, lodging and attractions in Twentynine Palms and start planning your visit.

Spring 2022

"How-To" Courses

Date Class Instructor(s) Outline
March 26 - 27, 2022 Cancelled Camping Wilderness Cooking School: Campsite Cooking External Link PDF

Natural Science Courses

Date Class Instructor(s) Outline
April 9 - 10, 2022 Credit Geology of Mojave National Preserve External Link PDF
April 24, 2022 Credit Wildflower Wanderings External Link PDF
April 27, 30, May 14, 2022 New Credit Advanced Bird Banding External Link PDF
April 30 - May 1, 2022 Credit Birds of Joshua Tree National Park External Link PDF
April 30 - May 1, 2022 Credit Camping Mammal Tracking in Joshua Tree National Park External Link PDF
May 7 - 8, 2022 Credit Birds of the Eastern Mojave: Spring Migration External Link PDF
May 7, 2022 Credit Geology of the Marble Mountains External Link PDF
May 7 - 8, 2022 NewCredit Citizen Science: Phenological Monitoring in Joshua Tree National Park External Link PDF
May 20 - 22, 2022 NewCredit Lizards and Snakes of the East Mojave External Link PDF
May 21 - 22, 2022 NewCredit Insects and Arthropods of the Eastern Mojave External Link
PDF

Cultural History Courses

Date Class Instructor(s) Outline

Guided Hikes in JTNP

Date Class Instructor(s) Outline

Creative Arts Courses

Date Class Instructor(s) Outline
April 3, 2022 NewCyanotype Processing Workshop External Link PDF
April 9 - 10, 2022 Plein Air Painting Workshop in Joshua Tree National Park External Link PDF
April 16 - 17, 2022 Capturing Joshua Tree Landscapes with Acrylics Beginning to Intermediate Skill Levels External Link PDF
April 16 - 17, 2022 NewDiscovering Color in the Desert Landscape: Creating Vibrant Oil Paintings External Link PDF
April 23, 2022 Field Sketching for Non-Artists External Link PDF
April 30, 2022 Keys Ranch Nightscape Photography Workshop External Link PDF
May 7 - 8, 2022 Night Sky Photography External Link PDF
May 29, 2022 Keys Ranch Nightscape Photography Workshop External Link PDF

Cancellation Policy

If you need to cancel, notify us at least seven days prior to the start of the course and we will process your request minus a $25 cancellation fee. No refunds, transfers, or credits will be granted if cancellation occurs within the seven day period. Please note that we cannot make any exceptions to this refund policy for any reason, including but not limited to medical reasons, illness, travel delays, personal situations, emergencies, or weather. This program depends on registration for its funding. While inconvenient, please understand that this policy enables us to sustain our programs even with last minute cancellations.

Legend

Label Description
Credit

An academic credit is available from University of California, Riverside Extension. Optional credit courses are marked by the green label. The number of units are listed with each class in the catalog. Credit fees are listed separately from non-credit fees in the catalog.
New

A brand new class that has been added to the current season.
New Format

A class that has been altered into a brand new format.
Full

A class that has reached capacity. Any new registrations will be added to a waiting list.
Camping

A class that includes a camping option
Cancelled

A class that has been cancelled and will no longer take place