Shop ABDNHA's Borrego Desert Nature Center – in person or by telephone, email, or mail – for a great selection of books and gifts for the desert-minded.

See below for a selection of must-have books on the desert: Essentials from ABDNHA, other must-haves, and gift books, and also: decorative items for the home or office, desert-inspired jewelry, desert-inspired fragrances, tee-shirts and ball caps, notecards, gifts for kids, and music.

The Borrego Desert Nature Center is located at 652 Palm Canyon Drive in Borrego Springs, just west of Christmas Circle. During the desert season, we are open seven days a week from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Our telephone number is (760) 767-3098.

Huell Howser's Anza-Borrego Road Trip

Join popular PBS host Huell Howser on this one hour Road Trip to the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, as well as the neighboring community of Borrego Springs.

Along the way see some stunning natural beauty, and meet some of the colorful and interesting locals who call this part of the California desert home.

DVD, 60 minutes
$15.00 + tax at the Borrego Desert Nature Center

With tax and shipping, $21.31

Call (760) 767-3098
Fax (760) 767-3099
Mail P.O. Box 310, Borrego Springs, CA 92004-0310
email abdnha2@att.net

Must-Haves: Essential Desert Books from ABDNHA

Cover of Weekender's Guide Weekenders Guide, new edition, by Paul Johnson
Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association: The Golden Years, 1971-1980, by Lee Papkoff
Borrego Beginnings: Early Days in the Borrego Valley, 1910-1960, by Phil Brigandi
Desert Watch, or A Bird, Beast, Bloom, or Bug for All Seasons, by Frances Berry Theobald Brainerd
Guide to Birds of Anza-Borrego, by Barbara W. Massey
Hiking in Anza-Borrego Desert: Over 100 Half-Day Hikes, by Robin Halford
Old Time Cattlemen and Other Pioneers of the Anza-Borrego Area, by Lester Reed
Recent Military Operations in the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park: A Preliminary Study of Such Activity from 1941-1959, by F. L. Orrell

More Must-Haves for the Desert-Minded

We Are Still Here: Katherine Siva Saubel and the Cahuilla Indians of Southern California (DVD)
Anza-Borrego Desert Region (Fifth Edition), by Lowell and Diana Lindsay
Afoot & Afield in San Diego County, by Jerry Schad
San Diego County Bird Atlas, by Philip Unitt
Fossil Treasure of the Anza-Borrego Desert: The Last Seven Million Years, edited by George T. Jefferson and Lowell Lindsay
The Best Spring Ever – Why El Niño Makes the Desert Bloom, by Janice Emily Bowers, photography by Carll Goodpasture

Gift Books from the Desert

All Aboard: the Life and Work of Marjorie Reed, by Gary Fillmore. This is the first comprehensive account of the life and work of the prominent Western artist best known for her paintings of the Butterfield Overland Stage trail. Nearly 400 color plates–including the famous Butterfield paintings, line illustrations, and never before published personal photographs. $79.99.

Southwest Kitchen Garden by Kim Nelson. Illustrations by Cynthia Miller. This charming little book can turn the whole business of Southwest gardening, harvesting, and preparing into a family adventure. Learn together what and how to plant. From basil to zucchini, enjoy pickling and preparing healthy delicious food. $19.95.

Desert Gardening for Beginners by Cathy Cromell, Linda A. Guy, and Lucy K. Bradley. Learn how easy it is to: Improve desert soils, water efficiently for aird climates, choose and apply fertilizer, make compost, create raised beds, and maintain healthy, vigorous plants. $8.95.

Secret Splendors of the Desert, by Lalo Fiorelli
Oasis of Stone: Visions of Baja California Sur, by Bruce Berger, photographs by Miguel Angel de la Cueva
Anza-Borrego: A Photographic Journey, by Ernie Cowan

Gifts for the Desert Home or Office

Photo of Running Roadrunner

Catch Our Running Roadrunner. Crafted of resin, this bird is so realistic you'll be looking ahead for the lizard he's chasing. Let him guard a casserole on your dinner table or keep watch over the invaders of your garden. Over one foot long and 10 inches tall, he is a life-sized companion for every bird lover. A favorite amusing friend of nearly every desert dweller! $55.

Fun for all the Family. The 1,000-piece "Sonoran Sunset" jigsaw puzzle. Quiet, safe playtime, and companionship. Stunning picture of cactus, quail and evening sky will emerge. $16.95.

Desert-inspired Jewelry

Sterling silver bighorn sheep. Everybody's favorite sighting here in the Anza-Borrego Desert. Wear it as a charm or pendant. Perfect details. 3/4 inch tall. $19.99.

Desert-inspired Fragrance

Perfect pampering presents. Lovely luxurious lotions and beautiful "Bach for the Bath." Nearly an hour of wonderful music on a CD and 8 ounces each of delicately scented "Desert Queen" bath & shower gel and soothing hand & body lotion. An unusual holiday package just for her. $55.

Desert Queen Trio. Captures the essence of the elusive queen of the night cactus flower that blooms only one night each year. The soft floral scent envelops a spray cologne, hand and body lotion, and bath and shower gel. The beautifully packaged trio is tucked into a stunning burlap bag. Unusual, hard to find, a perfect gift. $68.

Perfect T-shirts and Ball Caps for the Desert

They'll be raven about this combination. A simply stunning 100% cotton Tee with two ravens whispering against the twilight blue – "Anza-Borrego Desert" on the sleeve and a ":whisper" on the back. S, M, L, XL. Pair this with a greenish khaki cap embroidered with a black raven. Sturdy bill, lightweight all cotton washable body with air holes and adjustable band. They'll really enjoy this gift. Yes, "they'll be raven!" Shirt and hat combo, $38.95.

Petroglyph Tee. You will seriously like this clay-dyed all natural made in the USA shirt. Pre-shrunk cotton tee states boldly right across the front, dyed with 100 % red dirt. No nonsense here! But it softens nicely with each wash. S, M, L, XL. $19.95; XXL $21.95.

Notecards in Desert Designs by Henry Mockel

Mockel Notecards. One of the most popular items sold in our Nature Center. Packages of a dozen notes and envelopes. Choose from Desert Elegance (a dozen lovely paintings of colorful wildflowers) or Desert Creatures (two each of six desert birds and beasties.) A few lovely serigraphs by the late Henry R. Mockel are still available for purchase. Call the Nature Center to inquire. Notecards, $8.95 per package.

Gifts for Kids

How Come?. by Kathy Wollard. Illustrations by Debra Solomon. For every inquisitive kid who wants to know, and for every exasperated parent or grandparent who doesn't know! What are hiccups? Why do stars twinkle? Have fun together with this book of lively explanations for frequently asked science questions. $12.95.

Uncover Tarantula. Just when we thought there was nothing new under the sun along came these amazing, well, books? models? book/models? A three dimensional look at the world's largest spiders. Packed with information. Designed for kids 8 and up, but you will be absolutely mesmerized, too. And everybody will learn a lot!

Also available: Uncover the Human Body and Uncover Frog. $18.95.

Give the gift of ABDNHA

Give an ABDNHA Gift Membership! Introduce someone to the vast wonders of plant and animal life in our desert—also, water, rocks, petroglyphs, history, stars. A perfect introductory or house-warming gift to say "Welcome to the desert."

A one-year membership in ABDNHA (includes five issues of The Sand Paper), an Anza-Borrego Desert license plate frame, ABDNHA car decal, wildflower brochure, state park map, and Paul Johnson's Weekender's Guide to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Membership includes 5 issues of The Sand Paper newsletter, 15% discount at the Borrego Desert Nature Center, Lecture Series, Tours and Hikes, support of the Nature Center and the future Borrego Springs Desert Museum. $43.

Shop the Borrego Desert Nature Center

Visit or call the Borrego Desert Nature Center for desert books as well as:

Desert maps and guides — Anza-Borrego, Salton Sea, Joshua Tree, Mohave Desert — wildflowers, bird lists and more
Desert fine art — Henry R. Mockel serigraphs, Dennis Mammana photographs, Heidi Osuna pottery
Desert gifts and jewelry — for the home, for someone special including children

If you are looking for a desert book that is not listed here, please visit the Borrego Desert Nature Center at 652 Palm Canyon Drive, Borrego Springs, California, or call us at (760) 767-3098. We specialize in hard-to-find desert publications. For our business hours, see our home page.

Please remember: Shopping at the Nature Center assists ABDNHA's educational mission. We appreciate your business.