BIRDING/HIKING
Edwards AFB has many opportunities for outdoor recreation. There is restricted access to many areas on base but Piute Ponds is open to authorized persons of the public. For individuals with base access, many trails have been installed throughout the base including Branch Memorial Park as well as Off Road Vehicle Areas 2 and 3.
Wildflower viewing is popular in the spring. Timing and intensity of blooms are highly weather dependent. The rainy season in the Western Mojave Desert typically occurs from October-March with January being the wettest month. If rains come too early or too late invasive plants often crowd out many native species. However, when conditions are just right the desert is a sight to behold. Check out this brochure for some common wildflower species you may see on Edwards AFB. Please stay on designated trails to avoid trampling the blooms and impacting the wildlife that depends upon productive years for their continued survival. Even just a few people walking off trail can impact the microhabitat conditions needed for these blooms to come back in subsequent years.
Birding is a popular activity especially at Piute Ponds. There are 2 citizen science projects that you can participate in at Piute Ponds:
In addition, you can see recent bird sightings, obtain a bird list, log and compare birding survey data through eBird for Piute Ponds, considered a hotspot: http://ebird.org/ebird/hotspot/L275227
Photography is restricted on Edwards AFB. There is absolutely no photography of airplanes, the flightlines, lakebeds, and other controlled areas.
