COMMISSION

Shell Reef: Park beneath the reef and examine the soil. You
will find not rock or sand but fragments of fossilized oyster
shells. Look closer and you will find entire shells and even
pieces of the reef, which have fallen down the slope. The reef
is estimated to be four million years old! It was pushed out of
an ancient sea during a time of tremendous upheaval when
the distant mountain ranges where formed.
Pumpkin Patch: This unique landscape is the result of wind
and water continuously eroding the surface soil and revealing
these globular sandstone concretions. Such concretions
are believed to be formed by the natural cementing of sand
particles to a small object such as a piece of shell, a grain of
sand, or even an insect.
Pumpkin Patch
Outreach and Education
The Ocotillo Wells SVRA interpretation and education staff offers a dazzling array of fun
and educational programs designed to enhance the experience of its visitors throughout
the desert-riding season. Each weekend, park interpreters host day-long interactive field
exhibits at the popular riding destinations in the park. Visitors can get up close and personal
with fossil replicas of mammoths, saber-toothed tigers, giant sharks, and other “gnarly”
beasts of the past. Trivia games such as
“Who’s Scat is That?” and live scorpion
demonstrations provide a glimpse into
the lives of desert animals, while geology
exhibits introduce visitors to the unique
and powerful forces that have sculpted the
park’s landscape. A variety of Junior Ranger
programs geared for youngsters ages 5 to
12 also provide a fun-filled way for families to
discover the hidden stories of Ocotillo Wells.
On Saturday nights, stargazing programs highlight the park’s amazingly dark night sky.
Peering through an 11-inch telescope, visitors are treated to spectacular views of glittering
star clusters, wispy nebulas, and swirling galaxies. The award-winning interpretive team
also offers weekly off-highway adventure tours. Visitors are led on an exciting four-wheel
drive tour through the park’s fascinating geology, colorful history, and amazing biology.
The park also hosts a number of interpretive festivals, which combine OHV recreation
with resource education. These festivals include the Roughneck Rendezvous Geocaching
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California State Parks, Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission