By Sarah Baltazar, Desert Recreation District
Desert Recreation District’s (DRD) Outdoor Adventure Programs offers FREE experiences made possible through generous grant funders: California State Parks, California Coastal Conservancy, and Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy. Residents of all ages and abilities choose from a variety of offerings like hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, coastal encounters, and community camping trips!
DRD’s 3-day 2-night Community Camping trips have been a fan favorite for community members since its debut last September 2023. These weekend trips are open to every nature enthusiast ages 8 and older with the desire to learn how to camp or spend time in our California State Parks soaking in the beauty and excitement of a weekend in nature. Community camping trips focus on bridging the gap between underserved communities and the great outdoors by providing all basic camping gear, groceries to prepare meals, and even transportation for participants, if needed. Campers learn to pitch tents, work together to cook and clean up meals, and discover some of the Golden State’s most remarkable natural features at the state parks.
What makes the program extra special is our “Be Happy” Curriculum. Dr. Laurie Santos’ Science of Wellbeing course at Yale University reveals evidence-based ways to improve our well-being, explains our own misconceptions about happiness, and gives tips to help us live happier lives. On camping trips, we explore a few of her strategies with a nature-centric spin. Together we grow an appreciation for the natural world around us, disconnect from social media outlets, and practice meditation/mindfulness techniques to help us reduce our stress levels. Participants go home as real-life happy campers with newfound friends and a love for the outdoors like never before!
The idea of offering camping trips to Coachella Valley Residents was born when one of DRD’s Community Services Supervisors took The Science of Well-being course during the global pandemic. She noticed that living through the turbulence of a global pandemic brought with it new sources of stress, coupled with the observation that people just seemed less happy in our post-pandemic world. Through the course she discovered that there is a positive relationship between our happiness levels and connection to nature, so what better way to infuse joy into our communities than to bring free wellness retreats in nature to our valley residents and infuse the trips with many tips on how to feel happier each day when we return to our normal lives.
DRD has since taken various camping trips around Southern California with residents. In May, the DRD outdoor adventure team along with 20 residents set up base camp at Leo Carrillo State Park in Malibu. We explored sea caves and spotted sea anemones and starfish in the tide pools at the beach, practiced meditation techniques, and shared classic campfire desserts over the fire. These camping trips have served as a space for youth, families, elders, and all to indulge in their sense of wonder and cultivate community in the great outdoors. The camping trips have included seeing the Milky Way at Anza Borrego State Park in the fall season, or bathing in the cascades at Cuyamaca State Park after seeing a bald eagle fledgling leaving his nest. Whether people are first time or experienced campers, they all leave with a full and happy heart, and are all ready to be put on the waitlist if a spot opens on the next trip.
DRD staff that work on these outdoor adventure programs have been inspired by the continued success of these trips and the incredible feedback from the participants. We are building our community well-being one camping trip at a time. DRD is very proud of this program and the impact it is having. We can all use a little more happiness!
Desert Recreation District (DRD) is geographically California’s largest park and recreation district. Learn more about DRD at www.myrecreationdistrict.com.