Maturango Museum

Second Saturday! Free Admission! And the Planetarium 11-2
2025-11-09 10:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Second Saturday at the Museum!
Free admission to all!

Double Dip Sundays! A Gift Store Deal For Members!
2025-11-09 12:00 - 16:00
for Museum Members
Enjoy 20% discount on Sundays
November 2 to November 30.
If you’re not a member call, come in, or go online to Maturango.org to purchase your membership.
Almost everything in the store qualifies with a few exceptions: books, playing cards, blankets, gift certificates and DVDs.

Children's Hour
2025-12-05 10:30 - 11:30 | Maturango Museum Coso Room, 100 E Las Flores Ave, Ridgecrest, CA, 93555, United States
Snow Tree
A tradition!
Animals gather gifts from Nature to decorate a tree for all to enjoy!

2nd Saturday Free Admission
2025-12-13 11:00 - 14:00
Join our docents for a fun, hands-on activity! Participants will have the opportunity to create their own ornaments and winter-themed symbols using Sculpey clay.
Free Saturday activities run from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

Winter Solstice
2025-12-20 11:00 - 14:00
THE WINTER SOLSTICE IS COMING!
The shortest day of the year is coming up! This day marks the turning point from the days getting shorter to days getting longer. Due to the Earth’s axial tilt, the northern hemisphere is at its farthest point from the sun at the winter solstice. The Maturango Museum plans to celebrate this turning point on Saturday, December 20th, from 11 am to 2 pm, near the time of the winter solstice. A winter collage card craft will be provided, and members from the China Lake Astronomical Society may be on hand with their solar scopes, allowing the public to view the sun safely. Join us!

Chasing Spring on the Pacific Crest Trail
2025-12-24 08:00 - 17:00, 2026-01-11 14:00 - 16:00
Back by popular demand, Bob Steele is presenting “Chasing Spring on the Pacific Crest Trail”
In 2016, Bob and Susan Steele from Inyokern thru-hiked the 2,650-mile-long Pacific Crest Trail with a different goal than anyone else – counting all the birds. Their trek passed through magnificent scenery and diverse habitats, affording the chance to see birds moving northbound during spring migration to summer breeding locations. With stunning photography and storytelling, this afternoon presentation with guest speaker Bob Steele will take you along the spine of the West Coast mountain ranges, winding from Mexico to Canada, with a keen eye toward natural history, flowers, and birds. Share in the joy and challenge of backpacking 140 days on one of the most famous trails in the Western Hemisphere, and glimpse some of the 200 species of birds and many flowers found along the way.

Video Screening: Hidden Ridgecrest 7
2025-12-28 14:00 - 15:00
This upcoming video presentation features several engaging stories, with the central narrative focusing on the history of local fire departments and the experience of serving as a volunteer firefighter. This primary story is inspired by the Historical Society publication by Tex Hoppus, A History of Fire Stations in the Indian Wells Valley.
In addition to the main feature the program includes a few unexpected stories, some even introduced by “surprise presenters.”
The video runs just under one hour. Producers Mark Pahuta and John Daly will be in attendance to offer brief remarks before the screening and to answer audience questions afterward.
Admission is free however, seating is limited.

Free Second Saturday Speaker: Sean Scruggs
2026-01-10 13:00 - 16:00
The Eastern Kern County Resource Conservation District (EKCRCD) is pleased to welcome Sean Scruggs, a Piute Native tribal representative from the Fort Independence Reservation, as our Second Saturday Speaker. Sean will share insights on the cultural importance of nature within his community.
EKCRCD is launching a Certified Resilient Backyard Habitat program in Ridgecrest to encourage eco-friendly, wildlife-supportive, and sustainable gardening practices. This talk is part of a planned series of speakers and workshops connected to the program.
All members of the community are invited to attend. We hope to see you there!

Children’s Hour: “Winds, Clouds, and High-Flying Birds”
2026-01-16 10:30 - 11:30
Young children and their families are invited to help us welcome the new year with a Children’s Hour titled “Wind, Clouds, and High-Flying Birds.”
Young children of our Indian Wells Valley have likely all felt the force of strong winter winds, blowing fast and fierce! In the featured program, creative actions for kids will accompany stories about wind, storms, and clouds with their imagination-stirring shapes transforming the sky. Birds such as snow geese come to live for the winter in our valley, while other kinds of birds pause only to eat and rest during the autumn as they migrate further south. On their journeys they can be seen soaring high along uplifting currents of air, as naturally as children running along a sidewalk pretending to fly! Children’s Hour, begun by a group of volunteer docents in 2009, continues to encourage both learning and appreciation of books, the Mojave desert and nearby mountains. Each program theme is explored through storybooks, songs, action activities, crafts and natural history exhibits from the docents’ collection.
Curiosity and questions from children are warmly received!!
We hope to see you for this free, educational and monthly event! Information about Children’s Hour can
be found on Maturango.org or by calling 760-375-6900.

Mark Pahuta’s Photo Exhibit “Ridgecrest and the Eastern Sierra”
2026-01-18 12:00 - 2026-03-04 17:00 | Maturango Museum Coso Room, 100 E Las Flores Ave, Ridgecrest, CA, 93555, United States
Still photographs of Ridgecrest and the local area.
A photographic exhibit of current locations from the viewpoint of a photographer.
Mark received a B.A. in History at Humboldt State University and an M.F.A. in Cinema at the University of Southern CA. A filmmaker and still photographer, he came to the Indian Wells Valley in 1976 for a career of more than 40 years at China Lake in the Film and Video Branch. Many of his photographs are in the permanent collection of the Maturango Museum. The Museum has also published his audiovisual productions, “Between Two Worlds: Rock Art of the Cosos” and “Indian Wells Valley: Somewhere on the Edge of Nowhere. Mark has created numerous video productions for other organizations, including the Ridgecrest Chamber of Commerce. The Museum has published two books, “Ridgecrest Retrospective” and “High Desert Double Exposure” with Mark as photographer. Recently, Mark Pahuta’s “Hidden Ridgecrest” video series has been very well enjoyed.

Mark Pahuta’s Photo Exhibit “Ridgecrest and the Eastern Sierra”
2026-01-18 14:00 - 16:00
Opening Reception Sunday January 18, 2pm
Still photographs of Ridgecrest and the local area.
A photographic exhibit of current locations from the viewpoint of a photographer.
Mark received a B.A. in History at Humboldt State University and an M.F.A. in Cinema at the University of Southern CA. A filmmaker and still photographer, he came to the Indian Wells Valley in 1976 for a career of more than 40 years at China Lake in the Film and Video Branch. Many of his photographs are in the permanent collection of the Maturango Museum. The Museum has also published his audiovisual productions, “Between Two Worlds: Rock Art of the Cosos” and “Indian Wells Valley: Somewhere on the Edge of Nowhere. Mark has created numerous video productions for other organizations, including the Ridgecrest Chamber of Commerce. The Museum has published two books, “Ridgecrest Retrospective” and “High Desert Double Exposure” with Mark as photographer. Recently, Mark Pahuta’s “Hidden Ridgecrest” video series has been very well enjoyed.

High Desert Teachers Music Association Concert
2026-01-24 19:00 - 2026-01-25 14:00
Music Taking Flight:
A Music Teachers’ Concert
Saturday January 24, 7pm
Sunday January 25, 2pm

Free Saturday: Make Valentine Cards
2026-02-14 11:00 - 14:00
The special challenge this year is to make and write a Valentine to yourself: I will hold them for approximately one month and then mail them. You’ll get a special greeting from your “past” self. You do not need to do the challenge, just make whatever tickles your fancy. Lots of supplies will be available.
All ages are welcome with adult supervision.

Children’s Hour: Spiders - Spinners of Webs and Catchers of Bugs
2026-02-27 10:30 - 11:30
What would it be like to walk on eight legs; to make many kinds of webs, some beautiful and some messy looking; and even to spin a silk line to “balloon” through the air from one place to another? Through the story “The Very Busy Spider” by Eric Carle, other stories, spidery action songs, and a craft, the children will learn about some of these tiny crawly creatures. Children’s Hour is a free program for young children and their families offered from September to May.
Begun by a group of volunteer docents in 2009, it continues to encourage both learning and appreciation of books, and the Mojave desert/nearby mountains. Each program theme is explored through storybooks, songs, action activities, crafts and natural history exhibits from the docents’ collection. Curiosity and questions from children are encouraged!
More information about Children’s Hour can be found on www.Maturango.org or by calling 760-375-6900. The museum is open every day (except major holidays) Monday through Saturday, 10:00 to 5:00 and Sunday noon – 4pm.

Maturango Museum’s Annual Meeting
2026-03-01 13:00 - 14:00
Gather with your friends at the Museum, meet our new Board members and our Staff.
We hope to see you there!
2025 Annual Report

Searles Valley Historical Society Museums Field Trip
2026-03-07 09:00 - 15:00 | Maturango Museum, 100 E Las Flores Ave, Ridgecrest, CA, 93555, United States
Most of these museums are “appointment only” but we’re in luck! We’ve made the arrangements to visit each of them. We’ll be visiting the Fire Museum, History House, Trona Railway Museum and Caboose, Archives, and the Old Guest House Museum. Docents will be on-hand at each location to guide us through their rich history and their exhibits. Want to peruse at your own pace? You can do that as well during the time we are at each area.
Our journey will start at the Maturango Museum and we’ll drive over to Trona through Poison Canyon. By the way, did you know that the “real name” of Poison Canyon is Salt Wells Canyon?
We’ll make a brief stop at the Trona Pinnacles turn off to view two monuments; John Searles’ Freight Wagon Route Monument and the Epsom Salts Monorail Monument. If you want to learn more about the Epsom Salts Monorail, Maturango Museum has a great book on this subject as well as a great display in the Museum.
From there we’ll continue to the Fire Museum. Inside this museum are two antique fire engines, a 1924 Stutz and a 1938 Ahren-Fox. Displays in the Fire Museum include 20 photographs of major fires in Argus, Borosolvay, and Trona and other fire memorabilia.
We’ll then make a quick stop at the Trona Rest Stop to take care of business and proceed to the History House, Caboose, and Railway Museum.
The History House is one of the oldest residential houses in Trona (built around 1920) and is a treasure trove of items from yesteryear. The Trona Railway Museum displays artifacts from the Trona Railway and the Caboose will be open to those able to navigate the steep stairs to get in and out.
Be sure to bring a picnic lunch. We’ll head over to the Archives when we are done at the History House. They have tables in the Archive building where we can eat our lunch. Before or after you eat your lunch, you can peruse through the Archives. There is so much to see! If you prefer to eat at one of the local restaurants in Trona, we’ll have a “meet time” at our final stop.
After lunch we’ll head to our final stop, the Old Guest House Museum. This building was built around 1917 and is one of the oldest buildings in Searles Valley. Originally it was built as four apartments and was remodeled as a guest house with twelve rooms for visitors to Trona. The twelve rooms show events in Searles Valley from the early mining days to present plant ownership. Since this is our final stop, once you have finished viewing all the cool “stuff”, you can head back, we just ask that you let the Leader of the Field Trip know you are leaving.
9am: meet at the Maturango Museum for check in. Participants will be required to sign a liability waiver. Car caravan will be organized and for those that want to carpool, we’ll figure it out there.
The cost is $35 for adult museum members ($60 for 2 adults), $40 adult non-members ($70 for 2). No Pets. Sign up at shop.maturango.org or come to the Gift Store.
Be sure you have enough gas (less than 100 miles round trip), car and tires in good running order.
Usual dress code for field trips applies: hat, sunscreen, comfortable walking shoes, layered clothing, water, camera (although some of the buildings ask no photographs). It is better to have these items and not need them, than need them and not have them.
Bring a picnic lunch to eat while we are at the Archives.
Cancellation Policy: If the Museum cancels your trip, you will be given a full refund or you may transfer the money to a different trip. No cash refunds will be given if you cancel.

Debbie Newton’s Art Gallery Exhibit: “Seeing Through My Eyes”
2026-03-07 15:00 - 17:00
“Seeing Through My Eyes”
Artist Debbie Newton moved to Indian Wells Valley as a youngster in 1958.She went to work for the China Lake Naval Base in 1980 in the Contracts Department where she worked in various positions until she retired in 2010. In the late 80’s she started taking art classes offered on base then expanded lessons offered locally, in Bishop and other areas. She continues to attend in- person workshops and attends many live/online classes to improve her artwork. She has attended workshops in France, Santa Fe, San Diego, North Carolina, Maine, San Francisco and Los Angeles. She started her artistic journey oil painting and has continued that journey adding watercolor, acrylic and pastel along the way. After her retirement, she focused on her art, painting daily. She fell in love with pastels when she took a workshop through the Desert Artists’ League in Ridgecrest. Although she still works in oil, acrylic and watercolor she prefers to paint in pastel. Her subject matter includes traditional landscape, seascape, floral, and still life but her favorite subjects are animals, mainly birds. She works
mostly from her studio because, as she likes to say, the desert is either too hot, too cold, or too windy for painting outside. She works from photos from her travels, including trips to Africa, England, Southern France, Canada, Alaska, Hawaii and most of continental USA. She is a member of the Desert Artists’ League and the Kern River Valley Art Association.

Conservation in the IWV Event 2026: Pollinators, Desert Gardens and Water Free Saturday
2026-03-14 11:00 - 14:00
Meet some of our local conservation organizations, pick up some garden tips, learn about our local insects, plants and other wildlife. We have wonderful ideas to share with you!
In our local desert bio-diversity we have quite an abundance of wildlife and plants in our diverse range of habitats. While most of our human residents see mainly the creosote shrubland of the valley floor, we are actually on the boundary edges of three converging eco-regions; technically Ridgecrest is in northwest corner of the Mojave Desert, while we also border with the Great Basin and Range to the north and the Sierra Nevada mountains to the west. The diverse ecosystems found in and around the Indian Wells Valley include the Western Mojave Mountain Woodlands, Shrublands, Basins, Arid Steppes, Eastern Sierra Lower and Upper Montane Forests, Great Basin and Mojavean Slopes.
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, endangered species of the valley and nearby mountains include the Fisher, Sierra Nevada Red Fox, California Condor, Inyo California Towhee, Western Snowy Plover, Monarch Butterfly, Mojave Desert Tortoise, and an ice-age remnant fish the Mohave Tui Chub.
While there are no designated critical habitats for endangered species on the valley floor, there are in the surrounding mountain areas as well as seven Federal Wilderness areas which help conserve wildlands for many vital species: Kiawah, Owens Peak, El Paso Mountains, Chimney Peak, Sacatar Trail, South Sierra, and Coso Range. In addition, as the Indian Wells Valley is a part of the Pacific Flyway bird migratory path in the spring and fall, The Audubon Society has designated some of the riparian desert/montane ecosystems as “Important Bird Areas”. These areas include: Argus Range – South, Southern Sierra Desert Canyons, and three seasonally riparian North Mojave Dry Lakes.
Surprisingly, our high desert valley is the seasonal home to thousands of shorebirds, marsh birds and other waterfowl during the winter. Ever popular, the Snow Geese over-winters here with the average flock size of about 1,700, according to the local Kerncrest Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count numbers since 1987. Some of these Snow Geese travel from as far away as their nesting area on Wrangel Island, Siberia – over 3,200 miles one way. They come for our park’s grass and mild winter, likely due to the loss of 90% of California’s original wetlands and marsh grass of the northern and central valleys since 1920.
Other species native to our area which are important keystone species include the Creosote Bush and the Joshua tree. Unarguably the long-lived Mojave Creosote Bush is the predominant shrub of the Mojave Desert, and although it is not considered a valuable food source, it is one of the few plants available for shelter, shade and good burrowing sites for our threatened/endangered species such as the Mojave Desert Tortoise, Mohave Ground Squirrel and Burrowing Owl. (The oldest creosote known as “The King Clone” of Lucerne Valley, has been dated to 11,700 years old!) The Joshua tree, an important shade, shelter and nesting source, is losing habitat rapidly due to rising temperatures, increasing wildfires and urban sprawl. We are fortunate to have them in our local canyons at higher elevations, as they are a great source of supporting habitat and even food sources for some species like the Cactus Wrens, Yucca Moths and Kangaroo Rats.
All these local species of flora and fauna depend on us to be good stewards of our environment. What benefits do we gain from a local biodiverse and healthy ecosystem? The less obvious services which we should ponder include cleaner air and less dust pollution, recycling of waste and nutrients for healthy soil, healthier water filtered at depth in our aquifer, regeneration of oxygen even from micro-soil cyanobacteria – the list goes on and on. This leads us to water conservation, along with a host of other mindful habits we human neighbors can do to help nature. Recycle/reuse, compost, plant native plants, support pollinators by eliminating or minimizing garden toxins, provide wildlife nesting, food, shelter resources and reducing hazards where possible such as covering trash against predatory animals such as Ravens, minimizing outdoor cat and dog threats, and over-bright white night lighting which disrupts night migrations.
Back to our own water – we need to support water conservation in our high desert area for human consumption – but our local springs also need it to support nature.
This year we are featuring a guest speaker focused on sustainable living with local insects, bee researchers from Cerro Coso Community College, and garden tours by the Maturango staff showcasing native plants and the new pollinator habitat.

Tami Force presents “Nevada Ghost Towns”
2026-03-15 14:00 - 17:00
Tami Force is an explorer, historian, author, and content creator of the Eastern Sierra region. Her presentation will cover topics such as: The Eastern Sierra’s hundreds of ghost towns, mining camps, stage and railroad stations, and mines. Visitors and history usually focus on a handful of ghost towns, such as Bodie, Cerro Gordo, and Randsburg. Explorers and historians have forgotten the smaller sites, their ruins and history hidden for over a century in the desert. The tales of the lesser-known ghost towns put the authors of dime novels to shame. Each story is unique, showing that sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction. Learn about these unusual ghost towns and the forgotten lives of those who lived in the Old West and made the Eastern Sierra what it is today. How were German U-Boats related to Atolia? Who was the “Human Mole” and how did he earn that name? What previous cargo did the burros Jennie and Lupe carry to the Clair mine? What happened to those in Johannesburg who forgot their phone calls were on a party line? Tami has two books: “In the Shadow of the Sierra, Ghost towns & Historical Sites of the Eastern Sierra Northern Region” and “In the Glow of the Sierra, Ghost towns & Historical Sites of the Eastern Sierra Southern Region” and will have copies for sale and a book signing after her presentation. Tami curates an interactive ghost town map online at nvtami.com/nevada-ghost-towns-map/ and can be found on facebook at NVTami.

Kerncrest Audubon Presents MOTUS
2026-03-19 19:00
MOTUS is an international network of antenna stations to detect signals of animals carrying tiny transmitters called tags. The data collected from these stations are collected and made available for studies of how animals (mostly birds and bats) move about the Earth. Kerncrest Audubon and the Maturango Museum have installed a MOTUS antenna array at the museum.
The presentation by Dr. Patrick Lorch of the Southern Sierra Research Station is titled “Using Modern Tech to Track Western Yellow-Billed Cuckoos in The Kern River Valley”.
After a decade doing academic research and teaching, that included radio tracking insects with the USDA, Pat moved to working with the Motus wildlife tracking system. After setting up over 58 Motus stations, Pat has tons of experience with planning and constructing Motus stations as well as with data management and analysis. At SSRS, he’s leading our Motus station projects, assisting with data analysis, and grant applications aimed at strengthening the role the station plays in regional conservation.

Children’s Hour: “Wildflowers”
2026-03-27 10:30 - 11:30
See an impressive array of wildflowers all in one location.
I hope you have had the opportunity to venture outside and see the wildflowers blooming in the Rademacher Hills, Short Canyon, and other areas. As of February 25, many wildflowers are blooming. It’s a different year for wildflowers due to the wet fall and winter, above-average temperatures in December and January, followed by more rain and freezing temperatures in February. Early in December, many plants took the opportunity to grow, bloom, and produce seeds while the weather permitted. It was a gamble, but many plants have succeeded in doing just that.
The Lacy Phacelia wildflowers are flourishing in the Rademacher Hills. Go to the end of College Heights Blvd, park in the dirt parking lot, open your car door, and take in the sweet aroma of Lacy Phacelia. This plant is growing in profusion in and around the creosote bushes. In some areas, plants are reaching two feet tall! This appears to be Lacy Phacelia’s year to dominate the landscape in the Rademachers. The related phacelia, Yellow Throats or Fremont’s Phacelia, is soaking in the sun on the south sides of creosote bushes in the Rademachers.
Brown-eyed primroses are also prominent in the Rademachers and just about every other place I’ve looked. Chia is another plant that is growing and thriving everywhere. The bright yellow Coreopsis is creating bright spots of vibrant color, and the small yellow goldfields are starting to give small areas of a hillside a tinge of yellow.
The wildflowers are here and will continue to grow, bloom, and seed. We expect a wonderful variety of wildflowers for the exhibit weekend.
We will have three presentations over the Wildflower Exhibit weekend:
Friday, April 10, at 5:30 pm, Glenn Harris (provide info) will give a presentation on “Why Plants Grow Where They Do.” Glenn, a retired BLM employee, now volunteers with the Maturango Museum, giving environmental education talks to children and adults.
Saturday, April 11, at 2 pm, Allison Autry, PhD candidate, studies orchids that grow on the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada and riparian enclaves on the Mojave Desert. Her presentation is titled, “An Introduction to the Native Orchids of California and Nevada, with a special focus on the Southeastern Sierra and the Mojave Desert.” Did you know that orchids grow in the eastern Sierra Nevada and the Mojave Desert?
Sunday, April 12, at 2 pm, Dylan Layfield will give a presentation on the Wildflowers That Grow in Sand Canyon. This eastern Sierra Nevada canyon is located north of Grapevine Canyon. Dylan has studied the wildflowers of this canyon for many years. Dylan works at China Lake.

Wildflower Exhibit
2026-04-10 10:00 - 2026-04-12 17:00
Every spring, the Maturango Museum hosts a Wildflower Exhibit featuring the wildflowers that grow in and around Ridgecrest, including the local canyons of the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains. A colorful display of more than 200 different species of wildflowers is showcased in the Maturango Museum’s largest room. This is an excellent opportunity to see wildflowers up close and in one location! The Wildflower Exhibit runs from Friday, April 10, through Sunday, April 12, 2026.
The Maturango Museum is located at 100 E Las Flores Ave, Ridgecrest, CA. Phone – 760-375-
6900, website – Maturango.org.

Glenn Harris: Why Plants Grow Where They Do
2026-04-10 17:30 - 18:30
Glenn, a retired BLM employee, now volunteers with the Maturango Museum, giving environmental education talks to children and adults.Have you ever wondered why certain plants grow where they do? We have all looked at landscapes with their variety of plant colors and physical features. Glenn Harris will delve into this subject in his presentation on Friday evening.
Ecologists have classified the Earth into a series of similar areas called biomes. The biomes include aquatic, grassland, forest, desert, and tundra. This illustrated presentation will focus on the Desert Biome and, in particular, the desert region where we live. The presentation will include discussions of landscape, community, and individual plant-level factors affecting plant distribution.
Glenn is familiar with the desert area, having worked in the region for over 45 years, 39 of them for BLM. He serves as a volunteer with the BLM and a docent with the Maturango Museum. With the museum, he takes environmental education into the classroom and public groups, giving talks on geology, earthquakes, volcanoes, and insects. He has worked with the annual Wildflower Exhibit as both a collector and taxonomist, identifying the collected specimens for many years.

Allison Autry: Introduction to the Native Orchids of California and Nevada
2026-04-11 14:00 - 15:00
Allison Autry, PhD candidate, studies orchids that grow on the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada and riparian enclaves on the Mojave Desert. Her presentation is titled, “An Introduction to the Native Orchids of California and Nevada, with a special focus on the Southeastern Sierra and the Mojave Desert.” Did you know that orchids grow in the eastern Sierra Nevada and the Mojave Desert?
The Maturango Museum is pleased to host PhD Candidate Allison Autry, who will give a presentation on Native Orchids of California and Nevada. Nearly 40 species of orchids are found across California in habitats including the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada and the riparian enclaves of the Mojave Desert. This talk will cover topics including orchid diversity in California, historical efforts to document orchid diversity in the state, and contemporary threats to native orchids. The stories of a handful of noteworthy native orchid species, including the Ash Meadows Ladies’ Tresses, will be highlighted during the presentation.
Allison Autry is a PhD Candidate conducting rare orchid conservation and genetics research at California Botanic Garden in Claremont, CA. She also serves as a Director of the Native Orchid Conference. Allison earned a B.S. degree in plant science and environmental science from the University of Delaware and has previously worked as a research assistant at Longwood Gardens. She is currently conducting fieldwork in Ash Meadows, Nevada, Railroad Valley, Nevada, and eastern California in support of her dissertation research on Spiranthes infernalis.

Dylan Layfield: Vascular Flora of Sand Canyon
2026-04-12 14:00 - 15:00
Dylan Layfield will give a presentation on the “Vascular Flora of Sand Canyon”. This canyon is located to the north of Grapevine Canyon and south of No Name Canyon. Sand Canyon has diverse plant species due to its long stretches of continuous water in both the Main Fork and South Fork of the canyon. In addition, elevations ranging from 2,800 ft to 7,989 ft allow for unique transition zones between the Mojave Desert, the Great Basin, and the Sierra Nevada. Sand Canyon is one of the larger and less-traveled canyons in the eastern Owens Peak Wilderness.
As an avid hiker and explorer, Dylan put this talent to use in the extensive Sand Canyon watershed, where he began his independent floristic project in 2020. The plants in this area of the Owens Peak Wilderness are not well documented, with most collections concentrated near the base of the canyon and on the northeastern aspects of Spanish Needle. Dylan’s presentation covers the history of Sand Canyon, previous collections, and some of his favorite plants growing there.
Dylan graduated from Cal Poly Humboldt with a BS in Environmental Science and Management (emphasis in ecological restoration). He became extremely interested in plants and soils during his time at Humboldt and seasonal jobs with the Forest Service. Currently, Dylan works as a Natural Resources Specialist on NAWS China Lake, where he has spent many hours studying, cataloguing, managing, and remediating ecosystems for native plants and animal species such as the Joshua tree and the federally listed Inyo California Towhee.

ESTATE SALE!
2026-04-17 08:00 - 14:00, 2026-04-19 08:00 - 14:00
1960 MATURANGO ST
8-2
TOOLS, TRINKETS, FURNITURE AND PLENTY OF BOOKS!

ESTATE SALE
2026-04-18 08:00 - 14:00

Children’s Hour: Butterflies
2026-04-24 10:30 - 11:30
Why wouldn’t the butterfly go to the dance? It was a moth ball.Why did the kid throw butter out the window? He wanted to see butter fly.
But seriously, the docents of Maturango Museum would like to invite families and young children to our “Butterflies; Loved by Flowers and Children” program. This free event will be full of your favorite stories about butterflies, as well as action songs, and a fun, child-friendly craft. We will be exploring exhibits and butterfly science at the Discovery Table.
We will have a butterfly backdrop set up so families can take colorful photos.
More information about Children’s Hour can be found on www.Maturango.org or by calling 760-375-6900.
“If you smile when you see a butterfly, you have happiness in your soul.”-Diane Cooper
