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 books from the desert: gift books, must-haves, and books from ABDNHA, and also: decorative items for the home or office, desert-inspired jewelry, 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.

Gift Books from the Desert

Cover, Secret Splendors of the Desert 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
New! 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
Land of Sunlight - Contemporary Paintings of San Diego County, by James Lightner

Must-Haves for the Desert-Minded

Cover of Weekender's Guide Weekenders Guide, new edition, by Paul Johnson
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
San Diego County Native Plants, 2nd Ed. by James Lightner
Afoot & Afield in San Diego County, by Jerry Schad
The Best Spring Ever – Why El Niño Makes the Desert Bloom, by Janice Emily Bowers, photography by Carll Goodpasture

Essential Desert Books from ABDNHA

Cover of Borrego Beginnings: Early Dayis in the Borrego Valley, 1910-1960, by Phil Brigandi Borrego Beginnings: Early Days in the Borrego Valley, 1910-1960, by Phil Brigandi
Hiking in Anza-Borrego Desert: Over 100 Half-Day Hikes, by Robin Halford
Guide to Birds of Anza-Borrego, by Barbara W. Massey
Old Time Cattlemen and Other Pioneers of the Anza-Borrego Area, by Lester Reed

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.

2009 Calendar. Photos by Sabina Harte. Introduce everyone on your list to the scenic beauty and vast wonders of plant and animal life in our desert…a month at a time! Filled with twelve splendid color photos of the Anza-Borrego area, this 41/2 x 8-1/4” spiral bound calendar will stand on your desk all year to remind you of our desert’s special beauty...and the date.

Developed especially for ABDNHA. Members: $14.94; Nonmembers: $16.87.

Desert-inspired Jewelry

Photo of Turtle Pin

Beautiful sterling pin/pendant. Choose turtle, dragonfly or both! Handcrafted in the USA of pastel mosaic inlay—genuine stones are green variscite, turquoise, pink coral, and denim lapis. Such pretty and interesting jewelry to be worn as a pin, or add a chain to make a unique, delicate necklace. Southwestern silver elegance. $30 each.

dragonfly pin photo

Perfect T-shirts and Ball Caps for the Desert

Photo of Bighorn Sheep Ballcap

Bighorn Sheep Baseball Cap. Now here is one good looking hat! A very serious bighorn embroidered on the front, Anza-Borrego on the back. Air vents, pure cotton, adjustable so one size fits all. Washable. Olive-green. $17.95.

tee shirt dyed with 100% red dirt

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.

Quail

Tail Feathers Tee. A happy quail family dances across the front of our soft and very feminine tee. 30% rayon added to the cotton fabric helps it keep its relaxed fit and will make it her favorite. Machine wash and dry. Wonderful colors. Choose from aquatic blue, pear green, dark chocolate. $22.95.

Notecards in Desert Designs by Henry Mockel

Ocotillo notecards 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.

Quail notecards by Henry R. Mockel

Gifts for Kids

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.

Gifts of Music

Cover of Songbirds at Sunset CD
Songbirds at Sunset CD. A lovely way to unwind at the end of the day. Like the warm hues of the setting sun, lingering voices of songbirds glow in the company of piano, flute, violin and cello.

Also available, a real favorite, Songbirds at Sunrise. $16.95 each.

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.

New member packet includes 6 bird bookmarks, logo decal, and newsletter. 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. $25.

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.