|
|
|
|
THINGS
TO DO IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA |
|
|
|
Coachella
Valley Preserve 1000 Palms
|
|
|
By Matthew
Martz |
How many old black and
white movies were made that included a scene of a thirst-quenched,
unshaven character of dubious integrity crawling on
his stomach through the desert in search of a mouthful
of water?
Well, you don't have to crawl to the Coachella Valley
Preserve, it's just a short, convenient, air-conditioned
drive from Los Angeles and Orange Counties.
Take a nice easy walk through a real oasis in the
middle of the desert, or work up a sweat under the
sweltering desert sun, and then retire for a cool
drink in the shade of a gorgeous palm grove.
No matter how you choose to spend your time at Coachella
Valley Preserve, you won't be disappointed.
Located 10 miles east of Palm Springs near 1,000
Palms, and fed by water seeping out of the San Andreas
Fault, this 17,000-acre Preserve is a natural refuge
where visitors can discover rare and wonderful wildlife
species while being surrounded by tight groves of
fan palm trees that look like tall hula dancers with
thick skirts moving in the wind.
Golden foothills and mesas, white dunes, and silent
canyons, are all home to the Coachella Valley fringe-toed
lizard, which is found nowhere else in the world,
as well as various other reptiles, birds, and big
cats.
Located in in the middle of an amazing
date palm oasis is the Paul Wilhelm Grove, which is
also the location of the Preserve’s rustic visitor’s
center. The area is also the hub of a diverse trail
system, and inside the historic building guests can
find trail maps as well as being treated to unique
displays of the natural and historic features of the
various Preserves in the area.
|
There are over 28 miles of trails leading
to a wide range of habitats, most of which are well marked,
with some having picnic areas atop wonderful vistas overlooking
the surrounding valley.
From easy to moderately difficult, from
flat terrain to steep grades, hikes of all varieties are
available for your enjoyment. There are also several designated
equestrian trails, but there are no bike or dog-friendly
trails.
One hike that is a sure bet for all levels,
is through varying desert terrain out to the McCallum
Grove, which is about a mile from the visitor's center.
There are about a dozen isolated palm groves within the
preserve, the largest being McCallum Grove.
There's more water here than anywhere
else in the preserve and the overflow allows a large and
diverse community to thrive, including tiny freshwater
crayfish called red swamp crayfish, desert pupfish and
the occasional mallard duck making a brief stopover during
its annual migration.
After leaving McCallum Grove keep hiking
west on marked trails out to "moon country".
You will come to an overlook that provides you with great
views of the entire area. From there you can return to
the visitor's center, or continue via the 4.2-mile Moon
Country Trail Loop, or the more advanced Moon Country
Canyon Extension, which adds an additional 1.63 miles
roundtrip.
Beyond that is Pushawalla Palms, Horseshoe
Palms and Hidden Palms, which are all more strenuous hikes.
|
If traversing by foot is not your thing,
a fun and unique way to see the Preserve is by covered
wagon.
And authentic old west tours are available
at Covered Wagon Tours in nearby La Quinta, Ca.
Adventurers will climb aboard a mule-drawn
wagon equipped with padded seats and a covered top with
open sides for easy viewing, occasionally stopping for
a close-up look at plants and animals along the way.
Guests are also treated to a delicious
cowboy barbeque at a designated campsite, and toast marshmallows
over an open campfire while listening to live western
entertainment.
While the Visitor Center is closed in
the summer from June 1 through August 31, the Preserve
remains open for hiking and picnicking year-round.
Coachella Valley Preserve is a nice way
to spend a day with its fantastic hiking trails, and beautiful
vistas, but best of all it's free and also easy to find.
Just take Interstate 10 East to the Ramon
Road exit. Turn left and follow Ramon Road and make a
left turn on Thousand Palms Road. The entrance to the
visitors center is located about two miles on the left.
Thanks to Sylvia Ender for the wonderful pictures of the
Coachella Valley Preserve.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Palm
Springs Tram ride from catus to the
clouds onboard 360 degree rotaing tram cars. |
|
|
The
Living Desert this one of a kind desert
zoo & gardens is an amazing desert oasis. |
|
Tahquitz
Canyon
is one of the crown jewels of southern California
early history. |
|
|
|
