Craig Romano
With its sweeping dunes, deep canyons, palm oases, rolling desert hills and stunning views of towering mountains, the Coachella Valley Preserve may move you. And being situated right on the San Andreas Fault, the preserve may literally move you as well!
But be more concerned about the heat (avoid hiking here during the summer months) than tectonic shifts. Located in the Indio Hills, this 20,000-acre preserve is just a few miles from Palm Springs, offering a wonderful natural retreat from the valley’s golf courses, shopping centers and casinos.
Managed by the Center for Natural Lands in cooperation with several government agencies, the preserve protects some of the last large dune systems in the area as well as one of the largest oases of native California fan palms (the only native palm in the Western United States). But it was actually an endangered reptile that led to its and the adjacent Coachella Valley National Wildlife Reserve’s establishment. These wild tracts just above the valley’s tony housing developments and commercial venues provide some of the last habitat for the Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard, which is well-suited for this harsh environment where surface temperatures can reach 140 degrees. With its wedge-shaped nose for burrowing in fine sand, scaled ears to keep out blowing sand and its ability to breath in the sand without inhaling sand particles, it’s well-adapted well to live in the shifting dunes.
Craig Romano
Most visitors to the preserve however are more interested in the native California fan palms (Washingtonia filifera), with their signature grassy skirts of dead fronds. And, yes, this palm’s scientific name is indeed named for George Washington due to a German botanist’s admiration for our first president. Thanks to the San Andreas Fault allowing underground water to flow to the surface, there are several palm oases in the preserve. And there’s more than 30 miles of trails leading to and through those oases. Start your exploration at the Thousand Palms Oasis area. Unfortunately, the small visitor center built in the 1930s with palm trunks is no longer open. But it’s here where the preserve’s most popular trails begin.
Without venturing far, wander through the Thousand Palms Oasis and follow the 1-mile McCallum Trail through Thousand Palms Canyon to spring-fed Simone Pond in the McCallum Palm Grove. Here look for the endangered desert pupfish. Look for several other threatened and endangered species along the way too, including the western yellow bat, the rosy boa (a docile constrictor) and the Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard.
From above look down on the canyon’s procession of palms forming the oasis; their waxy fan-shaped fronds flutter in the desert breezes. The Native Cahuilla peoples used the fronds for sandals, baskets and thatch. The palms also provided them with food. The frond skirts provide shelter for numerous birds, tree frogs, and invertebrates. And the palms provide shade to weary hikers who brave the desert sun to experience the intrigue and beauty of a wild natural desert oasis.
Find preserve information, hours and trail information at https://www.cnlm.org. Plan your visit to Palm Springs at https://visitpalmsprings.com/.