Out in the desert near Indio and Palm Desert is an interesting place to explore called the Coachella Valley Preserve. Within it are miles of trails to explore, including the 4 mile Pushwalla Palms Loop.
The parking at the trailhead is free, and there are maps here , for figuring out where to go. The cell service is not great here, so I would recommend downloading a map from alltrails before you go.
The 880 acre Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve is located on the northern edge of the Indio Hills. It has scenic views of the Little San Bernardino Mountains and Joshua Tree National Park. There are many habitats here such as a Palm Woodland Oasis, a Desert Wash, Desert Scrub, and even Desert Riparian areas in the preserve, which is managed by the Bureau of Land Management.
You can learn more about the Coachella Valley Preserve here.
This was helpful, in knowing the names of the trails, how long they would be, along with how strenuous. Alltrails does not have all these trails marked.
I started hiking across this desert wash, heading towards this hillside, where I would start to climb.
As I headed uphill, there were views across the wash of Joshua Tree National Park to my left, along with several other mostly barren looking foothills.
There was very little vegetation here, which could be due to a multitude of factors. The first being how hot it gets here, the second would be a lack of a consistent water source, and the third would be wind. The desert is known for its windstorms, and accompanying sandstorms.
The trail was quite rocky along this ridge. The trail was easy to follow, by simply sticking to the ridge.
There was some love thrown in, amongst the rocks, and stones. Maybe someone left their heart in the desert?
I edged closer to the oasis, and could finally spot the Pushwalla Palms Oasis in the distance.
The hike on down into this oasis would take more time than I had. Since daylight was waning, I had to cut the loop a bit short, an head back to the car.
You don’t want to hike in the desert at night, due to sidewinders, an aggressive fast moving, and venomous snake.
Sometimes I wonder how these creosote trees, manage to survive. They are a true testament of endurance.
I guess you can do anything, surviving in harsh conditions, if you put your mind to it, and your roots run deep.
I hope you enjoyed reading this, and it is helpful in knowing what to expect, should you decide to visit here.
About me
I’m Serafina! I’m a writer and California girl who loves to go exploring. Hope you will get outside today, breathe some fresh air, and be happy!
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Disclaimer: The work on this blog is my opinion and my opinion alone and I am not responsible for the outcome if someone were to apply these thoughts to their own life. All text and photography copyright 2023 by Serafina, all rights reserved. Information and opinions provided are kept current to the best of the author’s ability. All readers’ usage of the ideas and opinions presented in the blog, are at their own risk. Be aware of the possible dangers of hiking, surfing, walking, cooking, and other activities, which may take place indoors or outdoors. By reading this, you agree not to hold the author or publisher of the content on this web site responsible for any injuries or inconveniences that may result from reading the blog, or partaking in any activity mentioned in the blog. Read the blog, and use its ideas, if you so desire, at your own risk.
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