Day Hiking Trails: Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument

Showing posts with label Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument. Show all posts

Friday, April 7, 2023

Trail runs through oasis to cool stone pools

The Stone Pools sit in a narrow canyon
where boulders capture flowing water.

The following article was originally written for and published by the Uken Report.

Day hikers can explore the San Jacinto Mountains backcountry on their way to exotic stone pools in Palm Springs, California.

The segment of the Palm Canyon Trail hike runs 6 miles round trip and gains 880 feet elevation. The trail starts in Indian Canyons, heads through North America's largest oasis, and continues into the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument to the Stone Pools.

To reach the trailhead, in Palm Springs from Calif. Hwy. 111 go south onto South Palm Canyon Drive. In two miles, you’ll reach the Indian Canyons tollgate; there is a fee per adult and a lower rate per child. Shortly after the toll, the road splits; go right to the parking area next to the Trading Post. The trailhead is on the lot’s southeast side.

An exhibit of native dwellings sit near the oasis’ entry. Tawny, mostly barren, foothills rise above the canyon.

Oasis
Stepping into the oasis, you’ll feel like you’re on the set of a Tarzan or Jurassic Park movie. Hundreds of California fan palms nestle around Palm Creek (sometimes referred to as Palm Canyon Creek on maps and in articles), where water runs in winter and spring.

The largest of the fan palms towers 10 stories high and stretches three-feet wide. Some of the palms grow in fun, unique shapes, including one whose trunk has curled like an elephant trunk so its fronds can catch sunlight.

In about a mile, the trail crosses Palm Creek and climbs up the canyon's south side to the ridge.

Once atop the ridge, you've entered the San Jacinto backcountry. Great views looking into nearby canyons and plenty of barrel and cholla cacti await.

At two miles in, the route reaches a jeep trail that follows a wide wash. Go straight-right rather than follow the wash.

The trail fizzles to a faint path at about three miles in. It continues climbing above the canyon on the right, but rather than follow it, stop and look into that canyon. You'll see a narrow trail that descends about 30 feet into it. Take that spur trail.

Stone Pools
The spur ends at the Stone Pools. Boulders and a narrowing gorge trap water flowing downhill and form beautiful pools. The greater the winter snows at the top of the San Jacinto Mountains, the higher the amount of water in the pools.

There's plenty of space to picnic at the pools, so if hiking in the morning bring a basket. Be sure to carry out what you carry in. Do not drink from the creek.

After taking in the sights, retrace your steps back though the oasis to your vehicle.

Except in the oasis, there’s no shade on the trail, so be sure to don sunscreen, sunglasses and sunhat. Hiking boots and a trekking pole are recommended to keep your balance when ascending the canyon wall.

Indian Canyons opens at 8 a.m. and closes at night, so this is no spot for a dawn hike. A popular trail, it can be crowded on weekends.

TRAIL TOPO MAPS

Click on map for larger version.

Thursday, March 2, 2023

Henderson trail delivers green spring desert

The Earl Henderson Trail runs between Indian Canyon
and Araby Cove in Palm Springs

The following article originally was written for and published by Uken Report.

Day hikers can enjoy an elevated view of Palm Springs along the Earl Henderson Trail.

During March, the 3.3-miles round trip trail usually is green with plenty of wildflowers. The trail sports a 377-foot elevation gain in the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument.

To reach the trailhead, from South Palm Canyon Road in Palm Springs, turn left/east onto Bogert Trail. Immediately after crossing Palm Canyon Creek, turn left/north and park at the end of the road. This is the Garstin Trailhead.

At 0.1 miles, take the trail heading left/east, which is the Earl Henderson. This segment of the trail runs along the side of Cahuilla Peak (which tops out at 1552 feet above sea level) a few feet above Palm Creek and its wash. This offers great views of Palm Springs below and the Little San Bernardino Mountains on the valley’s other side.

Barrel cactus
During March, flowers usually bloom, and the desert turns green.

California barrel cactus is most impressive along this segment. It typically is spherical when young and cylindrical when older, sometimes reaching a height of 6.6 feet. On young barrel cactus, the needles are straight and red, but they curve and gray as the cactus ages.

As March ends and especially during April, look for the brilliant yellow or orange flowers on the barrel’s top.

Later in the season, the cactus bears flowers that are maroon outside and bright yellow inside with red or yellow centers on the side that faces the sun. The fleshy, hollow fruits are yellow.

At 1.1 miles, the Shannon Trail junctions the main route from the right/southeast. It climbs the foothill to Cahuilla Peak. Continue left-straight/east.

Araby Cove
The trail gets squiggly as it dips in and out of washes and switchbacks down the foothill into Araby Cove. As descending, pause and look back at views of Palm Springs and the San Jacinto Mountains.

At 1.65 miles, it reaches a wash on the cove’s west side. You can treat this as a point-to-point hike by having someone pick up on Landsdale Road, or you can retrace your steps back to your vehicle.

The trail is named for Earl “Lucky” Henderson, a former president of the former Desert Riders, which built a number of trails in the San Jacinto foothills.

Though there are times when the mountains leave the foothills in shadow, it’s otherwise open to the sun. Given this, be sure to don sunscreen, sunglasses and sunhat and bring water. Dogs are allowed on trail.

Earl Henderson Trail aerial map.
Click for larger version

Learn more about national park day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks series.

Monday, October 3, 2022

Bighorn sheep, twisted rocks await on trail

Narrow canyons run through the Magnesia Springs area.
The following article originally was written for and published by Uken Report.

Hikers can see bighorn sheep and fantastic geological shapes on a trail

into Rancho Mirage’s Magnesia Springs area.

The 3.7 miles out-and-back Magnesia Springs Canyon Trail sports at a maximum of 449 feet elevation gain in the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument. It crosses an area sometimes referred to as Magnesia Falls. This trail is only accessible between Sept. 30 and Jan. 1 and then from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

To reach the trailhead, from Calif. Hwy. 111, in Rancho Mirage turn south onto Mirage Road. Leave your vehicle at the lot for Blixseth Park. Head south on the sidewalk along the park’s west side. The opening section of the route is popular with trail runners.

Not barren at all
At 0.1 miles, cross the bridge over the Magnesia Storm Channel going northwest. Once the trail traverses the wash, turn left/southwest and stay on the single track paralleling it. Be careful not to head west into the foothills.

The wash and canyons may look barren, but a surprising number of plants and animals live here. Creosote, nine types of cactus, and 93 annuals have been identified here and deeper into the canyon. Bell’s vireo, the prairie falcon, and the southwestern willow flycatcher also make their home here, especially during the summer.

The trail at about 0.4 miles follows the narrow space between the foothill and waterway with Porcupine Creek Golf Club on your right/east.

About 1.15 miles in, the trail gets tricky. You’ve reached the impoundment area to control flooding from Porcupine Creek and other mountain runoff channels. If rain is forecast or has fallen during the past 48 hours, don’t go any further. Otherwise, head down the angled concrete wall into the dry reservoir. Once you do that , you’ve entered the Magnesia Spring Ecological Reserve.

Your options
From there, you’ve got two options – go left/south directly into a canyon or head right/southwest up a short earthen dam wall into another wash.

The route to the left typically is the way shown on trail maps. You can go farther than the other option, but the trail will be rockier.

For most of the way, the canyon walls rise steeply above you. The turnaround point is at 1.87 miles when the ascent hits too steep of a wall to climb over.

Heading right back at the impoundment takes you through a wash so will be sandy. Its end points are a bit more dramatic, however.

After cresting the earthen dam wall – take the trail on the canyon’s right/south side to prevent erosion – a wide wash splits. Going left/south takes you to a palm tree with a rock wall you can scramble up into a narrow canyon. In one turn, though, a much higher rock wall blocks you from going further.

Head right/northwest, though, and you can make a feel more turns into the increasingly narrow canyon before hitting the same too-tall-of-a-wall obstacle. The trail ends at a small cave-like undercut in the rock, created over the centuries by the splash of flowing water down the steep walls into the canyon.

Bighorn sheep
The two great sights to see in the three canyons are peninsular bighorn sheep and twisted rock layers.

While bighorn sheep aren’t always present, keep an eye out for them standing on the mountainside above you. They blend in quite well with the tawny landscape, but their size gives them away when they move.

Adult rams can weigh between 150-200 pounds – as much as a full-grown man – and ewes usually are 100-125 pounds. The adult ram’s horns sometimes reach 30 inches each in length and at the base are 15 inches in circumference.

Bighorn sheep often can be seen feeding on acacia, encelia, krameria and sweetbush, but they will adapt their diet to what’s available. During summer, the ecological preserve is a vital water source for the sheep.

Fascinating rock layers
These foothills – as well as the other peaks in the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument – began to form about 150 million years ago during the Jurassic when the North American tectonic plate began to ride over the Pacific plate. The buried plate, under great pressure and heat, turned to molten magma that slowly rose, mixing with and morphing the sedimentary layers above. This created the mahogany-colored rock seen today in the mountainsides from Palm Springs to Palm Desert.

About 50 million years ago, under continued tectonic pressure, the land crumpled and pushed up the mountains we see today from the Santa Ana Mountains near Riverside to the tip of Baja California a thousand miles away. Erosion has stripped away some of the sediment covering the rocks, exposing them. In Magnesia Canyon, many are bent at odd angles or form odd, interesting shapes, such as several layers making an S shape in the canyon wall.

There’s no shade at all on the trail, so be sure to don sunscreen, sunglasses and sunhat. You’ll want to wear quality hiking boots and carry a trekking pole for the portion of the hike past the impoundment area. Dogs are not allowed on the trail.

Magnesia Springs Canyon Trail. Click on map for larger version.

Monday, September 19, 2022

Vista awaits 110 stories above Palm Desert

The Bump and Grind Trail heads up the foothills
overlooking Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage.

The following article originally was written for and published by Uken Report.

Great views – and an invigorating workout – await on the Bump and Grind Trail in the Palm Desert-Rancho Mirage, Calif., area.

A 4-mile loop and spur, the route actually combines three trails – the Mike Schuler, the Hopalong Cassidy, and the Mirage. It’s located in the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument.

To reach the trailhead, from Calif. Hwy. 111 in Palm Desert, turn west onto Fred Waring Drive. Go left/south onto Painters Path. The trailhead is in about 100 yards on the right/west. Park along the street. The trailhead is in Palm Desert, but most of the hike occurs in Rancho Mirage’s city limits.

At the trailhead, you can go one of two directions. Use the Mike Schuler Trail, which heads right/north and connects to the Bump and Grind. You’ll start gaining altitude quickly, as the trail is steep. The views of Palm Desert – and later of Rancho Mirage – are quite striking. Some hikers tackle the trail for a night hike to see the grid pattern of lights below.

Mike Schuler segment
After switchbacking up the side of a small foothill, the trail heads west along its rolling tip. This offers a nice view of the Santa Rosa Mountains to the south. The Little San Bernardino Mountains and the Indio Hills are to the north.

There isn’t much in the way of wildlife or interesting flora on this part of the trail. You will see a lot of people, though, as it’s a popular route.

From the hilltop, the trail steeply descends – it’s a mean 9 degree grade – and crosses three washes. From there, it heads up the side of a foothill.

At 0.8 miles, you arrive at the top. There, the Mike Schuler junctions with the Mirage Trail, which heads left/west, and the Desert Drive Trail, going right/east.

Heading onto the Mirage Trail, go left/west onto it. You’ll following a ridgeline that rises above the path you’ve walked so far. From this segment of the trail, you can catch a good view of the Porcupine Creek Golf Club in the cove to the right.

Bighorn sheep
At 2 miles, the trail reaches a gate. A spur there leads to a summit, which is a half-mile away.

The trail to the summit passes through an important lambing area for peninsular bighorn sheep. Because of this, foot traffic to the summit is prohibited from Feb. 1-April 30. You still can hike the rest of the trail throughout the year. If you cut the trip to the summit, the hike becomes a 3-mile loop.

About 950 bighorn sheep live in the mountains surrounding the Coachella Valley. They blend in quite well with the tawny landscape, but their size gives them away when they move. Adult rams can weigh between 150-200 pounds – as much as a full-grown man – and ewes usually are 100-125 pounds. The adult ram’s horns sometimes reach 30 inches each in length and at the base are 15 inches in circumference.

Bighorn often can be seen feeding on acacia, encelia, krameria and sweetbush, but they will adapt their diet to what’s available. Indeed, father south in the Coachella Valley, some bighorn have migrated onto golf courses where they browse on the greens and drink from water hazards.

Summit view
The summit sits at 1,280 feet, a full 110 stories about Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage. This affords great views of both Mount San Jacinto and Mount San Gorgonio – the latter the highest point in Southern California – to the northwest.

Going south form the gate, you’ll descend the ridge and the side of the foothills, ultimately reaching the Hopalong Cassidy Trail. Take a left onto it and head back to the trailhead and your vehicle. The last quarter mile can be moderately strenuous – even though you’re going downhill, maintaining your footing on such a steep slope requires some effort.

While you can time the hike so you’re walking in the mountain range’s shadow, most of the day the trail is open to the sun. Be sure to wear sunscreen and don sunglasses and sunhat. Always carry plenty of water on this trail. If hiking at night, bring a flashlight.

Bump and Grind Trail topo map. Click for a larger version.

Thursday, February 10, 2022

La Quinta Cove trail heads to great vista

The vista from the top of the Boo Hoff Trail offers a view
of the Salton Sea.

The following article originally was written for and appeared in Uken Report.

Day hikers can enjoy great vistas and the ocotillo on a hike into the foothills from La Quinta Cove.

The Boo Hoff Trail runs 5.8-miles round-trip with an elevation gain of 1290 feet. It’s best done October-April; in fact, the trail is closed July 1 to Sept. 30 so hikers don’t disturb bighorn sheep.

To reach the trailhead, from Calif. Hwy. 111 in La Quinta, take Washington Street south. Next, turn right/west onto Eisenhower Drive. At Avenida Bermudas, go right/southwest; be aware that the street name changes to Calle Tectate. Turn left/south into the parking lot for the trailhead, which is directly across the street from Avenida Ramirez.

From there, you’ll cross the sandy, gradually ascending wash that sits at the Cove Oasis and head into the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument.

Ocotillos
At about 0.85 miles, the trail leave the wash and begins climbing a ridgeline that heads up Martinez Mountain’s base. The singletrack heads through desert terrain the entire way.

Patches of barrel cactus can be seen along the trail. Teddy bear cholla also pops up.

Without a doubt, though, the ocotillo steals the show, especially when it blooms. The ocotillo is fat here. If you hike the trail within a few days after rain, it bursts with green leaves. Bright crimson flowers also can appear, though they are more likely to do so in spring and summer than fall.

A mature ocotillo can reach a height of 33 feet. The plant consists of several branches that grow like poles from its base. Though the place looks like cactus, genetically it’s more closely related to the blueberry bush.

Desert wildflowers
Mid-February through April offers an opportunity to see a variety of desert wildflowers along the trail. Among them are the desert five-spot and the ghost flower.

The magenta desert five-star is easy to spot with its colorful petals against the tawny scrubland. Five pink to red circles on the petals form a dot-to-dot circle.

The white to manila ghost flower does not produce nectar so relies on mimicry to pollinate. It looks like the sand blazing star and so deceives the Xeralictus bee into checking it out.

A variety of birds and plenty of small lizards and mammals thrive on the slope. You’re also in bighorn sheep country, so keep an eye out for them. If spotting bighorn, stay on the trail to limit your effect on them.

One interesting insect you may spot along the trail is the master blister beetle. Ranging between a half-inch to 1.3-inches in length, you can’t miss its striking red head and black wings. Their larvae attack bee nests while the adult chews brittlebush leaves.

Though not poisonous, they can bite, so steer clear of them – though usually they will fly away if you do get close.

Historic trail to vista
At roughly 1.9 miles, the trail begins switchbacking to its top.

These switchbacks have existed for centuries. Originally a historic Indian path, an equestrian group during the 20th century improved it for use by horses. Today, hikers and a few mountain biker enthusiasts primarily use the Boo Hoff. The trail is named for the founder of the equestrian group, the Desert Riders.

You’ll reach the top at 2.9 miles. You’re at 1644 feet above sea level and will be treated to a great vista. The Salton Sea is to the northeast. The Martinez Landslide also is apparent. Just beyond it on the hillside is the waterline of ancient Lake Cahuilla. To the northwest is Mount San Jacinto, which looms over Palm Springs.

At the top, the Guadalupe Trail begins and heads up into a canyon to the southwest. Another trail loops east to La Quinta. The shortest way back to your vehicle, though, is to simply retrace your steps down the foothill.

As is typical of urban fringe trails in the Coachella Valley, there’s no shade, so be sure to don sunscreen, sunglasses and a sunhat. Dogs are not allowed on the trail.

MAPS

Click on map for larger version

Boo Hoff Trail topo map Plate 1

Boo Hoff Trail topo map Plate 2

Boo Hoff Trail topo map Plate 3

Thursday, June 17, 2021

Palm Desert, Calif., trail offers great workout

The Mike Schuler Trail is a hike more for those seeking exercise outdoors
than those looking to commune with nature.

Mike Schuler Trail aerial map. Click for larger version.

The following article originally was written for and appeared in Uken Report.

Sometimes trails aren’t about getting back to nature but just for exercising outdoors.

Such is the case with the Mike Schuler Trail in Palm Desert’s foothills. Though short at 1.6 miles, its 272 feet of elevation gain up and down two foothills, makes it a fantastic workout.

The trail overlooks both Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage. For backpackers or trail runners looking to get an even harder workout, the trail connects to the Bump and Grind Trail and as often done in conjunction with it; in fact, some trail maps identify this route with that name as well.

To reach the trailhead, from Calif. Hwy. 111 in Palm Desert, turn west onto Fred Waring Drive. Go left/south onto Painters Path. The trailhead is in about 100 yards on the right/west. Park along the street.

Up and down
At the trailhead, you can go one of two directions. The Mike Schuler Trail heads right/north and connects to the Bump and Grind. The section heading left/south runs to the Hopalong Cassidy Trail in Palm Desert.

Go right/north onto the Mike Schuler and enter the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument. You’ll start gaining altitude quickly as the trail is steep. The views of Palm Desert – and later of Rancho Mirage – are quite striking at night.

After switchbacking up the side of a small foothill, the trail heads west along its rolling tip. This offers a nice view of the Santa Rosa Mountains to the south. The Little San Bernardino Mountains and the Indio Hills are to the north.

There isn’t much in the way of wildlife or interesting flora on the trail. You will see a lot of people, though, as it’s a popular route.

Bump and Grind
From the hilltop, the trail steeply descends – it’s a mean 9 degree grade – and crosses three washes. From there, it heads up the side of a foothill.

At 0.8 miles, you arrive at the top. The trail junctions with the Bump and Grind, which heads left/west, and the Desert Drive Trail, going right/east. The latter descends to the end of Desert Drive in Rancho Mirage. This marks a good turnback spot.

The trail memorializes long-time Palm Desert resident Michael Schuler, who designed and built many horse and hiking trails in the area. Among them are the Hopalong Cassidy Trail, the Art Smith Trail, and Pacific Crest Trail segments. Schuler passed away in 2012.

You’ll want to wear sneakers with good tread if exercising. Water and sunscreen is a must, though, depending on the season the trail can be largely hiked in the shadows of the mountains to the west. Dogs are not allowed on the trail.

Thursday, April 1, 2021

California trail heads to ancient fish trap site

Some 500 years ago, Cahuilla Indians constructed fish
traps on what used to be the shores of Ancient Lake Cahuilla.

Fish Traps Trail topo map.
Click map for larger version.

The following article was originally written for and appeared in Uken Report.

Day hikers can explore an ancient fishing site on an extinct lake south of Indio, Calif.

The 1.4-miles round trip Fish Traps Trail rambles past petroglyphs, pottery shards, bedrock mortars, and other artifacts at the Fish Traps Archeological Site. It sits in the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument.

To reach the site, from Interstate 10

in Indio take Jackson Street south. After passing 64th Avenue, the road curves east and becomes Avenue

66. The trailhead is at the point of the curve where Jackson Street becomes Avenue 66. Park on the right/south side of the road.

Walk west on the rocks alongside the orchard fence. Upon reaching the fence's end and the foothill's base, go right/north. The terrain will be full of scree, so be careful with your steps.

Ancient Lake Cahuilla
About 500 years ago, this was a shoreline for Ancient Lake Cahuilla. The freshwater lake covered the southern half the Coachella Valley and all of what is now the Salton Sea. Any place in the valley lower than 40 feet above sea level was under water.

The first set of petroglyphs appears in about 200 feet. Etched into the tufa rock - which is calcium carbonate formed by precipitation from warm water - is a spiral shape, a lizard, etch marks, and other forms that look like either birds or palm trees depending on your perspective.

These markings were made by the ancestors of today's Cahuilla Indians. Lake Cahuilla sat at the southern end of their range, which covered about half of Riverside County and stretched across the Mojave Desert north into San Bernardino County.

Continuing along the foothill's base, in about 350 feet is a bedrock mortar and pestle in a small boulder. The mortar is the bowl while the pestle is the rock that fits into a hand next to it. This was used to crush and grind ingredients into powder.

Fish trap technology
About 50 feet beyond that is a fish trap. Rocks were piled in a circle so that when fish swam into them they could be more easily captured.

In other cases, stones on the lake bottom were removed to form pits. This can be spotted in about 1000 feet and then again in 1200 feet. Archeologists believe this site is one of the few places in the world where stone pits were built to trap fish.

With Lake Cahuilla 20 times larger than the present day Salton Sea, there was plenty of freshwater fish to go around. The stone fish traps were so effective that the lake supported at least 20,000 people and perhaps up to 100,000.

A small rocky trail heads up the scree to what once was an ancient campsite. As you ascend, watch for the change in the rock color forming a horizontal line across the scree; this marks the ancient lake's water level.

Pottery sherds, broken animal bones likely used as tools, and the shells of creatures that once lived in the lake also can be found along the way and in the scree. At about 0.7 miles from the trailhead, the artifacts no long appear, so that makes a good turnaround point.

Evaporated lake
When the Colorado River's changed course, Lake Cahuilla was left isolated and as with the Salton Sea today, evaporated. The lake dried up within 70-80 years, and the Fish Traps site was abandoned.

As the tufa is fragile, be careful where you step, and do not touch any of the petroglyphs. The tufa easily can break off, damaging the site or cutting you.

Do not take anything from the site or move about objects. Scratching your own initials into the tufa is considered vandalism so please refrain from doing so.

As the entire site is exposed to the sun, always don sunscreen, sunglasses and sunhat. Good hiking boots are recommended, as you'll cross or walk around scree.

Thursday, January 7, 2021

Hike heads to oasis nestled in desert hills

An oasis sits in a fold in Bear Creek Canyon high in the foothills behind
La Quinta, California.

Bear Creek Canyon Trail topo map. Click for larger version.

The following article originally was written for and published by the Uken Report.

Day hikers can enjoy a small oasis nestled in the foothills over La Quinta, Calif., on the Bear Creek Canyon Trail.

This 8.3 miles out and back trail through Bear Creek Canyon and a ridgeline above it is not for the novice hiker. It sports 2,319 feet of elevation gain – that’s equal to about 232 flights of stairs. If you find it too difficult, you always can hike a segment of it.

The trail starts in La Quinta Cove. To reach the trailhead, from Calif. Hwy. 111 in La Quinta, turn south onto Washington Street. Then turn right/west onto Avenue 52 and from there left/south onto Avenida Bermudas. When this street fully curves west, it becomes Calle Tecate. A parking lot for the trail is on the street’s left/south side, across the road from Avenida Ramirez.

From the lot, the trail heads southwest into the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument. It’s fairly flat and sandy for about the first two miles as heading across a dry creek bed and wash. Be careful not to turn left/east onto the Boo Hoff Trail or connectors to it.

At 1.3 miles, you’ll encounter boulders and a trail marker. Go right and look for another trail marker than begin a single track trail to the oasis. If you find yourself boulder hopping in a deep canyon, you’ve gone the wrong way.

Bighorn sheep
Though the trail is in great shape, you will need hiking boots to keep your footing as you ascend and so pebbles don’t get in your shoes. The ascent is definitely a good workout, with a few flat spots that offer relief and views.

Bighorn sheep sometimes often are spotted near this trail. Jackrabbits also have been seen, and harmless desert lizards are ubiquitous.

A diverse array of cactus can be found as climbing in altitude. During mid-March, a variety of beautiful desert wildflowers can be seen along the trail, especially after the three mile mark.

Around 3.8 miles from the trailhead, you’ll reach the lookout perch at the trail’s highest point. You’ll be treated to great views of the Coachella Valley, from the snow-capped San Jacinto Peak (during winter and early spring), the Little Bernardino Mountains on the other side of the valley, and the Salton Sea to the east. La Quinta stretches out in the valley floor below with Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage to the northwest.

Disappearing oasis
Next, the trail descends and heads around a bend. An oasis can be seen in the distance, about a third of a mile away.

About two-dozen California fan palms sit in a fold in the canyon. Temps here are a full 10 degrees cooler than in the sun, and it’s the only shade on the trail.

Since 2013, the oasis has been dying off, though exactly why is unclear. You’ll notice old, dead palms surrounding the oasis, and most of the ocotillo nearby also has perished. Drought and changing water flow underground as the ground shifts likely are to blame.

Be sure to don sunscreen, sunglasses and sunhat on this hike. Given the exposure to the sun and the trail’s length, bring plenty of water as well. To avoid life-threatening heat, hike this trail only in late autumn, winter and early spring. Dogs are not allowed on the trail.

Learn more about national park day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks series.

Monday, September 28, 2020

Trail heads through rare bighorn sheep area

An endangered bighorn sheep blends in almost perfectly on its cliffside
perch along the Carrizo Canyon Trail.

Carrizo Canyon Trail topo map. Click for larger version.

The following article originally was written for and appeared in the Uken Report.

Day hikers can see endangered bighorn sheep and fascinating rock formations on the Carrizo Canyon Trail near Palm Desert.

The 2.7-mile trail preserves a breeding ground and longtime water supply for peninsular bighorn sheep on 1000-acre Carrizo Canyon Ecological Reserve run by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Gaining 413 feet in elevation, the canyon leads to a waterfall and an overlook of the Coachella Valley. It is only open Oct. 1 to Dec. 31.

To reach the trailhead, from Calif. Hwy. 111 in Palm Desert, take Calif. Hwy. 74 (the Pines to Palms Highway) south into the mountains. Turn right/west into the Art Smith Trailhead parking lot.

The trail leaves from the western lot’s southern side, crossing a wide open wash. Water rushing down the Carrizo Canyon to the south and Dead Indian Canyon to the west formed the wash.

Creosote bush scrub dominates the sandy area. The wide variety of creosote bush species are a common sight across the Southwest, as they cover much of the desert floor and the flat alluvial fans of the Mojave, Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts. In the Coachella Valley, the Coahuilla Indians traditionally used the local variety for intestinal issues and tuberculosis.

After a mile, the wash and its soft sands give way to narrow Carrizo Canyon. Some of the Coachella Valley’s most interesting geologic wonders can be seen here, thanks to the intermittent stream carving through the mountainside. Colorful rock walls abound but most spectacular are the large twists and turns of the rocks as they’ve been folded and refolded over millions of years. These formations formed as the Pacific and North American tectonic plates slid against one another, just a few miles to the east at the San Andreas Fault.

Bighorn sheep
Keep an eye out for the bighorn sheep on cliffs overlooking the canyon. About 950 bighorn sheep live in the mountains surrounding the Coachella Valley. They blend in quite well with the tawny landscape, but their size gives them away. Adult rams can weigh between 150-200 pounds – as much as a full-grown man – and ewes usually are 100-125 pounds. The adult ram’s horns sometimes reach 30 inches each in length and at the base are 15 inches in circumference.

Bighorn often can be seen feeding on acacia, encelia, krameria and sweetbush, but they will adapt their diet to what’s available. Indeed, some bighorn have migrated onto golf courses where they browse on the greens and drink from water hazards.

Lambs usually arrive in January-June, with most births in February-April. Sometimes parts of the trail are closed during birthing season. Golden eagles will prey upon the younger lambs; coyotes, mountain lions and wolves are the bighorn’s main predators.

If you don’t spot any bighorn sheep, don’t fret. There are plenty of other animals in the canyon, including mule deer, coyote, bobcat, gray fox, Gambel’s quail, mourning dove, and the black-throated sparrow. You’ll at least spot their tracks and likely hear the birds’ calls.

This section of the trail does require some agility, as you’ll have about a half-dozen climbs over boulders. The boulder fields largely are behind you., though, once you reach a lone palm tree, though.

Overlook and waterfall
You’ve also come to a fork in the trail.

Go left/southwest first. This heads to an overlook with a nice view of Coachella Valley and a tucked away palm oasis. Palm Desert takes up most of the view with the hills of the Coachella Valley Preserve just behind it. The brown mountains rising beyond that are the Little San Bernardinos, which forms the Coachella Valley’s eastern wall.

Return to the lone palm tree and go right/southwest at the fork for a short walk to a seasonal waterfall. It’ll be dry in autumn with the waterway running through the canyon at best a trickle, but you can spot a lot of animal prints in the sand. If agile enough to climb up the roughly 12-foot waterfall, the trail continues to that small oasis of California fan palms.

Once you’ve taken in the waterfall or the oasis, retrace your steps back to the parking lot.

If you feel more comfortable hiking with others, be sure to check out the Thursday morning hikes offered in November and December by the Friends of the Desert Mountains. Volunteer trail guides offer a plethora of information about the canyon, help you search for wildlife, and even point out an Indian grinding stone.

If rain is falling, forecast or fell during the past day in the higher elevations, do not hike this trail, as flash flooding can occur. Always bring your own water and do not drink from the stream should it be flowing. Dogs also are prohibited on the trail, as canines – seen as predators – cause unnecessary stress to bighorn sheep.

Thursday, September 20, 2018

Bighorn sheep await on Palm Desert trail

The following article originally was written for and appeared at the Uken Report.

Hikers can enjoy panoramic views of the Coachella Valley with the opportunity to spot rare bighorn sheep on the Art Smith Trail.

The out-and-back trail runs 8.3 miles one way but can be shortened depending on your level of physical fitness. It’s best done September through May. Mornings offer cooler temperatures with the added bonus of blooming wildflowers if hiked after a rainfall.

To reach the trailhead, from Calif. Hwy. 111 in Palm Desert turn south onto Calif. Hwy. 74. In about four miles, just past the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto National Monument Visitor Center entrance, turn right/west into the parking lot. You also can park in a smaller lot before the reaching the visitor center entrance.

From there, follow the Dead Indian Creek wash roughly northwest via a 0.2-mile connector until reaching the Art Smith Trail proper. If you were able to park in the smaller lot north of the visitor center, cross the wash directly onto the trail.

Spectacular views
The three miles beyond the connector are strenuous, thanks to elevation gains. The trailhead starts at 1000 feet elevation and rises another 1465 feet.

Your reward for that effort are increasingly fantastic views of the Coachella Valley below. The Big Horn Golf Course and homes initially appears below then the whole of Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage with Cathedral City and Palm Springs to the northwest. Across the valley stand the Little San Bernardino Mountains and Joshua Tree National Park.

A variety of desert plants can be spotted along the trail. Barrel cactus, beavertail cactus with its magenta flower, Christmas and staghorn cholla, and fishhook cactus dominate. After a rainfall, though, bring a wildflower guide and see if you can spot blossoming blazing star, brittlebush, California Fagonbush, chia, chuparosa, creosote, desert lavender, desert lupine, indigo bush, pink globemallow, notch-leaf phacelia, Spanish needles, white desert puncushion, white globemallow, or the yellow sweetbush.

The trail passes plenty of interesting desert rock formations, many informally named after animals they resemble. Make a game of it and see if you identify Squirrel Rock, Gorilla Rock, Two Toads, and Turtle Rock.

Peninsular bighorn sheep
Certainly the highlight of the trail is spying the endangered Peninsular bighorn sheep, a Coachella Valley icon.

About 950 bighorn sheep live in the mountains surrounding the Coachella Valley. They blend in quite well with the tawny landscape, but their size gives them away. Adult rams can weigh between 150-200 pounds – as much as a full-grown man – and ewes usually are 100-125 pounds. The adult ram’s horns sometimes reach 30 inches each in length and at the base are 15 inches in circumference.

Bighorn often can be seen feeding on acacia, encelia, krameria and sweetbush, but they will adapt their diet to what’s available. Indeed – no doubt like hikers admiring the lush valley below – some bighorn have migrated onto golf courses where they browse on the greens and drink from water hazards.

Lambs usually arrive in January-June, with most births in February-April. Sometimes parts of the trail are closed during birthing season. Golden eagles will prey upon the younger lambs; coyotes, mountain lions and wolves are the bighorn’s main predators.

If no bighorn show, don’t fret. Plenty of other animals inhabit this seemingly desolate terrain, and your certain to see Baja California Collared and side-blotched lizards, roadrunners, chipmunks, and maybe even burrowing owls and chuckwallas.

Shorten the trail
Unless backpacking, you’ll want to cut this trail short rather than do the entire length. A couple of good spots to turn around are at a palm oasis – there’s one at 2.5 miles in then another at about three miles, where the trail mostly levels out.

Should you wish to continue onward, the trail at five miles passes palm-filled Magnesia Canyon’s upper reaches. After that, it intersects Hahn Buena Vista Trail at Dunn Road, offering more great views of the valley below. The Hahn Buena Vista connects with the Wild Horse and Garstin trails and ends in Palm Springs about eight miles on. Dunn Road and the Cathedral Canyon Trail head into Cathedral City.

The trail’s namesake was a trail boss for the Desert Riders. He developed a number of area trails to move horses from Palm Springs to Anza and escape the summer heat.

Note that the trail offers little shade, so be sure to don sunhat and sunscreen, as well as bring plenty of water. Also, to protect bighorn sheep, dogs are not allowed on the trail.

Learn about national park day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks series.

Meet the Author

My name is Rob Bignell. I'm a long-time hiker, journalist and editor. My son Kieran and I have been hiking together for the past decade. Before Kieran, I taught middle school students in New Mexico and Wisconsin, served as an infantryman in the Army National Guard, and worked in newspapers. I've won several journalism awards, from editorial writing to sports reporting. In 2001, The Prescott Journal, which I served as managing editor of, was named Wisconsin’s Weekly Newspaper of the Year. Currently I own and operate an online editing business, Inventing Reality Editing Service. After spending several years in Southern California, my son and I now live in Wisconsin on the scenic Red Cedar River.