The Springs and Palms of Palm Springs

We're back in snow-covered and cold Wisconsin but we had one wonderful week in Palm Desert, California. This is only the second time we've been to this part of California and we are still learning a lot about the area.

One of the most intriquing and unusual activities we experienced during our vacation last week was a four-mile hike in an area that the ancient dwellers of Palm Springs inhabited thousands of years ago. It's also the place where Palm Springs gets its name.

A short drive outside the city of Palm Springs and into the hills that surround it is the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation and where some of the most unusual mix of desert terrain and lush vegetation and micro climate changes I have ever experienced are found.

Visit this site to learn more about the Indian Canyons of Palm Springs.

If you are ever lucky enough to make this journey, just make sure your vehicle can fit through this rock formation. We had a very large van for our group of 8 sun-and-golf-seekers and we were able to pass through.

The shifted rock formations in the area look like this could be San Andreas Fault Country!

Perhaps even more scary was this warning sign.

But the breathtaking beauty of the first glimpse of the oasis of palm trees in the valley below, fed by natural spring water, made the earthquake fault and rattle snakes worries disappear - temporarily at least.

Even more exhilarating was walking down into the oasis and looking up at the very old palms with their natural skirts. The temperature at the bottom of the valley was at least 15 degrees cooler than the area surrounding it.

The palm trees are up to 60 feet high and are all from the same species - Washingtonia filifera, the only palm native to western North America. This is the largest cluster of these palms to be found anywhere.



The springs are fed by mountain run off and what little rain does fall on the desert eventually reaches impermeable rock or clay layers, sometimes at great depth, and then flows underground.

To continue on the hike to the arid desert hills beyond, we had to take off our shoes and ford the springs.

The hiking trail took us high into the desert trail. If you look very closely, you can see the palm tree oasis far, far below where I was standing taking this photo. Needless to say, you need to be healthy enough to take some cardio stress and a water bottle is an absolute must.



The reward on this arid side of the hike was seeing the barrel cactus in bloom after the recent rains in southern California.

This area also had a beauty of its own.

Hikers (us included) left our own Cairn rock piles.

Another grove of palms with high desert on either side was spectacular from above.

Back down and across the springs.



We were exhausted and thrilled to have seen the 'real' Palm Springs!

Since my outdoor view has been filled with gray and white for such a long time, I'm happy to share my Palm Springs hike with Susan at A Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday this week!