Palm Springs

Christopher Gil

I have often tried to catch that short-lived, idyllic moment in late winter when the desert is in full bloom. This has proved elusive, for I would sojourn to the Southwest for a visit every year only to have missed the grand event. The timing of nature's show is capricious, being dependent upon winter precipitation and spring temperatures. Upon arrival, a local would invariably declare, "You should have seen it last week. The best ever." I rationalized that it couldn't be all that special anyway. How much could a desert bloom? Then that nagging feeling came over me again. It was time to head back to the desert to try and catch it at peak bloom.

I have been vacationing in Palm Springs for the past decade. It is a quick flight from Northern California, where I reside, yet a world apart. Palm Springs is action-central of the Coachella Valley. This appealing town was at the vanguard of desert tourism a hundred years ago, taking off in the mid-20th century, as evidenced by that period's omnipresent architecture. Many of these residences belonged to Hollywood celebrities who journeyed the 110 miles east for a respite.

Palm Springs has dramatically changed since the mid-1990's, evolving into a cosmopolitan enclave with more year-round denizens and not just folks who come down to escape winter in colder climates. The new combination of small-town charm and sophistication is a winner. One can now get a good Thai or Indian meal, and the cinemas show more independent flicks than before.

A story that epitomizes this cultural shift occurred a couple of years ago. My good friend, Brendan, traveled with me from his home in Los Angeles for a few days of relaxation in Palm Springs. Thursday nights in Palm Springs mean a street fair, with the legendary, main drag of Palm Canyon Drive becoming a pedestrian-only strip of street vendors pedaling their wares. We ran across a twenty-something guy originally from New Jersey and his spouse, who had been born in China. The latter was a talented artist, dealing in ceramics. Brendan and I were invited to come by this affable couple's home the next day to see more of her work. We chose to do so, visiting their cozy, ranch-style abode, its yard teeming with fruit trees. As we left, I turned to Brendan and said, "Boy, this place has changed. What are these two doing out here?" The demographics of the Coachella Valley have changed, with a more diverse populace enjoying all that desert life has to offer.

Palm Springs is fronted to the west by Mount San Jacinto. This is one of the steepest uplifts on the continent, and the mountain's 9,000-foot height is what impedes the bad air from the Los Angeles basin and Inland Empire region from reaching the Coachella Valley. The sun playfully illuminates this geological wonder, with my favorite hour being the early evening as the crevices are delineated. You can see one of nature's most intense juxtapositions by taking the fun Palm Springs Aerial Tramway (760-325-1391; http://www.pstramway.com) to the top, where the temperature is often thirty or forty degrees cooler than the valley below. Coined "the best show on cable," this 10-minute ride is a bit scary, but well worth getting past any fears you may have. The weather atop the mountain is perfect in summer, even when the valley below bakes at temperatures that can exceed 110 degrees. After ascending via this rotating tram, skirting the cliffs, you will be greeted by a land reminiscent of Lake Tahoe, with pockets of snow usually visible. You can dine at 8,500 feet, take a nature walk, hike, camp or enjoy winter activities atop Mount San Jacinto.

Heading to Palm Springs the third week in March, I was determined that this was my year. I decided to head to Indian Canyons, taking a tour headed by a naturalist guide from the Palm Springs Desert Museum (760-325-7186; www.psmuseum.org). I surmised that if there was blooming foliage somewhere amidst all that sand, she would be the one to find it.

Indian Canyons-which comprises the five canyons of Palm, Tahquitz, Murray, Andreas and Chino-was once home to Native Americans named the Cahuilla (pronounced Kaw-we-ah) and is a short drive from downtown (760-325-3400, then press line seven; www.indian-canyons.com). Advanced communities were developed here because there was an abundant water supply for flora and fauna. Such crops as corn, melons, squash and beans were cultivated; plants and seeds were used for making baskets and as natural medicines. Vestiges of this centuries-old culture remain in the way of petroglyphs, trails and house pits. Highlights of Indian Canyons are: the world's largest oasis of California Fan Palms (Washingtonia filfera), with trees living up to 90 years, towering as high as 75 feet and weighing up to three tons, in 15-mile-long Palm Canyon; the seasonal 60-foot waterfall of Tahquitz Canyon; the endangered Big Horn Sheep that may be spotted in the high ground above Murray Canyon; the unusual rock formations of Andreas Canyon; and Chino Canyon's scenic beauty.

My guide chose the popular Palm Canyon for our trek. Our group was small at about a dozen persons, with about half being locals and half visitors. As we started our walk, I was surprised to see flowering plants. After all of these years I was finally seeing something. The guide explained each plant's name and usage by the Cahuilla. We encountered an array of plants, including blooming Beavertail Cactus (Opuntia basilaris), with its delicate magenta flowers, growing on alluvial fans and dry slopes, and Desert Senna (Senna armata) emblazoning rocky flats and gravelly slopes. This unparalleled palette featured variegated hues and textures. Many plants cast dramatic shadows against nearby rocks. Some grew out of outcroppings, precariously perched above. I understood that of which everyone had been talking: it was a spectacular scene.

The grand prize was a Barrel Cactus (Ferocactus cylindraceus lecontei), topped by delicate, yellow flowers. The guide explained how the Cahuilla sometimes used Barrel Cacti as natural ovens: they would cut down the plant, place a hot stone inside and then bake their catch, for example a jackrabbit, over the course of a couple of days.

As surprised as I was to be seeing the desert's show, I was equally amazed at the cascading waters of the oasis we encountered. Fan Palms lined the creek's sides as far as the eye could see. These palms take in water via a mass of pencil-wide rootlets that are so dense that the roots of other plants cannot penetrate. The water was so inviting that one of the trekkers decided to jump in as the air temperature had climbed to 85 degrees by noon. I was thrilled at what I had seen, but had several more days to explore Palm Springs. There are a plethora of attractions for visitors. Interliners will particularly enjoy the Palm Springs Air Museum at 745 North Gene Autry Trail (760-778-6262; www.palmspringsairmuseum.org), with its extensive collection of WWII aircraft displayed in hangars. You can learn of the area's history and see great artwork at the Palm Springs Desert Museum at 101 Museum Drive; this edifice blends with nearby Mount San Jacinto. Also, it is always a treat to take a stroll along Palm Canyon Drive to people-watch, shop and eat, making sure to look down at the Hollywood celebrities who have their names emblazoned on the Walk of Stars. Note the Lucille Ball statue at the corner of Palm Canyon and Tahquitz Canyon-you'll find her sitting on a bench in one of her classic 1950's dresses.

Outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy the area's over 115 golf courses, and the mere 15 to 20 days of rain a year in this area means you will almost always be able to head to the greens.

Seven towns other than Palm Springs comprise the Coachella Valley. Desert Hot Springs, due north of Palm Springs, was named for the naturally occurring hot mineral waters that bubble up through the desert sands. The remaining six towns are east of Palm Springs and are traversed by Highway 111 through the main parts of town and Interstate 10 to the north. Due east of Palm Springs is Cathedral City, where those seeking nightclubs will find their venue. Affluent Rancho Mirage has many streets named after celebrities of yesteryear-Bob Hope, Dinah Shore and Frank Sinatra-and is now home to President Gerald Ford and was once home to Lucille Ball. Palm Desert's El Paseo, deemed the valley's Rodeo Drive, features more than 300 stores with everything a shopper could desire in its nine-block stretch of opulence. Indian Wells, the original watering hole to ancient tribes, has the highest per-capita income in the valley and is growing by leaps and bounds. La Quinta is another ritzy town and features some of the region's best golf. Finally, all the way east is Indio, the valley's largest city, which features a casino and stores galore.

SIDE TRIP

Joshua Tree: The Best Place to See the Show

The ideal place to see the desert's late-winter show is 794,000-acre Joshua Tree National Park (760-367-5500), about an hour-and-a-half drive northeast of Palm Springs. Here you'll witness the immensity, variability and fragility of the desert-a land shaped by sudden torrents of rain and climatic extremes. Streambeds are usually dry and waterholes are few, yet amidst this seemingly lifeless land is much more than meets the eye at first glance. This is especially true in late winter.

I was excited upon driving toward the park, for I encountered what looked like a field of yellow daisies. These were actually Desert Dandelions (Malacothrix glabrata), and these thousands of flowers danced in the zephyrs that blew across the desert floor. It was amazing to see the desert looking like a lush meadow.

The most intriguing plants were: the Ocotillo (Fouqueria splendens), with its orange-tipped shoots; Mojave Yucca (Yucca schidigera), with its intense splay of light-yellow flowers reminiscent of orchids; and Hedgehog Cactus (Echinocereus engelmannii), with paper-thin, magenta flowers.

The crown jewel of the park are the rare Joshua Trees (Yucca brevifolia). These grow at the higher elevations of the park, where rainfall averages six to eight inches a year rather than the three to four inches in the lower desert. Freezing temperatures are common on winter nights, so these plants are adapted to heat and cold. Legend has it that Joshua Trees, members of the lily family, were given that moniker by Mormons. These pioneers believed that the outstretched limbs of the trees were pointing them westward; the Mormons then named the plant after the biblical figure, Joshua. The tallest Joshua Tree in the park, in Queen Valley forest, is forty feet high and is estimated to be 300 years old. For a close-up look at an oasis, head to Cottonwood Spring, just seven miles from the park's southern entrance. The spring here is the result of seismic activity. In wet years, the water can flow quickly and red-spotted toads are visible. A number of hikes start at this point. The three-mile loop to Mastodon Peak offers spectacular views; the eight-mile, round-trip hike takes you past California Fan Palms in Lost Palms Oasis.

If you have only a few hours to spend in the park, drive in from the south entrance off I-10, past the Cottonwood Visitor Center, then take Pinto Basin Road to Park Boulevard, exiting at North Entrance Station and the town of Twentynine Palms. Highway 62 will take you back toward Palm Springs. Looking to hike? Black Rock Canyon, in the northwest corner of the park, is ideal. Camping is possible, but permits are required. Joshua Tree National Park offers something for everyone. Enjoy this desert wonderland and its late-winter show.

Christopher Gil is Managing Editor of the ASU Travel Guide.