Halfway between Ramon and Dillon Roads on 1000 Palms Canyon Road is The Coachella Valley Preserve Visitors Center. This tract of land harbors numerous hiking trails as well as a large pond and running creek. As a direct result of The San Andreas Fault, The Thousand Palms Oasis is a tourist attraction like no other in the valley.
The Mission Creek branch of The San Andreas Fault runs through the center of The Coachella Valley and acts like an underground dam forcing ground water to surface. Where a break in the hills above the fault occurs causes the surfacing water to settle here. An environment is created naturally and is suitable for many types of vegetation as well as bugs and animal life.
The standing water is often visited by many types of migrating birds and it is quite the haven for bird watchers. The large groves of Palm Trees also shelter many rodents and reptiles which can attract larger animals like mountain lions and bobcats. At dusk bats are often seen feasting on the swarming insects.
Numerous trails travel off into every direction from the visitor's center and many hikers often have a difficult time deciding which path to take. It's a very easy hike from the visitor's center to McCallum Pond and from there many choose to continue on The Moon Trail to discover rock formations created by the shifting ground above The San Andreas Fault. Other areas include Hidden Palms and Willis Palms.
The history of our area is told in these geological formations and The Coachella Valley Preserve is a protected area. If the beauty of the desert calls to you or you would like to know the origins of the valley, then a visit here should be mandatory. The Visitors Center opens at 7am.
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