Cahuilla Canyon Palm Oasis

November 26, 2009

On Thanksgiving day I tried to eat myself to death. I almost succeeded, but not quite. In my state of over indulgence, I decided to take a little hike and try and get some of the mass quantities to start digesting. Calvin was up for joining me and so we headed out. We didn't have a lot of time, since it was getting late in the day, so we opted to check out a small oasis that I'd been to once before, but Calvin hadn't. This oasis is located in the Cahuilla Canyon, where we have done quite a few hikes over the years.

We started out from the road head, parking in a construction zone. I wasn't too worried, since I knew that no-one would be working this late in the day, much less on Thanksgiving.

Part of the new construction project

The first part of the hike goes up along a levy next to a condominium project, this part of the trail is really a road. You can see that lots of people like to take their dogs for a walk along this road and a few of them actually pick up after their dogs. Too bad it's not the more common. As the road bends around behind the condo complex, you arrive at the base of the hills.

Starting up the road

At the bend in the road, the regular trail goes up the hillside

The regular trail goes up the hillside, but we started out across the aluvial fan. There are some good examples of barrel cactus along through here, unfortunately one of the best ones has died.

Hiking across the aluvial fan

Soon we arrive at the base of a small hill, the regular trail goes on the left side of the hill, but our route takes us over to the right. As we head up the wash, the brush gets heavier and heavier and we find a use trail that starts up the hill. We diagonal up to the right, slowly working our way up to the top and then we go across a relative flat area and soon we are looking down into the oasis.

On the diagonal use trail

Looking down into the oasis

The last time I was at this oasis, there was a bee hive in the rocks, but they seem to have moved on. I am surprised that there are so many palms, it's been years, but I expected less than a dozen trees. We spend a little time looking around. I notice that the batteries are dying on the camera, so I had to be sparing with my photography. Since the sun is setting, we head back to the car.

Exploring the oasis

Enjoying the views

We took a slightly different route, which is worse while up on the hill, but when we drop down to the regular trail it gets much better. We stay in the wash instead of the trail, which is dusty, and enjoy rock hopping. Soon we are back on the road and then to the car. Not a very long hike, but enjoyable.

Back at the car, just in time

A short video of the hike