The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for 1 in every 10 acres of land in the U.S.
The Coachella Valley Preserve, located just outside of Palm Springs, California, is a wildlife preserve that includes over 20,000 acres of land, 880 acres of which are a part of the Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve, which is full of water that seeps out of the San Andreas Fault. Many marked trails go through and around this oasis while on the outskirts are uncharted sand dunes that were formed by particles that washed away from the San Bernardino Mountains and Indio Hills and into the Coachella Valley over thousands of years.
The Coachella Valley Preserve and Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve are owned and maintained by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), a US government organization that strives to keep the preserves clean and safe for the wildlife that resides there. The BLM requires no fee for visitors to enter and camp there.
The Pushawalla Palms trail is a loop trail that follows a path through the dusty desert landscape before reaching an area of lush palm trees. The path also begins on a boardwalk.
Length: 4.4 miles
Intensity: Moderate
The McCallum Trail is an out-and-back trail that takes hikers through the Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve and ends at Simone Pond.
Length: 1.8 miles
Intensity: Easy
The Moon Country Loop is a path that winds through the Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve and leads hikers and bikers to Vista Point where they can catch a glimpse of Palm Springs from above.
Length: 4.1 miles
Intensity: Moderate
The Coachella Valley Preserve is known for its variety of rare wildlife. This valley is the only place in the world where the Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard can be found, and this lizard depends on the shoreline of the oasis for survival by burrowing in the dunes and swimming quickly through the water to escape predators. You can also see the endangered desert pupfish in some of the ponds along the hiking trails through the Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve. Other rare animals that you may encounter include Coachella roundtailed ground squirrels, giant red velvet mites, flat-tailed horned lizards, and giant palm-boring beetles.
Also common to the valley are black-tailed jackrabbits, bobcats, sidewinders, and over 183 species of birds, including the Gambel's quail, black-throated sparrow, phainopepla, black-tailed gnatcatcher, and American bittern. As for vegetation, wildflowers are abundant as are creosote bush, burrobush, smoke tree, and desert lavender.
You may find some benches set up along the trails within the Coachella Valley Preserve where you are permitted to have picnics. There are also some seating areas around the visitor center where you can enjoy a picnic, but if you'd like to enjoy your meal in a quieter area, consider bringing your own blanket or seating to set up on the dunes.
The California desert offers a great opportunity for stargazing since it is generally in the wilderness and far from the light pollution of nearby cities. However, the desert here is also quite chilly at night, so visitors wanting to stargaze at Coachella Valley Preserve should bring supplies to stay warm, like blankets or battery-operated heaters. When you stargaze at this preserve, you may be able to even see the Milky Way in the night sky, which is rare to catch a glimpse of unless you are far away from city life.
Bureau of Land Management campgrounds are great options for tent and backpack campers, but they aren't always RV accessible. If you'd like to take your RV camping near Coachella Valley Preserve, consider looking at a campground like the Palm Springs/Joshua Tree KOA that has full hookups, a pool, and a hot tub area. You may also want to try the Palm Springs RV Resort, which also has hookups, a pool, a hot tub, and free Wi-Fi, and it is located close to shopping centers.
When you're searching "BLM camping near me," check out the dispersed camping options at Coachella Valley Preserve. Visitors are permitted to camp for up to 14 days at a time in the preserve so long as they do not disturb the wildlife, and camping in this area does offer Bureau of Land Management free camping with no fees. However, camping here is primitive, meaning there are no electrical or water hookups, so campers should plan and pack accordingly. If you'd like to camp in the Coachella Valley Preserve, consider setting up camp in the dunes, far from the hiking trails in the oasis, so you will be in solitude.
Summers in the Coachella Valley Preserve are quite hot, so plan on bringing plenty of drinking water and things like sunscreen and battery-operated fans as needed. There may be some trash receptacles near the preserve entrance and visitor center, although it helps to bring your own small trash bags to collect your trash when you plan on taking long hikes or camping in the preserve area. Before you head out on your trip, check out our blog for all you need to know about BLM camping.
Everyone who visits or camps in a BLM-owned area is asked to follow the Leave No Trace guidelines, which are meant to protect the natural environment of the United States. These guidelines are simple to follow and include things like not feeding the wildlife, disposing of trash off the land, and leaving anything you find in its natural place.
The Coachella Valley Preserve is located about 10 miles east of Palm Springs. To access it, take I-10 to the Bob Hope exit, and then go north and turn right to Varner Road. From there, turn left onto Ramon Road, and then continue east until you reach Thousand Palms Canyon Drive. From there, you will turn left and find the preserve entrance and parking lot about two miles up the road.
Ready to visit Coachella Valley Preserve? An RV rental is a great way to experience your destination. Not only will you be close to all the action, but at the end of a long day exploring, you’ll have your RV to return to for the night where you’ll enjoy a full kitchen, bathroom, and nice soft bed. Not sure about renting an RV? Here’s a step-by-step guide to renting an RV with RVshare.
