What are your goals for 2023? Are you thinking of resetting and recharging with the help of outdoor adventure? If that’s your intention, there are plenty of trails throughout the Coachella Valley—including three new trails that have opened within the last five years.
The Kim Nicol Trail is a 5.6-mile moderate loop with an elevation gain of around 950 feet, according to AllTrails.com. It’s a fairly new trail that opened in 2018, in memory of Kim Nicol, a biologist and regional manager for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Nicol’s career was devoted to protecting endangered species and open space in the Coachella Valley. At the time of its opening, it was the first new major hiking trail to be established in the Coachella Valley in more than a decade.
The trail, near Desert Hot Springs, is off the beaten path, located at 20th Avenue and Corkhill Road, in Desert Edge. You may not see anyone during this hike (as with any hike, it’s best to not go alone)—but you may see the endangered Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard, according to the article “Everything Is Connected on the Kim Nicol Trail” by the Friends of the Desert Mountains. The terrain is very sandy, at times with thick, soft sand; the lizards love that. The hike has a steep incline, but you will be rewarded with the amazing natural geology of the rocks and, at the top, with 360-degree views of the open desert and the surrounding hills and mountains. Dogs on leashes, horses and bicycles are allowed. I’m excited to check this trail out soon!
There’s another new trail that’s on my to-do list: the East Indio Hills Badlands Trail. It’s about a 5.5-mile, moderately challenging loop that traverses the San Andreas Fault. HikingGuy.com offers a great guide for this hike, featuring turn-by-turn directions with pictures, descriptions and a video tour. He says the trail has 900 feet of total climbing, with a max elevation of 540 feet (though AllTrails.com has a slightly lower elevation).
From what I understand, after reaching the badlands (the coolest part of the hike), there’s a rock climb before descending into the slot canyon. The canyon narrows and then opens up to another rock climb with some switchbacks, followed by a bit of an open incline before reaching the high point on the ridge—where you will have panoramic views of the desert, from the Salton Sea to Mount San Jacinto to the San Gorgonio Mountains. Then the trail starts downhill and descends into the canyon and back to the desert area.
The trail was established in 2020 and is located just off Interstate 10, at the north end of Golf Center Parkway and the eastern end of Avenue 42. After starting along the edge of the Golf Club at Terra Lago, you will walk through a boring, flat sandy area before reaching the badlands. It’s important to follow the trail markers and stay on track, as you can easily veer onto a number of side trails. The badlands is described as a magical area, filled with ancient rock formations. Even seashells and other remnants of times long ago can be found, from when ancient Lake Cahuilla filled the area. This is certainly a unique and diverse trail that has a bit of climbing, rock-scrambling and hiking through some thick sand. Dogs on leashes are welcome. I can’t wait to get my feet in the sand and on the rocks of this trail—and report back on my experience.
The newest trail, Long Canyon Trail, is about a 10-to-12-mile stretch (one way) that leads into Joshua Tree National Park. The trail is very sandy and rocky and has a gradual elevation gain of more than 1,200 feet. The trailhead is located on the eastern edge of Desert Hot Springs, about one mile north of where Long Canyon Road meets Hacienda Avenue. I did about 3 miles of this trail before it officially opened in late 2021—and those first 3 miles were not that exciting. However, from what I’ve read, if you go far enough (at just more than 4 miles), you can find the ruins of an old cabin, Chuckawalla Bill’s cabin—or the Rock House. This is where Chuckawalla Bill lived back in the 1930s; the story can be found in the book The Man From the Cave by Colin Fletcher. The cabin seems to be a popular turnaround point on a not-so-populated trail. I need to check it out so I can report back on my adventure. Who’s with me? Unfortunately, dogs are not allowed on this trail.
All three of these trails have limited to no shade, so please be mindful of weather conditions and the time of day when planning your hike. Always take a buddy and more water than you will need (at least 1-3 liters)—and be safe.
A big thank you goes to Friends of the Desert Mountains, Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy, Coachella Valley Conservation Commission, the Bureau of Land Management and many other organizations, donors and volunteers for all they do in the preservation of the precious land, the maintenance, and building these new trails for us all.
Friends of the Desert Mountains offer a wide range of educational nature walks, interpretative guided hikes, full moon hikes and so much more. The organization also offers a list of open and closed trails in the Coachella Valley that’s worth checking out before you start your hike. Finally, the Friends and the city of Palm Desert will be hosting the annual Coachella Valley Wildflower Festival on Saturday, March 4, at the Civic Center Park in Palm Desert. This is a free and fun event for the whole family event that celebrates wellness, recreation, safety and the outdoors. For more information and visit www.DesertMountains.org.
My ranch is adjacent to the Kim Nicol Trail. Please make your readers aware that if they are going to hike it they should arm themselves with a big stick and not go alone. The area is frequented by a mountain lion which has killed several large dogs recently. Also access to the trail is from Corkill Road. Twentieth Avenue ends at a four foot drop off before connecting to Corkill and the trail. It is also a private road.
Hi Delinda Angelo,
Thank you for this important information. It is well noted and highly appreciated. It saddens me to hear of the dog killings. We must always be careful while out on any trail, and as you pointed out, carry a big stick and don’t go alone. Thank you again!
Best,
Theresa Sama