Coachella Valley Preserve – Moon Country Trail

A Wildflower Walk in the Coachella Valley Preserve

If you ask me to name a favorite wildflower trail, the Moon Country Trail in the Coachella Valley Preserve is always near the top of the list. It’s roughly 4 miles (6.4 km), give or take; however the route is signed that season, and mostly flat. The one real bit of climbing comes when you head up to the vista point, and the view is worth it: from up there you look out over the northern Coachella Valley toward Joshua Tree National Park and the Little San Bernardino Mountains. On a clear day you can even trace the line of the San Andreas Fault running across the floor below, which is a strange and wonderful thing to spot on a morning hike.

The trail itself is full of contrasts. It threads through shady riparian pockets and then out across open sandy washes, so you go from cool and green to wide and sun-baked and back again. A heads-up for the warmer months: this is rattlesnake country, so keep an eye on the trail and watch where you put your hands and feet.

The walk starts in the Thousand Palms Oasis right at the ranger station, a dense grove of California fan palms, the only palm native to California. Further along you reach a second, smaller oasis, and tucked inside it is Simone Pond, a quiet spring-fed pool that always catches first-timers off guard. Water, out here. The pond is only open at limited times, so check the website or ask at the ranger station before you go.

One current-conditions note: since Tropical Storm Hilary, the boardwalk through the Thousand Palms Oasis is partially closed, so you may have to start from the parking lot rather than the ranger station.

Now, The Wildflowers

My all-time desert favorite is the Desert Sunflower, and in a good wildflower year it absolutely takes over here. The day we went, parts of the trail were carpeted in yellow, the kind of bloom that slows the whole hiking crew down because everyone needs to stop for photos first. My other favorite, the Sand Blazingstar, was playing harder to get. We only found it in one spot, but it was worth hunting for. A few lizards darted across the path too, because no desert walk is complete without a lizard or three or fifty-seven.

On paper this is an easy trail you could knock out quickly. In practice, I am physically incapable of walking past a flower or a lizard without stopping for a photo, so “quickly” is not a word that applies to me out here. Budget extra time. You’ll want it.

The Quick Trail Guide

Trail: Moon Country Trail (via the McCallum Trail), Coachella Valley Preserve, Thousand Palms

Distance: ~4 miles (6.4 km) loop

Elevation gain: ~280 ft (85 m), almost all of it on the short climb to the vista point

Difficulty: Easy, though the soft sand gives your legs a little extra work

Trail type: Loop

Best season: Spring for wildflowers; fall through early spring for comfortable temperatures

Trailhead: Ranger Station off Thousand Palms Canyon Road

Hours: Open Wednesday to Sunday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Monday and Tuesday)

Fees: Free, donations welcome

Parking: Roadside parking on Thousand Palms Canyon Road

Dogs: Not allowed

Facilities: Pit toilets near the Ranger Station, no water on the trail

Watch for: Rattlesnakes in the warmer months, deep sand, and full sun with very little shade

Heads-up: Since Tropical Storm Hilary, the boardwalk through the Thousand Palms Oasis is partially closed; you may need to start from the parking lot

Don’t miss: The palm oasis, Simone Pond, and the vista point above the oasis