Page 672 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - USA

670  C ALIFORNIA

The Deserts

The searing deserts of Southern California have a haunting
beauty all their own, with jagged canyons, steep hills, and
carpets of wildflowers in spring. At the heart of the Low
Desert is Palm Springs, the region’s most sought-after resort,
with hotels and golf courses. The stark Joshua Tree National
Park lies to the east. Farther north, the Mojave Desert is the
state’s greatest secret, all too often missed by visitors. Its main
draw, Death Valley National Park, has some of the highest
temperatures in the Western Hemisphere.
6 Palm Springs and La Quinta, and more than
100 luxury golf courses. Sculpture Garden in the Palm Springs
* 42,000. ~ £ Indio. @ 2901 N
Palm Canyon Dr. n 2901 N Palm Downtown’s two main Art Museum
Canyon Drive, (800) 347-7746, (760) shopping streets are Palm
778-8418. _ Palm Springs Canyon and Indian Canyon Bernardino Mountains to the
International Film Festival (early– Drives; both are lined with north. On a clear day, it is
mid-Jan). ∑ visitpalmsprings.com restaurants, boutiques, and art possible to see the Salton Sea,
galleries. The Village Green 50 miles (80 km) away.
The largest of the desert cities, Heritage Center, in the heart The Palm Springs Art
Palm Springs was first sighted in of the shopping area, has a few Museum focuses on art, natural
1853 when a survey party came historic buildings, including science, and the performing
across a grove of palm trees Ruddy’s 1930s General Store arts. The galleries contain
surrounding a freshwater spring Museum, a replica of the paintings from the 19th century
pool in the Coachella Valley. original, with authentic pack- to the present day, as well as
The first hotel was constructed aged goods ranging from Native American artifacts and
in 1886, and by the turn of the licorice to patent medicines. natural history exhibits. Modern
century Palm Springs was a The Agua Caliente Cultural sculpture adorns the gardens.
thriving health spa. Soon after, Museum displays the heritage About 5 miles (8 km) south
it became a fashionable winter of the area’s Cahuilla people. of Palm Springs are the Indian
resort for the rich and famous. The state-of-the-art Oasis Canyons, four spectacular
Today, its population doubles Water Resort has 13 water- natural palm oases, set in rocky
each winter, when visitors come slides, including a 70-ft (20-m) gorges. Clustered along streams
to enjoy the relaxing, outdoor free-fall slide. An enormous fed by mountain springs, Murray,
lifestyle. First-class hotels such wave-action pool creates 4-ft- Tahquitz, Andreas, and Palm
as the Marriott and Hyatt (1.2-m-) high waves suitable for Canyons are located on the land
Regency abound, and a number surfing and boogie boarding. of the Agua Caliente Band of
of celebrities live here. The area The resort also has a hotel, the Cahuilla. Rock art and other
around Palm Springs has heated spas, health clubs, and traces of these early inhabi tants
numerous resort cities, such as restaurants. The Palm Springs can still be seen. Palm and
Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells, Aerial Tramway covers a Andreas Canyons have many
2.5-mile (4-km) trip via popular trails.
cable car, which ascends
5,900 ft (1,790 m) over v Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
spectacular scenery to Tramway Rd. Tel (760) 325-1391,
the Mountain Station in (888) 515-8726. Open daily. &
the Mount San Jacinto ∑ pstramway.com
Wilderness State Park.
Visitors travel through
five distinct ecosystems, 7 Anza-Borrego
ranging from desert to Desert State Park
alpine forest, where the
weather becomes icy- @ Escondido. Visitor Center: Tel (760)
cold. At the top, there 767-5311. Open Jun–Sep: Sat & Sun;
are 54 miles (85 km) of Oct–May: daily. ∑ parks.ca.gov
hiking trails, a ski center,
campsites, and a cafe- During the Gold Rush of 1849
teria. Observation decks (see p641–2), tens of thousands
offer terrific views of the of miners passed through the
Coachella Valley, Palm Anza-Borrego Desert. Today,
Oasis Water Resort in Palm Springs Springs, and the San this former gateway to San
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp710–12 and pp713–15

670-671_EW_USA.indd 670 11/2/16 2:49 PM
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.7)
Date 1st October 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm