Lounging in Paradise – Desert Hot Springs, CA

“Paradise is exactly where you are right now…”

Welcome to paradise...

We had just met Rio & Kitty in the local hot tub. They looked like a couple right out of a corny Vegas mob movie -> old-timers with big hair, big bling and a leopard-skin bathing suit with all the busty ”fill” to make it work. They’d travelled here on a whim 25 years ago in a 27-foot Winnebago with 5 kids and decided they couldn’t leave. In fact, the kids were the ones that begged them to stay.

“You guys enjoying your stay in paradise?” they asked

It was an interesting question.

The massive wind-farms in the San Gorgonia Pass just outside of town

You see Desert Hot Springs is a quirky little place. Your very first thoughts as you drive into town might be more along the lines of “What a dump…”. The first thing you see as you enter the valley is the massive eye-sore of San Gorgonio Pass wind-farm. Then you take lonely Dillon Road into what can only be described as mobile home heaven in the desert. It’s a panacea of trailer parks, one after the other with a few run-down shops and long tracts of flat desert land inbetween. And the local grocery store doesn’t exactly inspire confidence with its’ fully barred windows. It’s not the best first impression.

The fabulous view from San Jacinto mountain

But then something astonishing happens. Like a big, comforting blanket the place just grows on you. First you sink yourself into a soothing mineral pool with view of a fiery red desert sunset. Then you meet a couple of the locals and get invited like old family to chat and  join the pack. Then you take a 3-hour hike in the hills and soak in all the deep, barren, fabulous beauty that is the desert. Add-on some pure puurrrfect desert winter weather and the majestic San Jacinto mountains in the background. Before long you’re liking the place and in a few days you’re just outright loving it.

Hiking the mountains in Desert Hot Springs

It’s exactly the same thing that happened last year when we came here. Desert Hot Springs may be the outcast neighbour of ritzy home-of-the-stars Palm Springs, but it is most definitely the place to be. We loved it so much last time that we decided we just had to come back. Same place (Sam’s Family Spa), same fantastic mineral pools and same exact wonderful impression.

Oh yeah...this is the life!

And we did the whole tour all over again -> the Aerial Tram (they had 5 inches of fresh snow on the peak this time), Palm Springs Village Fest,  Farmers Markets, unlimited spa-soaking, and long hikes in the surrounding hills. I even got the chance to meet up with fulltime RVers Terry and Martha from Gypsy Life Journal who were lounging at Lake Cahuilla County Park (nice spot, by the way and they accept Passport America mid-week).

Ahhhh...the fabulous winter desert!

Our original plan was actually to stay here a month, but more nutty travel plans got in the way (more on that story to come.).

In the meantime if you wonder what I’m doing  just imagine me lounging in paradise. ‘Coz that’s exactly where I am…

Gorgeous desert with San Jacinto in the background

Street vendors at the Palm Springs Village Fest

Another great hike in the surrounding mountains

Terry, Martha and lovely pooch Charlie in front of their rig

Desert Hot Springs, CA…a little gem in the desert

When we first came down the long, bleak stretch into Desert Hot Springs the place looked very much like yet another massive desert. As it turns out, this little gem of a location hides a bunch of well-kept secrets. From underground mineral spa’s, to alpine forests (no, I’m not kidding) and the unique Joshua Tree National Park, this is truly a gem in the wild.

The story of Desert Hot Springs goes back to the wild west, as all the best stories do, and specifically to a most astonishing man called Cabot Yerxa. A pioneer of his time, and most definitely a consummate optimist he bought a small burro in Desert Hot Springs around 1913 which he named Merry Christmas. Convinced he would find water in this bone-dry environment he started digging and sure enough, 27 feet down he hit some natural hot springs. Through sheer guts and luck, the healing mineral waters of Desert Hot Springs had just been discovered, and the town eventually built around that event. The story of Cabot’s remarkable life is well worth reading as is a trip to the Cabot Pueblo Museum. 

“Taking the waters” in the hot springs is a great little pastime, and apparently quite healthy too. In fact, after a week of twice-a-day soaking we find that we are both better looking and more intelligent, so I’m happy to recommend the practice. There’s lots of places you can do this both around Desert Hot Springs and in the neighbouring towns. For the risqué of you lot there’s even nudy spa’s.

If after a morning of soaking and sunning you should happen to decide you need a frolic in alpine trees and snow, then Palm Springs, despite it’s name is ready to deliver. The Mount San Jacinto State Park, located  Just 20 mins from Desert Hot Springs and a monumental 2 ½ mile cable-car ride from the desert floor to a height of 8,516 feet is just the ticket. With 54 miles of hiking trails this is a unique micro-wilderness and well worth the visit.

And…the list doesn’t end there….we have

• Night’s out in Palm Springs. A hot-spot for foodies, bars and even casino’s
•  Golfing. If that’s your fancy, this area abounds with locations
• The Palm Springs Thursday night village fest & street fair. Music, arts and fooooood, and it’s dog-friendly too
• Farmer’s Markets. There’s one almost every other day somewhere close

Overall we were surprised how vibrant and varied this area is. Worth coming back, no doubt about it.

Snow & alpine wilderness in San Jacinto State Park

The 2 1/2 mile arial tramway to San Jacinto Park

Night out with Matt and Tracy in Palm Springs

Cabot's Pueblo Museum in Desert Hot Springs...quirky and well worth a visit

The Ancient Weather Rock at Cabot's Museum: When rock is wet it's raining, when rock is white it's snowing, when rock is hard to see it's foggy, when rock is moving it's windy or there's an earthquake...ROCK IS NEVER WRONG