Magnesia Falls Mine and Bighorn Sheep

THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY FOUR

Magnesia Falls Canyon in Rancho Mirage is only open three months of the year, from October through December. It is really a shame because the canyon is a special place and spring is the best time to visit it.

Lots of people hike the canyon but I'm sure very few of them know there's a trail that leaves the canyon and heads up to a mining site. It's not a large mine, only some trenches and one pit short shaft about fifteen feet deep. I also think there's got to be a trail that leads to Cathedral City from the canyon. I haven't been able to follow it all the way but I know it's there. I'll find it yet.

After the hike in along a flood control ditch, you get to the fun stuff.

Climbing this big dry fall is much easier than it looks.

Someone has been up here and done a little work since I was here last. Either that or the rain just washed this clean and it looks new.

I hike up the canyon until I get to a big mesquite thicket. This is the site of Magnesia Spring. One thing I've learned from years of hiking in the desert is that where there is mesquite, there were sure to be have been Indians. It was a main food source for them.

I don't have to look far until I find some evidence of Indian activity.

With a little more exploration, I find a trail. I thought I saw this the last time I was in the canyon but it's nice to be sure.

I gain the ridge and see a couple of hikers in the canyon below.

The trail is mostly easy to follow but there are a few sections where I have to backtrack.

I notice from above some diggings in the earth and discover the mining area. I'd been here about twenty years ago but did not remember exactly how to get here.

I don't know what was mined up here but the earth has a different look to it.

There are several large trenches and this one vertical shaft about ten or fifteen feet deep.

I leave the mining area and start to head over in the direction of Cathedral City, hoping to find a distinct trail. What I find are several trails.

Some of which I'm sure were made by this guy.

He stands as if he is sizing me up for a while and then moves and crosses the slope below me.

He finds a good vantage point and stops again to check me out.

He's not really in a hurry to get anywhere which is good because it gives me time to get a few more pictures. One of these days I'm going to have to get a better camera, though.

It is amazing how well his body color matches that of the surrounding landscape. There have been times I have tried to point Bighorn out to groups of hikers where they couldn't be seen until they moved. They can be very well camouflaged.

I know some of the trails were made by the Bighorn but I doubt that they made this.

The trail I'm following, though, is heading more toward the Thunderbird Cove area in Rancho Mirage and not into Cathedral City as I'd hoped.

I'm going to have to do some more exploring in order to find the route that I want.

But it will have to be another day since the sun is already behind the hill and I've got a long way to go to get back and down the dry falls before dark.

Thankfully, I make it. Climbing up this fall during the day isn't too bad but I don't know how climbing down in the dark would be. I'm happy I don't have to find out.

Magnesia Spring Canyon

DAY TWO HUNDRED AND NINETY THREE

With Dead Indian Canyon open until the end of December I figured I'd go and try Magnesia Spring Canyon and hike up to Magnesia Falls if it, too, was open. It is.

This hike starts near the intersection of Mirage Road and Mirage Road in Rancho Mirage. Seriously.

The hike used to be nicer years ago when you could hike up from the top of Magnesia Falls Drive. Of course, you could also go in the spring when there was the possibility of water coming over the falls but those days are long gone. Now you walk up near a flood control ditch until you get to this sign with the rules of the canyon.

At the base of the first dry fall you get to climb is this little faux oasis. This was built to make a water guzzler seem more natural. It must be working because I saw more sheep droppings here than any other place I've been this year.

The second dry fall is about thirty feet tall but is not too difficult to climb. It looks intimidating at first glance but isn't that hard.

At the top of the fall is another guzzler which is a popular watering hole.

From the top of the fall you can look back at the interesting geology of the canyon wall. I've always thought this twisted wall of rock reminded me of a finger print.

There are lots of other little falls that make this a very fun canyon to hike in.

There a good size oasis on the left of the canyon and it's tempting to go left into this canyon but if you wait until the next oasis on the left that one will lead you to Magnesia Falls.

This is where you want to go left to get to Magnesia Falls. Sometimes there's water running down this section but it's doubtful there will be any before the end of the year.

This is Magnesia Falls. It is probably forty feet tall and is completely dry. During wet years this fall flows liberally and a pool forms at the bottom. This will be the end of today's hike but I plan to come back to this canyon several more times between now and January 1. There's another larger fall beyond this one, a mine and possibly an Indian Trail leading from Magnesia Spring so I have plenty of places to explore. There are also abundant side canyons that may be interesting. I only wish I could do it in the spring when the chance of finding water here is more probable.