Rocking With The Boys

DAY THREE HUNDRED AND TWENTY NINE

Dead Indian Canyon, in South Palm Desert, is a great place to take the kids. It's pretty, it's short, it's interesting, there's lots of rock scrambling and there's a good chance you may see a Bighorn, especially if you go late in the afternoon.

One of the great features of this canyon is the rock scrambling involved. The boys don't waste any time when it comes to starting climbing.

The boys do some quick inspection on the rocks along the wash. All geology classes should be held outside. Kids might be interested then.

This little rock shelter make the guys wonder if some animal lived here.

The fun really starts when we have to climb the rocks in order to get to the palm oasis.

Making our way through the palm thicket requires more balance than climbing over the rocks.

Up near the top of the canyon is another little spot to explore.

It doesn't go back very far and ends at this skylight.

We should've brought a lunch because this is a great spot for a picnic.

Climbing up the rocks isn't the only fun thing in this canyon. Nik gets big air on the way down.

If you've got some kids that are "bored" sitting around watching TV or playing video games all day, Dead Indian Canyon is a great place to take them. There's no boredom allowed here.

Classic Palm Desert Hiking: The Original Art Smith Trail

DAY THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN

Of the trails in Palm Desert, the Art Smith Trail is my personal favorite. It starts near Highway 74 near the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto National Monument Visitors Center and heads into the heart of the Santa Rosa Mountains. The trail originally headed up Dead Indian Canyon before steering north and into the hills. Now, the trail goes up the hill nearer the trailhead in order to avoid Bighorn Sheep habitat. Today I hiked up the original trail.

There is a really good parking area at the trailhead and the trail is well marked, at least at the beginning.

The sign directs you to the NEW Art Smith Trail but that's not where I'm going today. If you want to get to the original Art Smith Trail, stay on the left of the wash next to the mountain and don't take this trail that switchbacks up the hill.

You'll come to this gate which is open for three months from October-December.

You can stay in the wash or hike up the higher dune on the left. Either way it's very sandy. In the distance is Dead Indian Palms.

Turn before getting to the Palms into the large, obvious canyon on the right. There is a large canyon on the left, Grapevine Canyon, but this is a very rugged canyon with no trail.

This classic trail sign was the only marker for this trail for years. It is still the coolest sign here.

Since the new trail was built this trail has not seen much use and is in poor shape in areas. Previously it was one of the valley's most used trails. I much prefer it to the new trail because of the view of the palms and the feeling of being alone in the wilderness.

Near the junction of the new and old trail is this rocky viewpoint. This is a good place to stop and enjoy your surroundings and a sandwich.

The view is wonderful from up here and I'd like to sit up here and enjoy it all day but some of us have to work today but I'd recommend this trail for anyone looking for a nice, short hike with great views and a chance to spot a Bighorn Sheep. Plus, if you want a longer hike you can keep going all the way to Palm Springs. All those things combine to make this the best hike in Palm Desert.

Carrizo Canyon, Palm Desert

DAY TWO HUNDRED AND NINETY FIVE

This week I have gone to Dead Indian Canyon and Magnesia Spring Canyon, both of which are only open for three months of the year, from October-December. Today I went to another canyon with limited access, Carrizo Canyon.

You pick up the canyon by heading south from the Art Smith Trailhead. Nine months out of the year this gate is locked but it's unlocked for now.

If there were any doubt which way to go this sign is here to help the directionally challenged.

The canyon is wide and sandy at the bottom but will quickly narrow and get rocky.

As you enter the canyon the sides quickly become steep. I looked to see if there might be an Indian Trail leaving the canyon but there's no way anything leaves here. It's too loose and steep. I still think there might be a trail leaving somewhere near here and heading south but it'll take a little more detective work to find it.

When you get to into the canyon there's this BBQ in the middle of nowhere. It's crazy and I cannot figure out why it's here. Of course, in the "old days" people used to be able to drive here so maybe this was Party Central back then.

This is a good place to possibly spot a Bighorn but I don't have any luck doing so today.

There is one lone palm in the entire canyon. You know there's water here although none is on the surface. There are numerous barrel cacti in the canyon that have been eaten, a sure sign that Bighorn are present. Maybe I'll try the canyon some morning to see if my luck is better.

At a split in canyon, there are these directions. Too bad they're wrong. Dead Indian Creek is in a completely different canyon and Carrizo is misspelled.

When you turn right into CARRIZO Canyon, you come to a dry waterfall rather quickly. In the spring, this fall often flows and is covered with ferns; it's very beautiful. The fall is easy to climb over to continue up the canyon but daylight is going goodnight and I want to get home to root on my Angels.

Short but sweet says it all.

Art Smith Trail Loop

DAY TWO HUNDRED AND NINETY ONE

A couple of days ago I went out intending to hike the Art Smith Trail but upon finding Dead Indian Canyon open decided to go there instead. Today I made good on my intent to hike the Art Smith and rather than just hike it as an out and back I hiked up the new Art Smith and then came down the original Art Smith. I'd never done this before so the novelty and the absolutely perfect weather made this a very pleasant little outing.

The sun is already down when I start hiking and the air still. It's perfect.

Today I take the trail instead of following the wash.

On the trail this Giant Swallowtail Butterfly rests on a Catclaw Acacia. It looks like some bird or bat swallowed part of this one's tail.

Higher on the trail I see that the desecration of the desert mountains continues. The only thing that makes me madder than closure of trails is that building up in the mountains continues unabated even as they close hiking areas. Money talks.

The other day I noted that the Dead Indian Palms Oasis used to have running water but in recent years has been dry. I wonder where all the water went to?

I hike around and get to the Schey Trail. This is but one of many trails Mr. Schey built in the area. They all have the same name, too.

On the right, just after this trail junction I take a little trail that leads me to the original Art Smith Trail which I will take back down.

The original sign painted by Mr. Schey just so there's no mistake as to who built this trail.

The trail down to Dead Indian Canyon hasn't been maintained in years but it's still there.

Although it is certainly eroded in a few areas.

Between the new and the old Art Smith I really prefer the old trail. On the old trail you get to hike further up the canyon before you start gaining elevation, you don't have to hike near the abomination of hillside development and the sign is WAY better. Too bad it's only open three months out of the year.

Dead Indian Canyon, Palm Desert

DAY TWO HUNDRED AND EIGHTY NINE

Dead Indian Canyon is a wonderful little paradise in South Palm Desert. The hike is not hard but it's fun due to some rock hopping involved and the potential of finding running water in the canyon. The palm oasis in the canyon is a terrific destination for a family hike or just a morning or afternoon jaunt. When I first moved to the desert, way back in the mid 80s, people could drive way back into the canyon and hippies used to come back here and party a lot. Today, it's not possible to drive very far into the canyon so not too much partying goes on these days.

When I went to the trailhead. I fully expected to be hiking on the Art Smith Trail. The last time I went to Dead Indian Canyon, the canyon was closed and there was not signage indicating when, or if, it would be opening again.

The gate is open and evidently will be until December 31. The best time of the year to hike here is in the Spring but unfortunately that's the time it's closed. It's seems silly to me because in the Spring the Bighorn have ample forage and water throughout the Santa Rosas and if they needed to close the canyon at all, the Fall would be the season the Sheep most need to be here undisturbed.

According to legend, the canyon and oasis get its name from some early visitors who heard weird sounds at night and assumed it was from an Indian spirit. I've heard weird sounds at night here but I always just assumed it was the wind in the palm fronds.

The fun part of this hike begins when the wash ends and the rocks begin. I love this type of rock hopping.

This collared lizard settles down for the evening with a rock pillow.

The oasis is in very good shape although there is not surface water visible. Years ago this oasis always had water and the water sometimes ran down the canyon. In recent years, though, water has been sparse and the last time I saw water in this canyon was the wet winter we had about four or five years ago.

I don't head into the palms or to the dry waterfall beyond them. It's getting late and I don't want to scramble down those rocks in the dark. As much as I like rock hopping I don't relish the idea of doing it in the dark.

On the way out of the canyon I see three sheep high on the canyon walls. My good camera hasn't been repaired yet so I can't get a real close shot. But that's OK because the sheep have been here for years and will continue to live in the cliffs around this oasis.

And another thing hasn't changed after all these years: hippies still come here, too.

Nice Neighbors

DAY TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY FOUR

I went out this afternoon to go and hike up to Dead Indian Palms. I'd tried to get up there in the winter earlier this year but it was locked up and closed. I vaguely remember hearing it would open again September 1 for a few months. Maybe I was just imagining it.

I park along Highway 74 and start hiking toward the oasis hoping the fence is down or at least the gate unlocked. If it's not, I figure I can just climb the ridge behind this sign. I'll be able to see the oasis from up there.

The fence is still up and there's no sign with any information at all. The sign that was there has been painted over. It would be very easy to skirt the fence and go beyond it but I don't know if that would really be the right thing to do, especially since I'm documenting it with pictures. It's one thing to break the law, it's quite another to tell everyone about it.

So I'm left with this option. Steep, rocky and loose just the way I like it.

As I head up the ridge I hear some sirens and see several emergency vehicles heading up Highway 74. A bit later I see a tow truck so obviously there's trouble up there.

There's the palm oasis. I remember back in the day hiking back there with my trusty hiking dog, Shasta and seeing several Bighorn grazing on the hillside without a care. They seemed so unconcerned with us. They had plenty of grass on the hillside, they had water in the oasis and we had the freedom the enjoy their presence. I wonder, what happened?

For some reason governmental bureaucrats think hikers somehow negatively impacted

the sheep although several other factors are far more important in understanding the decline in the sheep population. Drought, development, predation, disease. Years ago both hikers and sheep roamed the hills without a care but back then there was no country clubs or mansions built in the sheep's territory. Now, the foothills around Palm Desert have been built up, overtaken by development, the oases has been depleted by overdrafting the water table and the only ones punished are those who appreciate wildlife and its habitat since they've seen it first hand. Of course, money talks and hikers walk.

This ridge has always been somewhat interesting to me because there are remnants of a bulldozed road that goes a few hundred feet and stops. There is also some old cable up here which makes me think there might be an old mine or something here but I've never found one.

If not for a mine why would this cable be here?

Beyond the road there's a trail that continues up the ridge but for how far? I sometimes wonder if there's an old trail here that perhaps led up to the mountains or some of the higher oases in the area. I guess I'll have to wait until it cools down to find out. As I round this corner I notice sometime move but can't see what it is.

I get around the corner and no further than 20 feet away from me is this young ram.

He casually ambles away from me looking back to see what I'm doing up in his terrain.

I continue up the trail and he just walks away off the trail giving me a wide berth but never hurrying. It's too hot to hurry.

He's obviously not too scared or taken aback because he gets to an area less than 100 yards away and starts grazing. I stand and watch him for about 15 minutes but he never moves further away or rounds the corner out of view. He's comfortable just hanging out on the ridge and seems to enjoy watching me as much as I enjoy watching him. We're just two guys enjoying a walk in the mountains.

As I start to head back, he follows me down. I have to get back before dark so I can't see how far down he comes but I tell him I'll be back. There's a lot to explore in these hills and I want to do it before they shut it all down. Then the only place to explore wilderness will be in our imagination.