Thousand Palms Oasis - 02/26/20

February 26, 2020
Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve
Thousand Palms, California

We visited the Thousand Palms Oasis on February 26, 2020. We were amazed to discover this thriving palm grove oasis surrounded by a vast desert environment. The oasis is located within the Coachella Valley Preserve.

The oasis was homesteaded in 1900 by Albert Thornburg. In 1905, rancher Louis Wilhelm traded two mules and a buckboard wagon for the Thousands Palm Oasis. At that time it was an 80-acre parcel of land in the heart of the Southern California desert. Wilhelm always envisioned the oasis as a public park, which it has been since 1984. The preserve now encompasses some 20,000 plus acres and is jointly owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy, Bureau of Land Management, Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish & Game and California Department of Parks & Recreation.

The San Andreas fault slashes across this valley, and the groundwater that it forces toward the surface provides a natural habitat for the California fan palms and the endangered Coachella Valley Fringe-Toed Lizard. that thrive in this environment.

A rustic visitors center, built in the 1930s from vertical palm trunks, is the original homestead and is staffed by volunteers. It contains displays of the natural and historic features of the preserve. There are no user fees, but donations are gratefully accepted.

There are easy hiking trails that meander throughout the palm tree oasis. There are over 25 miles of hiking trails on the Preserve.

The parking area is located off Thousand Palms Canyon Road. The parking lot can get crowded at times. No RV's or campers are allowed in the parking lot, it is just not big enough to accommodate these type of vehicles. We observed motorhomes, 5th wheel trailers and vehicles towing travel trailers parked on the shoulder of the Thousand Palms Canyon Road.

No dogs or other pets are allowed in the Coachella Valley Preserve as they disturb wildlife. Whitewater Preserve allows dogs, but you are required to clean up after them.

Hours of Operation:
May through September: 7:00 am to 6:00 pm.
October through April: 7:00 am to 5:00 pm.

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Cabot's Pueblo Museum - 02/25/20

During a visit to Desert Hot Springs on February 25, 2020 we visited the Cabot’s Pueblo Museum.

The house and surrounding structures were self-built by Cabot Abram Yerxa (1883–1965).

It is named as "Cabot’s Old Indian Pueblo Museum" in its application for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. The California State Parks Office of Historic Preservation lists it as "Yerxa's Discovery".

Yerxa was an adventurer who first settled on 160 acres in Southern California's Coachella Valley in 1913. He established his home, The Eagle's Nest, on a hill he would later name Miracle Hill. Using a pick and shovel to dig wells, Yerxa discovered two aquifers on opposite sides of the hill, which happened to be separated by the Mission Creek Fault, a branch of the San Andreas Fault.] The first aquifer was a natural hot spring with a temperature of 110 °F in the Desert Hot Springs Sub-Basin and which would later help give rise to the area's spas and resorts. The second, on the opposite side of the fault, was a cold aquifer of the Mission Springs Sub-Basin. This same aquifer provides fresh water to the city of Desert Hot Springs and has received awards for exceptional taste.

In May, 1917, Yerxa left the desert to join the Army during World War I. He returned to the desert in 1937, and in 1939 began building a museum to house his collection of Native American and other artifacts. He fashioned the building as a Hopi Indian pueblo in honor of the Indian people, and he opened Cabot's Old Indian Pueblo in 1950. He operated it with his wife, Portia, until his death in 1965. Upon his death Portia returned to her native Texas and the structure was abandoned.

Yerxa's friend Cole Eyraud protected the settlement after his death and after it had been abandoned and vandalized. Eyraud and his family purchased the complex, restoring it and later donating it to the City of Desert Hot Springs.

Museum Hours:

October 1 to May 31
Tuesday to Sunday 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Closed: Monday

June 1 to September 30
Wednesday to Saturday 9:00 am to 1:00 pm
Closed: Sunday, Monday & Tuesday
 

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Our New Winter Home - 02/06/20

Over the past few years we have contemplated whether to purchase property within Yuma, AZ to use as a winter home. We ultimately decided we did not want to be burdened with additional expenses such as; taxes, utility bills and home maintenance.

In December 2019 we decided to purchase a 5th wheel trailer. We would live in the trailer during the winter months (November through March) on BLM land at the Imperial Dam LTVA. During the months April through October we would put the trailer in summer storage at a nearby storage facility.
We believed this arrangement would provide us with the most cost effective way to spend the winter months near Yuma, AZ.

Our search for a 5th wheel led us to a couple from Canada who were selling their 1999 NUWA Hitchhiker, 35 foot trailer. The trailer had 3 slide-outs and came fully furnished; dishes, silverware, glassware, television, tools, three lawn chairs and a Weber Q1000 grill. They were the second owners, and had kept it at a RV Resort in Yuma for the past 10 years. The trailer was in pristine condition on the inside, with a fair amount of sun exposure wear and tear on the exterior. We purchased the trailer and took possession of it on February 6, 2020.

Our new winter home is so spacious compared to our 17 foot Casita fiberglass trailer, that we have used for our winter sojourns over the past years.

We look forward to many enjoyable years to come in our new-to-us 5th wheel winter home.