A wet corner of the desert

Like so many other things, I discovered California Through My Lens thanks to a YouTube recommendation. Josh’s videos and blog pointed me to some beautiful, fun, interesting and weird places. The other day I checked to see what he had to offer in the Joshua Tree/Palm Springs area. A hike to a waterfall I’d never heard of? Sure!

Tahquitz Canyon had been trashed by partiers and hobos until the Agua Caliente Band of the Cahuilla Indians cleaned the place up and started charging admission. The hike to the falls is a two mile loop with only a few spots that challenged my cardio system, joints, or sense of balance. The water makes the canyon lush with vegetation, a nice break from the desert.

Not the falls, a spillway from a water collection system

This is Tahquitz Falls

The air was pleasantly cool but the water was downright cold. That didn’t stop some hikers from jumping in. You might be able to see one of them to the right of the big boulder.

I’m glad I went early, before the sun was over the rim of the canyon. It feels more hidden, more intimate. I want to come back in the fall when the cottonwoods are golden.