I'm always up for a new hiking spot. First time here which I didn't even know about. No one in my…read moregroup has even heard of it either. It's a good half hour from Palm Springs just along the 62 leading you towards Yucca Valley and Joshua Tree. The road which is somewhat residential at the beginning lead you to a park. We actually parked and started to walk around which found out later that it wasn't the right part. Drive up a little further till you enter a spot where there were some campers and a parking lot. I'm assuming camping is somewhat available from the looks of things. Don't quote me on that as I'm not sure. It's a decent size parking lot available. Before the trail, there's a little introduction information station where you should pick up the map. There's also pamphlets about the area. Billboards explaining how the area came about and the nature of it. The different animals you'll like to see and so on. A nice little helper before you hike. The main trails breaks down and connects to each other. They're not hard and pretty easy. Some are in dirt but guided trails while the others are on wooden planks. The map helps you connect from trail to trails and they're pretty reasonable with difficulty level. Majority are very easy but they also have the trail that wraps around which is about 8 to 9 miles roundtrip. We started off with the trails that go from the dirt path that connects you to the marsh land which mainly is on the wooden planks. Pretty nice seeing what nature has to offer. We did find out that a lot of the places did get destroyed by wildfires a while back and slowly started to make a comeback as well as the tropical storm a couple years ago which I happened to be in Palm Springs as well. The whole trail is pretty easy and mainly on flat land. You will encounter some hills at certain parts of the trail but they're pretty moderate. It's like going from the desert to an oasis and back out to the mountain and desert. The way the trails connect is pretty easy with trail marks and sign posted whenever you come to a connection. They also have free guided tours I believe the first and third Saturday of the month. In the middle of the trail is a visitor center where's there's a little garden area. Nothing too major but something worth checking out. It's nice to see what nature has to offer. The trail is actually well maintained as some parts you could tell that they were manicured for your safety. Overall, it's an easy hike. Main part isn't much of a hike but I'm sure if you do the whole trail, it'll be more of a strenuous hike. Would I go back, yes.

I love visiting this beautiful preserve. This visit was extra special since we had both of our…read moredaughters along! The cottonwood trees are truly majestic as they sway and flutter with the breeze. The preserve is an internationally recognized birding site. Over 247 bird species have been recorded here. National Geographic features the preserve in their guide to bird watching sites. The preserve is 31,000 acres. Home to one of the largest Cottonwood and Willow riparian habitats in California. There are many trails to choose from and various benches to enjoy the wildlife along the way. The restrooms are near the entrance and are well maintained.

I love visiting the Whitewater preserve. It's a beautiful, peaceful, and friendly Godlike gorgeous…read moreplace. If you y want stunning photo ops, or just know experience peaceful on Earth, visit Whitewater.

Hiked there often. Love the small trail. There is also a…read morevisitors center there which is interesting.

The park regularly hosts summer concerts. Bands play everything from jazz to classic rock--and…read moreadmission is always free, family-friendly, and laid-back. Bring blankets, chairs, and coolers: leave alcohol and pets at home. I love watchinhg the little kids showing off their dance moves right in front of the stage. Yucca Valley partners with nonprofit orgs like Reach Out Morongo Basin to address homelessness--this includes food distribution and outreach initiatives. Additionally, church groups, athletic teams, and local artists reach out and share their skills on a regular basis. Unlike other parks in this town there are rooms where events, meetings, and shows can be held. Community Resource events using Park Center spaces often offer services such as mobile legal aid, defense programs, and low cost pet vaccination. Not too long ago my daughter got a chance to hold a number of unique animals. I different time the labrary held a reading challenge and I won a brand new tablet. Park offers major events like Grubstake Days, job fairs, Memorial Day observances, and cultural festivals. Perhaps one of the biggest events is the 4th of July festival. It is a real pleasure to see people from every walk of life to come together an celebrate both being an American and thewir local community.

I gave this park a three because there are Times I come and nasty ass adults are smoking and if it…read morebothers me it must the kids. During after school hrs you have your troubled teen's out doing what they do near the younger kids not much of a fan. Otherwise I enjoy the park my daughter rides her bike and scooter here. We come to watch the sports games. I will say I was disappointed during Halloween time that had a candy give away that lasted all about two mins out side and it was cold. I do enjoy going to the museum and the library is right next door.

We went there several years ago, and it was truly magical. I had asked, for my birthday gift, to…read moreadopt a meerkat. We spent time in the meerkat's enclosure with them, having them jump onto the palms of our hands and watching them interact. Need to get back out there.

I heard about this preserve while looking up meerkat experiences. I was able to "adopt" (sponsor) a…read moremeerkat which gave us the opportunity to visit the center for a guided tour and meerkat play date. It was one of the most exciting, fun things I have ever done. Four of us got there a little before our appointment time. Our tour was given by one of the owners of the facility. The tour was very informative, but we all wanted to get our play time in! You sit inside the meerkat enclosure the entire time. The little critters love to dig, so the ground in most of the enclosure is very uneven and full of holes. Our guide provided us gloves to protect our hands while we feed the meerkats. We hung out for about an hour while the meerkats got used to us being in there and began to interact with us. As the pictures show, the little ones are funny characters, full of energy, and great to watch. Our time passed too quickly. It is an experience I would DEFINITELY jump at the opportunity to do again.

Great park . My son plays tball here . It is always clean and well kept . The park area is nice …read more There are tennis courts , basketball courts , a nice little picnic area , plenty of grass and trees and a nice baseball and tball field . Good amount of parking also available. We come here often .

Have a sturdy automobile as it's about a mile of unpaved bumpy gravel road. Leave the Corvette at…read morehome. There is unmarked parking at the entrance. I did not notice a restroom or water fountain. There was a bunch of stone sheltered picnic tables. Majority of this short trek was on gravel and sand walkways. Lots of beautiful views, dried up waterways , greenery and geology. Comfortable and quiet walk.

Nice place to sight see take a nice hike. First 1+ mile is on a dirt road and an old dude ranch is…read moreon the route. Once you get to the stone house, you have options and there is a bathroom. It's about 2 miles to the PCT. Parking lot is wide, easy to find but bumpy. I hope to go again someday

What an amazing find in the desert! The landscapes were absolutely stunning and made the experience…read moreeven more memorable. We had such a wonderful time and highly recommend checking this place out!

This place is just beautiful. I have to go once a week to enjoy the sound of and see the rushing…read morewater. It is very peaceful with amazing vistas. Priceless. Opens at 8am. Make sure to check the description of the trails online and bring what you need for what you intend to do. They have clean restrooms in the parking area and picnic benches too. The profound peace in this place is addicting.

Essig Park is a well-kept, family-friendly place tucked away in Yucca Valley. It's cleaner and more…read morepolished than most parks in the area. Smooth concrete walkways, fresh landscaping, and shade structures give it a pleasant, clean, maintained atmosphere Dog-friendly perks * Separate small & large dog areas * Water fountains & benches - both sides have them, so you stay comfortable * Fully fenced & double-gated - adds peace of mind for dog owners. Family & community feel It's not just about dogs--there's a modest playground, grassy picnic areas, and restroom facilities and is frequently used for public events.

Clean, well maintained. Would stop again. Not crowded, nice shaded area. Would recommend as a good…read moreplace to stop when traveling.

Cute park on the same street as the new library in DHS…read more I've came here several times . Here's what I liked: *Trail around the park to walk and enjoy the trees *Covered play areas (waaay too hot to not be covered) *Several play areas for different age groups *ADA swing *big field for children to run in, I think it's also a baseball field? Here's what I didn't like: *Swings aren't covered, they burned my suns legs *bench area is placed in an awkward area and also it's uncovered as well! 8/10- please get covered seating!!

I really like this park. It is well maintained by the city and has a lot to offer. There is a…read morerunning/walking path around the large grass field which is about the size or 2-3 full soccer fields. For younger kids there is a brand new jungle gym which is nice. The bathrooms are also (as of this writing) in good condition.

Stopped here on our way back from Joshua Tree and so glad we…read moredid. It was as if we had walked into the past! This was a great spot to stretch our legs and walk around looking at all the quaintness! There was a lasso for people to try and hook onto horns. There's also a small petting zoo. Great stop for kids There were restaurants too but we didn't end up eating here. Got some great pictures.

Pioneertown really does feel like stepping onto an old Western movie set. The wooden buildings and…read moredusty streets give it that classic Wild West vibe, but it's also a real place you can walk around and explore at your own pace. We didn't expect to enjoy it as much as we did, but the atmosphere is just so cool and different from anywhere else nearby. It's great for wandering, taking photos, and just soaking in the scenery. It also has a small petting zoo inside ($10 per person), along with some pretty unique (and super expensive lol) shops, and a couple of restaurant bars (I'd strongly recommend making a reservation ahead of time since it gets packed pretty easily.) We had a great time during our visit to Yucca Valley, and Pioneertown ended up being one of the highlights of the trip!