If you've driven Interstate 10 between Desert Center and Blythe, California, you've probably seen…read morethe Corn Springs exit. You may have then asked why? There's no gas station, no houses, no ghost town, no structures of any kind -- nothing. If you have time for a little adventure before you head to wherever it is that you brought you to Interstate 10 in the first place, then stop on the south side of the Corn Springs exit and take the Corn Springs dirt road for eight miles into the mountain valley. (Any car can handle it.) There, you'll find a thirsting remnant of a once vibrant oasis that was home to the Cahuilla people. In short order, you can check out the petroglyphs and the cluster of palm trees that have seen better days. Most of the petroglyphs here are abstract, but if you look carefully you might see some primitive hunter-and-bighorn sheep images, too. Layered over and near some of these images are unfortunate instances of more modern day graffiti. There are no brochures or park rangers here; just a few plaques and numbered poles that don't provide enough clues to put the pieces together. If you have time to spend the night, a Spring evening here is beautiful as the sun sets. It's very peaceful, too, unless some redneck is shooting up a metal sign or beer cans or liquor bottles. Waking up the next morning to the calls of many different birds is refreshing. A short hike in the vicinity of the palm trees and petroglyphs reveals occasional bursts of colorful flowers. July, when the temperature easily reaches 108 degrees and touching the rocks will burn your skin off, is not the best time to see Corn Springs. The heat blazes, there's no water, little shade, and even the large campground is empty. Your vehicle will melt into the ground. If one of the Border Patrol/military aircraft that routinely flies this area sees you, it may circle above you for a while until it realizes you're just a dumb gringo. (Yeah, that was me.) Corn Springs frustrates my curiosity because the area has a haunting residue that suggests so much more went on here than the few details left can now tell us. Well, now you know why there is a Corn Springs exit. You have time for this. You really do.

Corn Spring/Springs (it's spelled both way on signs) is an easily accessible BLM campsite whose…read moredominant feature is a stand of palms that have seen better days. Some kind of disease seems to be slowly stripping them of their fronds but the campsite remains a fine place for car and tent camping that puts you within about an hour of the Cottonwood Springs entrance to Joshua Tree National Park. A wide, smooth dirt road takes you to Corn Spring about eight miles into the Chuckwalla Mountains to the west of Interstate 10. There are about 10 individual campsites with fire rings and pole-mounted charcoal grills. Some sites have nice metal canopies over a concrete picnic bench; you definitely want that while desert camping. There are two septic tank bathrooms that are absolutely five-star facilities in the world of BLM camping. They're clean, well-maintained and odorless. Someone is obviously taking good care of these babies. The other notable feature of Corn Spring is, of course, the petroglyphs that can be seen among the rocks lining either side of the dirt road as you approach the campsite. They're most easily seen on the western side. Apparently there are better petroglyphs among the rocks to the east if you do a little boulder scrambling, but we didn't try. They're interesting, not too spectacular and are unfortunately mixed in with latter-day petroglyphs along the line of "Mike" and "George R 43." No one has yet tried to bomb them with spray paint. There are no interpretive signs so you'll have to do your own research. Maybe their origin is unknown. This is the first desert campsite I've used where I have actually come upon bighorn sheep. There were four of them standing on the ridge line along the dirt road on a November afternoon, gazing down upon us like they owned the place. Which they did. It's also the only desert campsite where, at 1 in the morning, I was awakened by the rumble of engines that seemed to surround us like a raiding party. After hearing the collective idle of engines outside our tents for about five minutes, I opened a flap to discover the military had invaded Corn Spring. Or at least a National Guard contingent on night maneuvers. There were about five armored Humvees, each with a large automatic machine gun atop, all accompanied by militarized ATVs. it was cool and a bit scary at the same. Apparently they were taking a potty break, using the aforementioned great bathrooms. We've camped at Mojave National Preserve, Death Valley, Panamint Valley, Rainbow Basin near Barstow, Valley of Fire east of Vegas, Whitney Pockets east of Vegas, Afton Canyon in Mojave and several other places. Corn Spring stacks up well as desert campsite, with ample opportunities for hikes, wildlife viewing and general desert exploration. I highly recommend it if Joshua Tree sites are full or when the weather's cold at the National Park. It's $6 a night per vehicle, payable via envelopes and metal mailbox. There's good-tasting water available via a hand-operated pump. Quite charming. Services are available about 25 miles away at Chiriaco Summit, west on I-10

The Salton Sea is really unbelievable. Haven't really ever heard of it before my mom moved to La…read moreQuinta 14 years ago. But after hearing the stories, I had to go. Recently, it finally came true. When you finally get your sights on it, it's more unreal. The lake is about 15 by 35 miles at its widest and longest. So, it's HUGE, and there's a hell of a lot of water. Sure, it's getting smaller, but still. If you go, you should decide to go on the West or East side...because it's very far to go all around. My mom and I went east, but I think there's more to see on the west side (which has Salton City, Desert Shores, Salton Sea Beach). What we did see was a few "campgrounds", former structures, and the highlight -- Bombay Beach, an little town with some artistic endeavors, but mostly low income and off-grid living. It's just not healthy to live nearby this. It has a little market and an old motel, the Ski Inn, that is now a coffee shop and dive bar. It wasn't very smelly on a 75 degree day, but I'm sure it is in the heat of summer. It's both marvelous and a engineering disaster. I asked Siri a million things while driving, but I'm left with more questions than answers.

It's my second time to visit this desolate place in two years because of its art installations. The…read moreart is amazing and quirky that makes Salton Sea Beach a nice getaway spot and admiration. Unfortunately, the sea is receding fast, nevertheless its environment is breathtaking! As long as interesting and quirky art installation continues, Salton Sea Beach will never be a desolate place.

This review is for Ladder Canyon & Painted Canyon Trail which was a ~4.4 miles round trip that took…read more~2.5 hours to complete. Ladder Canyon & Painted Canyon Trail was a popular and crowded hike near Mecca, California. Trail was flat and sandy while you're at the bottom of the canyons. Started the loop clockwise; look for the ladder on your left. Requires a little bit of rock scrambling at this part and some ladders to get to the slot canyons. Trail becomes a bit more rocky with a slight incline towards the top of the canyons. Furthermore, there was a rope and ladder near the end of the loop. Overall, this was unique trail with stunning views throughout the hike! Required to drive on a well maintained dirt road for ~4.6 miles. Low clearance cars could make it; go slow and dodge the bigger bumps as you get closer to the parking. No restroom at the trailhead! Short video of the hike for those interested! https://youtu.be/7HECQHARzvs

I went there on April 6, 2025. There's 7 cars at parking area. I ran into 6 hikers while I was on…read morethe trail. It's quiet and really enjoyed the nature. Gloves and hiking boots are game changers. Last 2 miles are very rocky and sandy, so it's hard to walk. I forgot my sunscreen and sunglasses.

The least favorable of the three entrance portals into Joshua Tree (the other two being Joshua Tree…read moreVisitor Center & Joshua Tree NP Cultural Center). - No potable water refill station at this visitor center; the staff told me to go to the restroom to get it. yike. My stomach's more sensitive despite having already exposed it to plenty germs, so I still have to prefer the more filtered water. - Less to see at Cottonwood Spring visitor center. Less displays and amenities. Smaller than the other two.

One of the best spots in Joshua Tree National Park for wildlife - especially birds! I've never seen…read moreso many quails on a trail in all my years birding - it was wonderful! And I saw a gorgeous Black-throated Sparrow for the first time here too! The short, flat, sandy trail is easily accessible but there are several other trailheads in this spot if you want to extend your explorations. The Cottonwood Spring is actually a result of earthquake activity. And while I didn't see any water and the wash was dry, there were plenty of signs indicating water is somewhere nearby. There are huge stands of native fan palms and wispy, beautiful Cottonwoods all throughout the wash - along with tons of bugs, bees, and all the other thirsty creatures. Apparently in heavy rains the dry sandy wash becomes a flowing river with a waterfall! The spring season brings wildflowers and the autumn brings the fall colors for the Cottonwoods. Local Cahuilla people called this area home for centuries and you can still clearly see the bedrock mortars they used along the trail in places. Prospectors and miners also used the spring as a water stop on their way from Mecca to northern mines. This spring area was first mentioned in a gold mine claim filed in 1875 so there's lots of history here surprisingly. There are three main trails originating in this area- the short and flat Cottonwood Springs wash loop, the longer and more elevated Mastodon Peak, and the even longer and harder Lost Palms Oasis trail. Due to time constraints I was only able to spend a couple of hours here but definitely would've loved to have more time to explore - especially Mastodon Peak. Cottonwood Springs is located just down from the visitor center at the south entrance - so you won't see any Joshua Trees as those are all in the northern parts of the park. But it's still definitely worth exploring. And there's a campground about 1/2 mile away with picnic tables and bathrooms. There are also portapotties at the visitor center nearby. The roads in this area are paved, well maintained, and there is plenty of paved parking at the trailhead. The National park charges a fee to enter with pay stations on the way into the park and a nice gift shop in the visitor center.

Nice place for a walk and the scenery was great. I will admit I didn't follow all the posts showing…read morethe trail, I ended up walking an extra 2 miles. I'm not complaining though. The walk is well marked, slot canyons and all. I'm glad I did it early morning, used 1.5 liters of water. I'd like to walk it again

This is a great hike that is not very challenging but offers tremendous views of the Coachella…read moreValley and a very different geological perspective from the surrounding area. This hike was 80% sand pathways and 20% maneuvering through the slot canyons with a few switchbacks. I'd recommend this as a must do hike if you're in the area and have 90-120 minutes. It's approximately a 5 mile loop hike.

Ladder Trail is classic. It's like doing the slot canyons in Zion except it's right here. Echoing…read morethe other reviewers, it's outdoors, it's rugged, and the desert is unforgiving. Do NOT try this hike unless you're experienced. Right now there's a very active bee nest above the 2nd ladder on your way back to your car if you do the extended loop. I didn't bother the bees; they didn't bother me, but if you're allergic, then cuidado. Fascinating nature & geology; great views once you come out of the slot canyon. It is a "must do" classic hike, but go prepared.

Where to start: If you don't have an off road vehicle it's possible to make it in but you need to…read moreknow the route, at nights it's very dark maybe even scary if no one is around, people do go shooting there not sure if that is legal, I'm not sure, if you love the desert it's pretty cool. Many hiking possibilities but not many actually come to hike you'll see more off-road vehicles & camping RVs, not really camping in like tents. Good for a BBQ, off road vehicle and a good icy drink. It is very hot in summer beware. TIP: Use the restroom at the park because there are no restrooms (some people don't know this/ don't think of this) just take toilet paper just in case

The Salton Sea State Recreation Area Visitor Center was our first stop at the Salton Sea, driving…read moredown from Palm Desert. I wasn't sure if it would be worth the $7 fee or a waste of time, but it ended up being my favorite stop of the day. We actually came back again later that afternoon on our way north. The two rangers working when we visited were awesome. George Caruso and another ranger whose name I didn't catch were seriously amazing. Friendly, warm, welcoming, and a wealth of knowledge. They suggested we stick to the east side of the lake rather than trying to circle it, since the western side turns into more of a freeway drive with less connection to the water. That advice worked out perfectly and really shaped our day. The visitor center itself is great. Inside there are maps, artifacts, wildlife information, a short 10-minute video, and a small gift shop. It's not huge, but it's informative and gives helpful context before heading out. Outside, there's easy beach access with a long stretch of shoreline to walk and take in the lake. Up close, there is a bit of a smell, but it wasn't nearly as bad as I expected. We saw a few small shorebirds, though not as many as I thought we might. Facilities are solid: clean restrooms, water, shade structures, picnic tables, and plenty of parking. The fee covers day use, so it's a good place to take a break and regroup. If it's your first time visiting the Salton Sea, this is a must stop right out of the gate. Definitely worth it. 5 stars!

Call ahead to make sure the visitor center will be open. It's worth visiting again & again. The…read morerangers who staff it are super knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Ask to watch the video from when the area was the "next Palm Springs." Car camp at New Camp (hot showers & flush toilets!). Walk a mile south to the next campground & back, when you slow down & walk, you really start to see things. Obviously think twice about visiting in the summer but definitely visit this winter. While you're there, drive down to Bombay Beach, and up over the dike to see the art exhibits. Visit the Sonny Bono Wildlife Refuge on the S/E corner. Find the mud pots & mud volcanoes. Eat at Chelo's at the Mecca Arco. And, pro tip, if you're camping at New Camp, buy tokens for the showers when you're at the visitor center.

YELP SHORT ANSWER: For sure this is a great place to visit and watch some jumping action and maybe…read morean event or two. People competing from all over the world. VISIT especially if you don't know much about jumping, you're welcomed here. LOCATION: Near La Quinta, almost 300 acres with several types of jumping going on. FACILITY: First class, get directed to parking and take a shuttle into the events area. I believe it is free to get in to watch, best to check the website first. We did tip the shuttle drivers who had a lot of information. Some shopping as well so come check it out. MENU: Yes, there is food. Salads, hamburgers, and breakfast depending on what time you visit. We had a smash burger it was small and very good. FOOD PREP: It's a horse event so nothing too fancy but kind of expensive... it's a horse event and everything is expensive. FOOD QUALITY: Pretty good, but by Sunday every vendor is tired so Thursday or Friday is a good day to visit. LIBATIONS: $16 at roadrunner, we did not enjoy. WAITSTAFF: Everyone here was so kind, it was a great day. OVERALL VALUE: Free is a good value. TIP: There can be a lot of walking, in dirt, and liquid on the dirt so it can be messy as they water the roads and paths to keep the dust down. Choose your shoes accordingly.

If you visit here, never use the paper goods at the food places. The catering company that prepares…read moreand serves the food use napkins and other paper goods that are stored on the ground in a barn and shed from previous seasons, where vermin and other creatures infest. Disgusting.