The State of Real Estate in the Coachella Valley

Apartments

Riverside County:

Lake Cahuilla County Park is on Jefferson Street in La Quinta. At Lake Cahuilla, visitors can enjoy fishing for bass and catfish, picnics and hiking. A small beach offers swimming and water play. (760) 564-4712.

California

Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy two state parks within a short drive (or ride) of the Coachella Valley. Mount San Jacinto State Park, located at the mountaintop of the Palm Springs Tramway, offers miles of hiking trails and camp areas. (760) 323-3107.

The Salton Sea Recreation Area is a popular fishing spot on the Salton Sea, a 240,000-acre inland sea. It also is a birdwatcher's paradise-- the marshlands surrounding the sea are a natural refuge and house hundreds of species of migratory birds. (760) 393-3052.

National Park Service

One of the world's most popular rock-climbing destinations borders the Coachella Valley. Joshua Tree National Park is an 800,000-acre preserve north of the valley that encompasses the transition zone between the Colorado and Mojave deserts. Hiking, picnicking and camping are encouraged. The park headquarters is in Twentynine Palms, 60 miles from Palm Springs. (760) 367-7511.

Other parks and places of interest:

Big Morongo Canyon Preserve: An oasis habitat 20 miles from Palm Springs, Big Morongo Canyon Preserve has an abundance of wildlife and desert flora. It also contains some of the area's oldest rock formations. (760) 363-7190.

Coachella Valley Preserve: Operated by the Nature Conservancy, the preserve houses several threatened or endangered species, as well as the state's second largest desert fan palm oasis. Sand dunes and the San Andreas Fault mark the landscape, located in Thousand Palms. (760) 343-2733.

Indian Canyons: Palm, Andreas and Murray canyons are preserved on Indian land and are overseen by the Aqua Caliente Band of Mission Indians. Water runs year-round in several of the canyons. The park is open all year. (760) 325-1053.