Hiking the La Quinta Cove
It’s so easy to get outdoors in the Coachella Valley. It’s also easy to think “it’s the desert, how different can it be?”
As an avid hiker, I can tell you this. Every hike has its own uniqueness. From style to challenge to views to wildlife to sheer differences in beauty.
Hiking the La Quinta Cove trails are such. With a variety of trails available within this massive area, you can go for a short hike from the car park to the oasis, maybe ½ mile round trip, to Lake Cahuilla and back, 6 + miles round trip.
Over the years I’ve seen all types of wildlife on my times whilst Hiking the La Quinta Cove trails. Coyotes, hawks, snakes and on that rare occasion, big horn sheep. It’s a real treat every time!
What can you expect Hiking the La Quinta Cove?
Parking has recently been expanded and now a very large parking area, with easy access to all the trails is available and accessible off Avenida Bermudas, in La Quinta. To reach the parking, take Washington south until it ends at Avenue 52, take a right, staying in the left lane so you can, at the second stop light, Bermudas, turn left. At the end of Bermudas, you will see the parking area on your left.
On your way up Bermudas, just as you take a slight right bend in the road, look up and to your left and you’ll see “Rusty” our horse on the hill. I’ll share that story in a later article of how he came to be…
Once you hit the parking area, you can access several routes right away. Staying left along the mountain, there is a narrow trail that lead you to the top of the cove.
Get your hiking maps and guides here
Not as adventurous?
You can head west and follow the well groomed and wide trail. This one will allow you to chart your path after you reach the top of the path, about 100 yards up from the start of the trailhead.
Once at the top, you can head west to the oasis, keep straight and find your way to the top where there is a large raised area, I suspect designed for water and flood safety. You can walk along this trail to the west, or continue straight and off into the La Quinta Cove wilderness you go.
Turn left and you’ll climb up a rock outcropping and within minutes feel like it’s just you and nature. The quiet provides your mind that stillness that’s hard to get back in town.
Trails are marked throughout the hike. As you continue south, its always fun to turn around and look back north to see the views keep getting better and better.
I would recommend taking plenty of water and a nice hiking stick whilst Hiking the La Quinta Cove. I also suggest charging your battery on your phone, so you’ll have plenty to take photos and videos while out and about.
Please come back and share your experiences after you have been Hiking the La Quinta Cove. There’s so much more to see and experience that I want you to discover, I’ll intentionally not mention. Before I leave, I do want to mention this area has become very popular for mountain biking. Of course there are too numerous options and choices to mention here. Have fun and again please come back and share.
