DSRT SURF Palm Desert: Development Progress Tracker
A living record of DSRT SURF’s opening timeline, public access, surf pricing, development milestones, and future hotel and villa plans.
DSRT SURF is bringing a surf lagoon and a broader resort plan to the Desert Willow area of Palm Desert. The waves have been tested, the operator is explaining its visitor experience, and the next question is practical: when can the public actually book and visit?
This living tracker follows that transition, along with the future hotel and villas. It records dated announcements, flags unresolved details, and now includes original aerial photographs from September 10, 2026 to document how the site looks as it develops.
- Location: Palm Desert, beside Desert Willow Golf Resort.
- Current stage: wave testing documented; public booking launch unconfirmed.
- Opening target: late summer 2026, according to the operator.
- Advertised starting price: individual surf sessions from $60 per hour.
- Longer-term plan: hotel and villas require their own milestones.
Original site photography is now available below. Public opening was not independently confirmed in the September 9 source check, when the operator’s booking page invited visitors to join an opening-notification list. The photographs document the site’s appearance; visitor access and bookable sessions remain separate milestones to verify.
DSRT SURF current status
Wavegarden documented on-site programming and test sessions in July 2026.
Supplier documentedThe official booking page continues to display an opening-soon message.
Awaiting confirmationThe current operator FAQ gives this window without a specific opening day.
Operator targetThe operator describes a public venue, with beach passes for non-surfers.
Announced access modelWavegarden’s project profile lists a 139-room hotel and 57 villas. Their completion and release dates remain unverified here.
PlannedSeven original aerial photographs document the lagoon, pool deck, courts, skate area and surrounding buildings. Explore the photo update.
Original DOI photographyStatus sources: operator FAQ, booking announcement, and Wavegarden project profile.
September 10, 2026: original photo update
The lagoon is filled, and the surrounding visitor areas are taking shape. These aerial views show the Wavegarden structure, pool deck, two pickleball courts, skate area and buildings, alongside paved routes and unpaved portions of the site. Together with the featured photograph above, they establish a visual baseline for future updates.
Photography by Mark Miller / Desert Oasis Insider · September 10, 2026. Click or tap any photograph to enlarge it, then use the arrows or swipe to browse all seven.
Follow the development milestones
Select a milestone to see the evidence behind it and what still needs to happen. Each part of the resort can progress on its own schedule.
A dated construction milestone
On April 29, 2026, Wavegarden described DSRT SURF as 90% complete and targeted summer 2026. That was the supplier’s assessment at that time; this tracker does not apply the percentage to today’s entire hotel-and-villa development.
The lagoon reached wave testing
Wavegarden’s July 9 report described tested wave programming and surfers riding the lagoon. That establishes a meaningful technical milestone. Invitations and testing do not establish the date ordinary visitors can purchase sessions.
The next useful signal: bookable dates
As checked September 9, the public booking page still solicits opening notifications. The milestone to record next is a working reservation calendar with purchasable dates, session categories and final booking terms.
Confirm the actual visitor experience
The operator’s target is late summer 2026. Once access begins, this tracker will distinguish any limited opening from the broader visitor offering, including the amenities and food service available on that date.
Track lodging and residential progress separately
The published resort vision includes lodging and villas. The milestones to verify are a construction schedule, hotel operator and reservations, followed by any villa offering, pricing and ownership terms. A surf session announcement establishes none of those by itself.
Where is DSRT SURF?
DSRT SURF is in Palm Desert’s Desert Willow resort area. It is a separate destination from Palm Springs Surf Club. Use the project’s own location listing when checking access; parking or arriving at a neighboring golf facility does not establish entry to the surf venue.
Location reference only. Confirm visitor access and arrival instructions with DSRT SURF before planning a session.
The neighboring Desert Willow Golf Resort has two public courses, Firecliff and Mountain View, managed by KemperSports for the City of Palm Desert. Its existing golf operations have their own reservations and policies.
What is being developed?
The central attraction is a 5.5-acre surf lagoon. DSRT SURF’s technology overview identifies a 52-module Wavegarden Cove system. Programmable waves allow the operator to offer different sessions rather than treating every visitor as the same kind of surfer.
The first experience to verify
Surf sessions, instruction and beach access form the visitor offering. The operator also describes pickleball, a skate area, pool and jacuzzi. Which amenities are available on opening day still needs confirmation.
The wider resort vision
The supplier’s profile describes 139 hotel rooms and 57 villas. Treat those as planned quantities, with hotel operations and any residential sales tracked independently.
For a future villa buyer, the useful information will be the actual offering: ownership structure, permitted personal use, rental arrangements, recurring costs and surf privileges. This tracker has not verified a public price list or those terms. No investment return or included access should be assumed from the resort concept.
Pricing, passes and public access
The official booking announcement advertises individual sessions starting at $60 per hour. This is a starting price, not a complete rate sheet or a confirmed all-inclusive day cost.
Before comparing a DSRT SURF outing with another attraction, check the selected wave level, instruction, equipment, spectator access, taxes and any optional extras. Beach-pass pricing and a complete public booking calendar were not verified in this source check.
The operator says membership is unnecessary. Children may visit, but surfing age and size rules are still being finalized. Its FAQ lists complimentary parking; confirm any premium-parking charges and final arrival instructions when reservations open.
Explore the planned surf sessions
Select the description closest to your experience. These summaries explain the operator’s advertised categories; staff should confirm the appropriate session and requirements when you book.
Build confidence with instruction
The beginner page describes foam boards, a coach in the water and gentle one-to-two-foot waves. It is the category intended for first-time surfers and those rebuilding their basics.
Check before booking: equipment inclusions, the lesson format and final participant requirements.
Practice positioning and linked turns
This category is intended for surfers who can already catch and ride waves comfortably. The operator describes repeatable rides for developing technique, with coaching available as an optional add-on.
Check before booking: the specific wave setting, board choice and the price of dedicated coaching.
More demanding waves for experienced riders
The high-performance page describes chest-to-overhead waves and sessions focused on critical sections, barrels and advanced maneuvers. It is intended for surfers already comfortable in more powerful conditions.
Check before booking: the exact wave menu and the operator’s experience requirements.
Wave-production capacity is a property of the lagoon. It should not be read as the number of rides one person receives. Individual opportunities depend on the session format, group size and rotation.
Water use: what the claims mean
Wavegarden’s July 2026 report describes groundwater supply, recirculation and a Turf for Surf landscaping program intended to offset water demand. These are project-party claims; this tracker has not independently audited annual consumption or savings.
A useful future comparison would separate the initial lagoon fill, annual replacement water, resort landscaping, hotel use and measured irrigation savings. Reducing turf irrigation and drawing groundwater describe different parts of that water budget. Neither should be condensed into a claim that the resort uses no water.
What to watch next
A public opening date
A dated operator announcement and bookable sessions will make the visitor timeline more concrete.
Complete visit pricing
Session tiers, beach passes, rentals, coaching and cancellation terms will reveal the practical cost of a day here.
The next photo comparison
The September 10 photographs establish a visual baseline. Repeat views of the lagoon, buildings and arrival area will show physical changes over time.
Resort and villa releases
Hotel reservations, building progress and documented ownership terms will clarify the larger development.
For the wider setting, use the Palm Desert city map. For a different surf destination, read Mark’s Palm Springs Surf Club experience; its prices, waves and access rules belong to that separate venue.
Frequently asked questions
Is DSRT SURF open yet?
Public opening was not independently confirmed in our September 9, 2026 source check. The operator’s reservation page still said bookings were opening soon. Check that page for an actual date before planning a visit.
Do I need a membership to visit?
The operator says no membership is required. Its announced model includes public surf sessions and a beach pass for visitors who do not surf. Final availability and pass terms should be checked directly.
How much will surfing cost?
The advertised starting rate is $60 per hour for an individual session. A complete rate sheet and all inclusions were not verified. Wave level, coaching and equipment may affect the booking you choose.
Is this the Palm Springs Surf Club?
No. DSRT SURF is in Palm Desert beside Desert Willow. Palm Springs Surf Club is a separate attraction in Palm Springs. Use the correct operator’s booking page and directions.
Are the DSRT SURF hotel and villas open or for sale?
This tracker has not verified a hotel opening, villa sales launch or public ownership terms. The 139-room hotel and 57-villa figures describe the published development vision, not a confirmed release.
DSRT SURF update log
New entries will appear first. Earlier milestones retain their original dates so changing targets remain visible.
September 10, 2026 · First original photo update
Mark Miller photographed the site from above, documenting the filled lagoon, Wavegarden structure, pool and seating, two pickleball courts, skate area, buildings and surrounding grounds. Seven selected photographs, including the featured image, establish the first visual baseline for future comparisons. View the photographs.
September 9, 2026 · Tracker established
Reviewed the operator’s opening, booking and session pages alongside Wavegarden’s project updates. Public bookings remained unconfirmed. Original field photography had not yet been added.
July 9, 2026 · Wave testing documented
Wavegarden described on-site testing and programming, while retaining a late-summer opening target. The report is evidence of working waves ahead of a verified public launch.
April 29, 2026 · Supplier construction update
Wavegarden reported 90% completion and a summer target. That dated estimate is preserved here as a historical milestone, not a current completion measurement.
Sources and verification
Open project sources and photo credits
- Original photography: Mark Miller / Desert Oasis Insider, September 10, 2026. Seven selected aerial photographs document visible site conditions in Palm Desert.
- DSRT SURF FAQ — opening target, access model and visitor policies.
- DSRT SURF booking announcement — reservation status and advertised starting rate.
- DSRT SURF overview — location and wave system.
- Official session pages: beginner, intermediate, high performance.
- Wavegarden project profile — broader hotel and villa vision.
- Wavegarden, April 29, 2026 — dated construction assessment.
- Wavegarden, July 9, 2026 — wave testing, resort plans and water-management claims.
- Desert Willow Golf Resort — neighboring public golf operations.
Editorial approach: operator and supplier announcements are attributed to their authors. This edition does not establish final inspection approvals, occupancy authorization or a hotel-and-villa construction schedule. Promotional “opening” headlines are checked against the operator’s actual booking information.
More places and projects to explore
Put the project in its neighborhood context
Use Desert Oasis Insider’s buying resources to compare established communities while this resort’s future offering takes shape.
