Skip to content
Atlas
Desert Oasis Insider

Explore DOI

Atlas
Contact Mark
Sign in / Create account

Find your next discovery.

Teddy bear cholla with golden spines above a desert mountain valley

Teddy Bear Cholla

One of the most visually striking and infamous cacti of the Coachella Valley and surrounding desert regions. Despite its soft, fuzzy appearance, th...

 A colorful roadside attraction sign for Shields Date Garden featuring a knight in armor pointing forward.

Shields Date Garden

A historic date farm and roadside attraction in Indio, California, founded in 1924 by Floyd and Bess Shields. It’s a one-stop destination where you...

 Illustrated portrait of June McCarroll holding a paintbrush.

June McCarroll

Who She Was Dr. June Adaline Whittelsey Robertson McCarroll (1867–1954) was a pioneering physician, public health advocate, and desert visionary wh...

 Illustration of Walter Annenberg seated in a desert garden at Sunnylands

Walter Annenberg

The Ambassador Who Turned Rancho Mirage Into a Stage for History Walter H. Annenberg was a publisher, philanthropist, diplomat, and one of the most...

 Union Pacific locomotives passing beneath rugged desert mountains.

Union Pacific Railroad

Union Pacific Railroad operates the principal rail corridor running through the Coachella Valley. Known as the Yuma Subdivision, this section forms...

 A yellow-bells shrub flowering beside a garden path.

Tecoma stans (Yellow Bells)

Tecoma stans, known locally as Yellow Bells, is a vibrant, sun-loving shrub commonly found throughout the Coachella Valley. Native to the American ...

 Ralphs storefront and parking area at Citrus Plaza in Indio, photographed from above. Photograph by Mark Miller, October 27, 2026.

Ralphs at Citrus Plaza, Indio

Ralphs at Citrus Plaza is a grocery stop on Jefferson Street in Indio, near Avenue 50. Its location puts everyday food shopping alongside the surro...

 A tall yucca-like plant with a dense crown of pointed leaves at The Living Desert.

Yucca Rostrata

Commonly known as Beaked Yucca, is a stunning, drought-tolerant plant native to the Chihuahuan Desert, making it well-suited for Coachella Valley g...

 Map showing the San Andreas Fault through the Coachella Valley, from San Gorgonio Pass to the Salton Sea.

San Andreas Fault

What Is the San Andreas Fault? The San Andreas Fault is the most famous earthquake fault in California and one of the most studied fault systems in...

 A Dorcas gazelle resting on green grass.

Dorcas Gazelle

Although the Dorcas gazelle is not native to the Coachella Valley, you can see them locally at The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert. Th...

 A pickleball player moving across Matt Anderson's backyard court, with mountains behind.

Jeffrey Lunak

Jeffrey Lunak doesn’t just play pickleball—he imposes his will on it. A longtime player and the owner of Sumo Dogs, Jeffrey brings deep wisdom, sha...

 Lake Cahuilla, View of Coral Mountain.

Lake Cahuilla Park

Your practical guide to fishing, camping, family afternoons, birds and mountain scenery. Lake Cahuilla is where a La Quinta outing can slow dow...