Skip to content
Atlas
Desert Oasis Insider

Explore DOI

Atlas
Contact Mark
Sign in / Create account

Find your next discovery.

The cross on a rocky ridge above Palm Desert, beneath a blue sky.

The Palm Desert Cross Hike

The Palm Desert Cross is a hillside destination reached by more than one route. Our comparison uses the direct 2.2-mile return outing from Homme-Ad...

 Tall upright snake-plant leaves in a shaded garden at The Living Desert.

Snake Plant

The snake plant (Mother-in-Law’s Tongue) has tall, sword-like leaves with green markings and yellow edges. It thrives with minimal care, tolerates ...

 Mark Miller playing pickleball at Sommerset in Palm Desert, California

Mark Miller

Retired from pickleball. Mark Miller is a Coachella Valley local, photographer, and writer whose playing years were shaped by friendship, purposefu...

 A player in a red cap preparing for a shot on Matt Anderson's backyard pickleball court.

Matt Anderson

The Backyard 5.0 Architect Matt Anderson is the kind of player DUPR can’t capture—because he’s never chased the number. Now based in Long Beach, Ca...

 A small bird perched among thin leaves and stems.

Flame Skimmer (Libellula saturata)

This vibrant orange dragonfly is a striking species commonly found in the Coachella Valley and throughout the southwestern United States. Appearanc...

 Aerial overview of DSRT Surf in Palm Desert, showing the surf lagoon, surrounding buildings and mountain backdrop on September 10, 2026.

DSRT Surf

Book a surf session Checked October 23, 2026: DSRT SURF now directs visitors to its booking calendar. Choose a date and wave session, and confirm ...

 Red tubular flowers and green foliage at The Living Desert.

Salvia darcyi (Darcy’s Sage)

Family: Lamiaceae (Mint family)Origin: Native to the Sierra Madre Oriental of Mexico, but widely cultivated and naturalized in desert gardens, incl...

 A visitor walking through a shaded garden path at The Living Desert.

Walking Trails at The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert

The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert is one of the best places in the Coachella Valley to enjoy a scenic walk while surrounded by deser...

 AI-enhanced illustration of a bighorn ram overlooking Rancho Mirage; sheep digitally added.

Bighorn Overlook Trail

A short climb above Rancho Mirage City Hall, with switchbacks, a picnic shelter and a wide-open view across the Coachella Valley.Plan the outing sh...

 Ivan DaSilva preparing to hit a pickleball on an outdoor court.

Ivan Da Silva

Palm Springs resident Ivan Da Silva is the kind of player who walks onto the court looking to crack the code. An ethical hacker by profession—the k...

 Close-up of a fan palm trunk and hanging dry fronds against a blue sky.

California Fan Palm

The only palm species native to the western United States and is a defining feature of desert oases in the Coachella Valley and surrounding mountai...

 Gray-green paired leaflets and woody branches of a likely desert ironwood in La Quinta Cove

Desert Ironwood

Photographed in La Quinta Cove on September 28, 2026, this tree’s gray-green paired leaflets and substantial gray branches point to desert ironwood...