COACHELLA VALLEY PRESERVE

On Sunday, before it got unbearably hot, Hubby and I went to see the California fan palm groves at the Coachella Valley Preserve. The California fan palm is the only native palm in the area. There is also the McCallum Oasis, a spring-fed pond. The colors seem off because the sky was a yucky shade of blech.

Here's the view from the parking lot.

Here is the sign near the entrance explaining the grove.

Here's the grove from a distance.

The dead fronds form "skirts" on the trees that animals can nest in.

Even though it is July, the river bed is still lush from winter and spring rains.

Compare the above photo with this photo that I took in the same area on December 31st of 2010.

The greenery was up past our heads in some spots.

I liked the poofy flowers on this plant.