Among the least hiked areas of the Coachella Valley is its eastern side, the Little San Bernardino Mountains. Only one valley city sits along the range, so there isn’t a lot of public access to them. The range also has fewer foothills than the San Jacintos and Santa Rosas on the valley’s west side, so on average is steeper.

But there are trails, all offering interesting vistas pf the valley that you can’t get on the west side.

One excellent route to try is the Long Canyon Trail in Desert Hot Springs. A former service road, you can hike it 12 miles one-way deep into Joshua Tree National Park’s southwest corner.

To reach the trail, from Interstate 10 exit north onto Palm Drive and drive into Desert Hot Springs. Turn right/east onto Dillon Road then left/north onto Long Canyon Road. When the road curves northwest, it becomes Hacienda Avenue; instead turn right/northeast onto Long Canyon Road. In about 1.5 miles, a small unpaved parking lot sits on the road’s right side.

Continue walking the road north into Long Canyon. A wash sits just below the road’s right/east side as you gently ascend through the desert into the foothills.

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