When we left Mission Bay in San Diego we made the several hour jaunt to Desert Hot Springs. It felt good to pick up and move after two months parked. DHS, as the locals call it, is a small community that few people outside the area would know. It’s near Palm Springs in the same way our hometown of Oregon, Ohio is near Toledo, Ohio. I’d never heard of DHS until we came out this way.
This area is popular with snowbirds, especially snowbirds from Washington and British Columbia. Must be those dang cold winters up there.
Other Half and I have been coming to this area for three years now. Our main reason for wintering here is the easy commute to see daughter – and of course the weather.
Shocking to both of us, we’ve developed a fondness for the desert.
If someone had told me – ever – that I would come to enjoy the desert – I would’ve laughed. As a born-and-bred midwesterner my idea of the desert was formed watching John Wayne movies with my Dad. John Wayne’s desert was full of gunslingers, rattlesnakes and quicksand.
The good news is the desert, at least this desert doesn’t have quicksand, not sure about the other two. The other good news about this desert are the natural hot springs. Thus the clever name, Desert Hot Springs. The hot springs are supposed to make you feel like a kid again.
We are camped at Caliente Springs Resort. If you squint you can see the campground in this pic. We stayed here two years ago. This place is a 55 and better community known for it’s fantastic hot spring fed pools. We love the pools.
We also enjoy daily walks in the desert. The resort is surrounded by desert with easy access. There are a half dozen gates from the park into the desert.
Just in case you forget where you are – this sign is posted at all the gates. This is the sign that freaked me out the first time we were here. That and the warnings from one of the locals. I’ve since gotten over my freak out.
In fact, Other Half and I have gotten so brave we now hike the desert. Our first desert hike here was a couple miles with a 1000 feet elevation change. 1000 feet might not sound like much, but it winded us.
Just the same, we were all proud of ourselves until we met a couple in their 80’s. They had walking sticks and water bottles and wide brim hats – much better prepared than us. No surprise there. They told us they hike up the mountain every day. Show offs.
Another great find in the area is a local Mexican restaurant with a great happy hour with $3.50 JUMBO Margarita’s. Can’t go wrong there, unless you each drink 2 jumbos. Take it from me, not a good idea.
One more fun thing happened recently, we got to spend time with my little bro Clint. He was in the area for work. Always great to see family.
Happy to be back in the desert.