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Desert Escapes

Get ahead of the heat and enjoy SoCal desert destinations, from hikes to outdoor art installations.

Trail at Whitewater Preserve
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A large spider sculpture, with the body of the spider replaced with a full-sized Volkswagen Beetle, towers over a walkway leading up to a building with a sign that reads, "Hole in the Wall" over the door.
Here are nine oddities worth a desert detour for a closer look — because no matter how odd they may seem, your eyes aren't deceiving you!
The landscape along the Desert Willow Trail at Big Morongo Canyon.
It's not too late to explore the High Desert this year, but you won't be the only squeezing in a last-minute trip. Here are five lesser-known destinations that offer all the the wonders of the High Desert without the big crowds.
Paul Grimm stands on the side of his painting of Harry Bennett and his horse Sonny.
From stopping union uprisings for Henry Ford to a desert landscape painter, Harry Bennett wasn’t just a militaristic figure in corporate America but also, strangely, a skilled artist.
The view at the Slot Canyon Overlook.
There's more to the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park than the wildflower blooms. Avoid the crowds and explore six of Anza-Borrego's lesser-known gems.
Jon Gnagy signs his name on an easel with his back turned to the camera. The profile of his face can be seen and he is wearing a plaid collared shirt.
As America’s first TV artist debuting in 1946, Jon Gnagy was a predecessor to the now-trendy Bob Ross. Hundreds of artists and artists credit him as their inspiration, from New York contemporary artist Allan McCollum to Andy Warhol.
A silver jeep sits on a dirt path with a wide view of Death Valley behind it.
Though breathtaking and spectacular, SoCal deserts present a special set of challenges even for the most seasoned traveler. Here are some tips to make sure that your next desert trip is a safe journey.
The landscape at Whitewater Preserve
Whether you’re an off-roader, a two-legged trekker or even an earthquake tourist, here are five great outdoor destinations in the Coachella Valley — no festival pass needed.
 Agnes Pelton, "Star Gazer," 1929. Oil on canvas. | Collection of Susan and Whitney Ganz
Agnes Pelton’s Cat City home is no majestic artist enclave, but unable to drive, she still found her mystic inspirations in her small hometown. Walk in her shoes.
Night's Regent, 2000 | Courtesy of Sharon Ellis
Sharon Ellis' luminous landscapes draw on nearly the whole history of landscape painting. Think American Luminists, Charles Burchfield and his "animated landscapes" and even Light and Space artists James Turrell and Robert Irwin.
C-3PO and R2-D2 walk toward Jabba's Palace, which was filmed in Death Valley's Twenty Mule Team Canyon for this scene in “Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.” Lucasfilm, LTD.
Virtually pressed up against the northern boundaries of Los Angeles, the Mojave Desert can be considered Hollywood’s backyard if not its backlot. See the Mojave take on multiple guises in well-loved movies throughout the decades.
Palm trees in Borrego Palm Canyon
Learn where to find some of the most significant desert oases in the world.
Norton Allen map of Corn Springs, between Indio and Blythe. There was no I-10 at the time the map was drawn. | Courtesy of Ethel Allen
"Desert Magazine" published from 1937 to 1985, offered readers an appealing world of mirages, ghost towns and lost treasure. Its maps sizzled with life and adventure. They were created lovingly — and it turns out painstakingly — by an elusive mapmaker.
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