The quarter-mile West Fork Falls Trail offers quick & easy access to one of the coolest spots in the Indian Canyons.
This article originally appeared in the Spring/Summer 2024 edition of Me Yah Whae magazine, the official magazine of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians.
Written by June Allan Corrigan. Photography by Ethan Kaminsky.
Like Finding a hidden treasure, the West Fork Falls Trail is a quick way to immerse yourself in the beauty of the Indian Canyons. When arriving at the Trading Post in Palm Canyon, it’s natural to be drawn to the clusters of palm trees beckoning just below. However, take some time to wander to the top of the parking lot where you’ll find a sign and the entrance to the West Fork Falls Trail.
Follow it around to the first bend and suddenly the Trading Post seems miles away instead of mere yards. The gentle descent into the canyon reveals a stunning view of native California fan palms standing tall against a mountain backdrop. While manoeuvring around giant boulders and gazing up at jagged rock formations, the appreciable scenic rewards, considering the short distance, and the small amount of effort required, will amaze you.
The best is yet to come. The trail’s name shows there are falls after all, and waterfalls are indeed present, though not always immediately visible. Keep following the trail and your ears will soon pick up the sound of rushing water while sharp eyes might already have detected the stream running through the canyon.
Follow the stream to its source and don’t let gigantic boulders fool you into thinking there’s no access to what must surely be West Fork Falls. There’s a reasonably sized passageway that most hikers can safely scramble through while remaining dry. Then, Voila! The trail’s namesake reveals itself — an Instagram-worthy moment few can resist.
The falls gush with considerable force down a rock face worn smooth. Precipitation and snow melt can affect the flow, though it remains constant even during the hot summer months. Post-Tropical Storm Hilary dumped a year’s worth of rain on Palm Springs and the Indian Canyons in August 2023, reducing the falls’ breadth and shifting the narrower flow to one side of the rock face. Mineral deposits have left a white cast on a now-dry section of stone that clearly illustrates the water’s former path.
“We suspect the heavy rainfall that accompanied Hilary caused boulders and soil to shift higher in the mountains, which affected the water flow,” Agua Caliente Tribal Ranger Andrew Keat says. Meanwhile, a dried mud line on a rock just past the falls’ main basin shows just how high the water rose during the major storm that occurred on Valentine’s Day 2019.
Those in the know count on West Fork Falls’ quick and easy access to its key feature. Regular visitors will eagerly pack a picnic and spend a few hours in the canyon’s shady spots. Some will even brave the cool water that pools at the fall’s base which has a year-round temperature hovering around 40 degrees. In the springtime, wildflowers bloom along the banks of the stream, which flows out of the canyon and under a bridge that people unknowingly drive over en route to Palm Canyon.
Visitors who haven’t much time or inclination to embark on a lengthy hike will find the West Fork Falls Trail to be an ideal compromise. “It’s a great trail for people who can’t or don’t want to go too far,” Keat says, referring to some of the Indian Canyons’ longer and more strenuous hikes. The West Fork Falls Trail is an easy quarter-mile round trip and should never be confused with the West Fork Trail, which runs six miles.
If you go: The Indian Canyons are open daily Oct. 1 through July 4, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wear sunscreen, light clothes, and a hat, and carry plenty of water and snacks.
Visit Us Online: www.indian-canyons.com to learn more about the many trails and features of the Indian Canyons.
