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The Living Desert
Rating Details »
- Good for Kids:
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25 reviews for The Living Desert
I went to the Living Desert right after opening at 9:30am. It was almost 100 degrees and there wasn't a cloud in the sky upon my arrival. To avoid dehydration, I carried and drank from two liters of water on my back. If I hadn't applied 70 SPF sunblock, I would've looked like a lobster two days later. In the face of all of this discomfort, I enjoyed myself at the Living Desert.
Before you walk out into the park, you should consult the map insert you are given at the gate. Later in the day, you might be sapped of energy and not want to see every exhibit. The docents put on a show at 11am that features about ten of the park animals. If you see the show, a lot of stops will be cut off of your route. Pretty much none of the animals in the African side of the park are in the show, so perhaps that's a good place to start. The northern end of the Living Desert is heavier on the demonstration gardens, small animals and birds.
I liked all of the exhibits and most of the animals were out and about which isn't the case with San Diego's Wild Animal Park. Of course, the enclosures at WAP are larger and allow the animals to avoid us whenever they feel.
If you come prepared, the Living Desert is a fun place to check out some animals. Give yourself about three hours to make your way through.
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The big highlight for our trip was to see the giraffe's gracefully gallop from point A to B. She was somewhat of a show off and we encouraged her all the way. The rest of the exhibits were a bit tough since it was too hot for 0most animals to be out in the sun.
I appreciated all the exhibits for kids and adults of all ages. Everybody learned something about the world around us after the walk through the exhibits.
I'm looking forward to going back and hopefully enjoying the Living Desert more in cooler weather.
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This is a cute little zoo to wander around and look at animals. Here's a list of things I mentally took note of:
+Yes, it was freaking hot, but luckily there are cooling stations spread out through out the park. On a day like I was there, you will stop at every one. They turn them off an hour before the park closes.
+An ICEE never tasted as good as it did in Watutu Village. Very refreshing.
+Meerkats are always cool and fun to watch run around.
+The Cheetahs stare you down.
+The male Zebra confronts you to stay away from his women.
+There's a huge Big Horn Mountain Goat exhibit, but I couldn't find it/them.
+The Hyena came right up to the glass when he spotted me and was creepy looking and I was glad it was behind glass.
+It was kind of odd that there's a huge miniature train exhibit. Don't know what that had to do with animals.
+The tram ride costs an extra $6. Not really worth it.
+ I wanted to get up close and personal with the Giraffes like in the flyers. Instead I saw the big one peeing and one of the other ones drink it. After that, I didn't want them to get that close to me.
+Petting zoos are always fun.
+There's a hiking trail that would be fun on a cool day.
+I wanted to see lions but the exhibit had just broken ground and construction hasn't started.
+Lots of cool smaller feline animals exhibits.
+I wouldn't mind going back when it's cooler and after the lion habitat was finished.
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Wow, this place has grown from a dusty cactus garden with some rinky dink cages to a mini-Wild Animal Park. I enjoyed the mix of close-up global desert fauna encounters with desert flora sorted by region. The best parts were the playful bobcats, a menacing mountain lion, and a full blown train environment. We walked the whole thing in less than an hour, but it would have been fun to examine the tableaux more closely for those hilarious model train builder jokes.
Show your Bank of America card for free entry every first weekend of the month.
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If you are visiting the Palm Springs area for a weekend, this is a place worth checking out. It basically a zoo/wildlife preserve/desert garden area. I didn't check out the garden area, so I can't speak to that. However, it is desert vegetation, so if you like that stuff, you should check it out.
What I wanted to see was the animals. There are a number of animals that you typically see in zoos, but they are in more natural settings. For example, the bighorn sheep are on a huge mountain/hill area. While that means that they are further away, it also means that they seem more natural, and consequently are more enjoyable to watch
The same thing applies for other animals like the giraffes. When you look at them with nearby hills visible in the area behind them, and the hot desert sun, it feels like you are watching them in a natural setting.
Even better is that a huge percentage of the animals seemed to be animals that had been injured at some point (although the injuries were not visible), and which could not be returned to the wild, so they are doing a nice thing taking care of them.
There is a butterfly/hummingbird exhibit you can pay a few extra dollars for. I'm not sure it is worth the money. Yes, you get to be close to butterflies, etc., but there weren't that many of them (at least when I was there). Maybe other times of the year there are more butterflies and hummingbirds there.
What was nice though was the bird exhibit in the middle of the "oasis." The oasis is a little watering hole and shade area which was nice when it was 80 degrees outside, and I'm sure is twice as nice when it is 100+ degrees. Inside this oasis there is a bird house area where you can walk through and basically stand right next to several interesting, large birds. That was nice.
In conclusion, I recommend going here if you have a few hours to spare.
Others have accurately commented on the zoo/garden displays. Don't miss the amazing model railroad setup as well. All these are well and good, but my new favorite thing about the Living Desert is the Eisenhower Mountain hiking trail.
The trail begins by the bighorn sheep exhibit and winds out into the desert. The first stretch is paved, flat and very easy going. There are information kiosks along the way telling you about various flora and fauna. If you are with Grandma and/or Little Billy, you can just do this loop and have a decent time. But instead, I suggest you take the full 6 mile loop.
The loop starts up a long canyon wash and you will need to pick your way along. At the top of the wash, you will be on a well established trail. About half way through the hike, at the base of Eisenhower, you will find a picnic ramada (sheltered table) that makes a good place for lunch or a rest. From here, you can scramble up to the top of Eisenhower if you are fit and daring. Otherwise, continue on, enjoying views of the surrounding area. All too soon, you'll be back at the paved loop heading home to the bighorn sheep display.
Bring water and snacks. Wear sturdy shoes or hiking boots. Enjoy.
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We visited again! The membership is such a great deal. We will probably be back on April 25th to attend their Earth Day celebration!
Today was cloudy and overcast. There was even a little sprinkling of rain. We got to see a number of animals that weren't out last time due to the favorable temperatures.
I moved along quickly in order to get over to the San Andreas fault area. I envisioned a great, gaping crevice, or at least a visible crack. Instead we climbed up a ways and viewed the fault line from a distance. It is possible to determine where it lies because native California palms line it due to ground water being held in areas along the fault line. The interpretive area is quite well done.
My son fell and hurt himself on the rocky path so we cut things short and didn't see the African desert part yet again. The good thing about having a membership is that we didn't have to rush through in order to get "our money's worth" and can come back to view the rest at our convenience. I have tucked a mini first aid kit and a snake/spider bite extractor pump into my purse for future outings so as to be prepared for any and all calamities.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/5/2009
We went in the afternoon and really enjoyed the walk through. After finding out that they were an… Read more »
Absolutely spectacular - a must-see.
Unfortunately, my friend is a fauna person and I'm a flora person - so while there was something for each of us, she tired of looking at the gardens and wanted to proceed to the cute fuzzy animals, and I tired of the animals and wanted to go back to the gardens (sadly, splitting up was not an option).
Wear sensible shoes and take water. Most of the water fountains on-site were not working (and this was late December!) and the vending machines sell bottled water for $3.50 each. What a racket!
Make sure you get some sort of map at the start, because signage inside the complex is a bit inconsistent.
I didn't see much in the way of zoo animals one couldn't see at many other zoos, so I'm probably not qualified to speak in that regard. But, the landscaping of the gardens was incredible, and I picked up some good succulent ideas at the on-site garden store.
A great place with something for everyone.
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Came here a few months back and really enjoyed my visit. The giraffes and camels were my favorite animal exhibits. I loved looking at all the plants in the botanical gardens, especially the cactus plants. I also had a good time walking a portion of the hiking trail, but beware of super big ants!. The place is extremely well maintained and super clean considering that it's a zoo. Based on its appearance, it almost seemed too sterile! It was my first visit and it was better than I had anticipated. It was three hours well spent.
I have been here many, many times. I think, for the desert, that this is a spectacular place to go. I have been here during the hottest of days and the coolest of days and have never been disappointed. I especially enjoy the month of December when they do a festival of lights show...WOW...amazing...all sorts of Christmas stuff that dazzle the eyes...beautiful decorations and lights...a must see if you are in the Palm Springs area during that time of the year.
They also sell plants, catus, and other things...they will even come to your house, if you live in the desert, to help you plan your landscaping with drought tolerant plants and catus...no charge for this service! (Well, that was a few years ago and they did not charge me.)
Bring the kids! Bring the family! Truly an education for all!!!
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The Living Desert is a stop that we always make when we are at the desert. It is a great place to bring kids or just the "kid you have inside". The layout of the animals and their enclosures make it very easy to view them. I've gotten some of my best photos there. They also have a children's play area as well as a short hiking trail where I've seen road runners, quail, lizards, etc.
They have a who
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While this place was pretty neat, it didn't live up to the hype. We were here in mid-March and it was hotter than hell. It was 91 in the shade, and I can only imagine the poor sods that come here to care for the animals on those scorching August afternoons.
I do believe every animal in the zoo was asleep today. Possibly with the exception of the butterflies, but then they have that whole constant eating not to die thing.
The grounds are arid and dusty, but it is the desert, so what did I expect... My biggest beef with this place was the complete lack of water. At 10:00 AM they were completely sold out of bottled water and 3 of the 6 fountains we encountered were out of service. If you are running a desert attraction, you had better have a Deer Park warehouse next door.
We ate at the overpriced cafe in the center of the park, the food wasn't half bad, but rather unremarkable. At least they gave you a decent sized portion for the amount you fork over.
The silver lining here was that as DC Zoo members, we saved 50% off the admission, so that was nice. Of a laughable note, the folks that join the San Diego Zoo (at a price 3X that of the DC Zoo) don't get a discount. How's that for life smacking you in the head?
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For those of you who are going to attend Coachella Fest and run home after the event, you owe it to yourself to get familiar with the surrounding nature. Living Desert is a garden-slash-zoo in Palm Desert ( It also sprawls across to Indian Wells. A visit here then is a two-fer!). Living Desert proved that the local native and flora and fauna aren't restricted to just the tumbleweeds shown in Road Runner cartoons.
Unfortunately, Coachella Valley doesn't present the local wildlife without landscaping the desert out of it. You may be surprised to know that there is only one palm tree that is native to California, the rest that you see on the medians and golf courses are from god-knows-where.
A visit to the Living Garden is a good 3-hour walk. You're going to see two things: desert plants from all over the world and desert animals such as meerkats. There is also a good overview of the Cahuilla Indian way-of-life in the desert including a mock-up of their native dwelling, the kish. If you're really adventurous, there is a trail that takes you to even further out into the boonies. At the end of your walk, there is a great working model train exhibit. Exhibits here are presented in a rustic Western look with many of the exhibit tags showing their age.
It's short a star because I thought the price was too steep at $12 per person and the Desert Garden in Huntington Library is better presented.
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LOVE LOVE LOVE this place. Where else do you get to roam around and see endangered species, animals being prepared to be re-released into the wild, and others being saved from captivity.
From North American critters to those from Africa, it is a blast to watch these animals interacting with each other and their surroundings. I have been on the hottest and coldest of days and have always been impressed by this site.
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This has to be one of my favorite zoos/botanical gardens/nature preserves, ever. I used to come out here with friends or on field trips and it was worth the 90 minute drive from the Inland Empire. Even in the hottest hours of the day, you'll find that the Living Desert is somehow cooler than the surrounding landscapes. They've got a great selection of native florae and faunae and their gift shop ain't bad, either.
To be honest, the ultimate trip would be to visit Joshua Tree National Park, from Twentynine Palms to I-10, and then stop here at the Living Desert on your way home for more in-depth info on what you just saw.
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Awesome place to go to get educated on the desert's animals, bugs and vegetation. It's basically a desert walking zoo...you can walk around to each exhibit and out on a path to explore the zebras.
Wonderful garden center...in fact...I've known a few people to have been married here of all places! It's quite lovely.
I recommend checking out the Living Desert in the morning when the weather is warm... or go during the cooler months seeing as it's mostly outdoors.
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I love this place nice landscaping and the animal exhibits are outstanding. Check out the nursery, lots of hard to find natives for low & high desert as well the San Jacinto Mountain range
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This place is quite honestly one of the coolest (and I use that term metaphorically, not literally) zoo/parks I've ever been to. Granted, we were there late in the day on a mild October afternoon, but the two hours we spent walking around this place was just terrific.
Aside from the gorgeous natural desert landscapes, the bird and animal exhibits were some of the best I've seen anywhere. Owls and snakes and mountain lions and wolves and tortoises and on and on. The animals were active, healthy and appeared to be well-taken care of.
They've got a kids play area to blow off steam, there's a butterfly house, aviaries, African animals, a huge model trainset. Wow, two hours wasn't nearly enough time to check it all out.
Admission is a bit pricy at $14 for adults, and like $11 for kids (3 and under are free), but I really felt it was worth every penny.
Minus one half star for charging $6 per head for access to the shuttle bus which drives you around the park and offers insights into the animals and exhibits. We passed on that, and were just as happy once we found a push-cart for the kids.
I don't think this place would be quite as fun on a very hot day, so consider going early or skipping it if the mercury is too high.
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The Living Desert Zoo is a must visit place when visiting Palm Springs area. I saw so many dessert animals that I never seen in other zoos before. It can get super hot. We went in March and was sweating like crazy after walking around the zoo in 10 minutes. Remember to bring plenty of water and put on lots of sunscreen.
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With the recent tiger mauling in San Francisco this place better take notice or we might find cheetahs snacking on obnoxious little kids. I can't believe their cheetah pen can contain an animal that can run at 60mph.
This zoo is a mix of the bad and the good. Fortunately the bad (model trains) are far outweighed by the good (the animals). Personally I hate birds, insects, and most animals without fur. The Living Desert actually got me to "ooh" and "ahh" at their golden eagle. That is one cool bird.
My highlights were the big cats. I like big cats. I actually felt really bad for the mountain lion (see picture). That lion was pissed and was jumping on the glass trying to take down little kids as a tasty breakfast snack. I think they should feed him little kids every once in a while to keep his blood pressure down.
Check out the wildlife show if you can. They have huge birds flying right over your head (2" from the top of your head). Again, this is insane due to safety considerations so make sure to catch it while you can. My parents said the show was tamer than it was about two years ago so they're already trying to make it safer.
They have a spot where you can walk out into the desert and climb up a hill to get a view of the San Andreas Fault. This is worth doing if you're there in the winter and it's 75 instead of 115.
I have a picture of me as a three month old here... I've been going there forever.
4 stars because it's gotten away from it's original goal to become a perserve and wildlife and botanical gardens for injured, non-releasable, and endangered animals. In short, they sold out.
But their educational opportunities are great. If you're a local consider volunteering, I volunteered there for 6 years- as a kid no less, they have a junior volunteer program. Also if you kids need something to do in the summer enroll them in their summer classes- it might seem crazy to let them go to a zoo and botanical garden in the summer (so hot!) but they stay inside most of the time and go on short walks with lots of water.
Anytime you go there with kids go to the discovery room- a great little hands on museum that is amazing. The shows are worthwhile too and the trams are very convent if you don't want to over walk the youngins or it's just to hot to trek it. Keep an eye out when you come in often times volunteers will have a snake or lizard out for some hands on fun. They also have a playground (sell out much) just in case the animals weren't enough stimulation for children.
I've heard the overnight program there is good and I think they have jazz nights there. You might also consider having parties there, and not just for kids- they have an amazing patio for weddings and a classy indoor reception area for smaller parties that overlooks the jaguars.
Food is alright, though of course it can be expensive. In the African section they serve delicious sweet potatoe fries and at the main cafe near the entrance there sandwiches are pretty good.
If you didnt know it's divided into deserts of the world (hence the living desert). The African section is the newest and is fun but I love love love eagle canyon, which represents the American deserts.
All in all a great place. Take your time and explore, the gardens are even better than the animals some times and there are lots of hidden quite places to take everything in.
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A sweet, little, uncrowded zoo in a spectacular mountainside setting, devoted to research and education on desert animals and plants. It's sincere and uncommercial, with barely a helium balloon or burger and fries in sight. Wide paths meander among large naturalistic animal enclosures. In summer the animals seem unfazed by the 110+ degree heat, but you are, so they mercifully close at 1PM.
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Sadly the most active animals we saw at midday were the Meerkats and a rad tortoise who was raging around his little area like it was the track at Indy! The cheetahs were sleeping, the golden eagle was freaking HUGE, and the foxes were pretty darn cute.
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the living desert is a great place to spend the day. peace.
i LOVE their model trains!
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super interesting place to visit when it's cool outside. i don't reccomend going from may-september. i love it here though. they have a huge variety of animals to see & most recently a baby giraffe.
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