Lights on Palm Desert hiking cross go dark

Plenty of folks enjoy hiking to the Palm Desert Cross to enjoy great views of the Santa Rosa Mountains, encompassing the Coachella Valley. The cross stands 60-feet-tall and is decked out with dozens of florescent light bulbs to make it easily seen for miles from around the Coachella Valley — but recently the cross has gone dark.

On Tuesday, KESQ News Channel 3 and CBS Local 2 learned why the lights have been out on the popular landmark recently.

According to Rev. Lane Hensley of St. Margaret’s Church in Palm Desert, the cross hasn’t been lit for about a week now due to some electrical problems. Hensley said the problem began when the storms first moved into the valley.

An electrician is scheduled to determine the problem on Thursday, with hopes of getting the hiking cross shining bright once again, Hensley said.

CoachellaValley.com lists the three-mile round trip as a family-friendly hike that never disappoints and is doable in the summer because it’s on the east side of the mountain, and hills block the sun in the afternoon. Hikers climb 600 feet before they reach the huge, well-lit cross.