Our Wild Desert: Where and when to see wildlife

We live in an incredible valley! Part of what makes our valley so amazing is our native wildlife. From birds to snakes to bighorn sheep, the Coachella Valley is absolutely brimming with life.

What animals you can see are heavily dependent on factors such as time of year and time of day. For instance, winter, spring, and fall are all great times to see birds here in the valley. That's because of the Salton Sea. Many species use the Salton Sea as a stopover when they're migrating either to the north or south.

Bighorn sheep are one of the most iconic animals we have here. These creatures are protected by the state of California and the federal government, and they can be tricky to spot for a few reasons. They easily blend in with the environment, for one. But they also only live in the mountains and canyons to the south of I-10.

These are just some of the hundreds of species that can be found all throughout the Coachella Valley. If you want to hit the trails and see some wildlife for yourself, your best bet go around sunrise and sunset as that's when the most animals are most active.