"Big Morongo Canyon Preserve is so green right now it’s hard to believe it’s in the middle of the desert.

I recently spent a few hours hiking through the oasis, just off Highway 62 and not far from the 10 Freeway in California’s high desert, about two hours east of Los Angeles near Palm Springs. It’s a gorgeous spot, full of blooming flowers and sun-dappled mountains and scurrying lizards. It’s especially vibrant right now because of this summer’s intense rains.

“Typically it would be browner,” said Kevin Wong, executive director of Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, the nonprofit that manages the space. “But right after Tropical Storm Hilary, everything turned green again. We all just jumped up and down.”"

Sammy Roth reports for the Los Angeles Times October  31, 2023. [2]