Editing Rancho Mirage, California (section)

==Recreation==
[[File:San jacinto mountains rancho mirage.jpg|thumb|right|[[San Jacinto Mountains]] as seen near Wolfson Park]]
Some of the most visited hiking trails in the Coachella Valley are found within city limits.{{sfn|Kath|Price|2010|p=69}} Some trails here include the Jack Rabbit Trail, Road Runner Trail, and Big Horn Overlook Trail, which has a trailhead by the Rancho Mirage City Hall.{{sfn|Kath|Price|2010|p=69}}{{sfn|Pyle|1999|pp=83–84}} Access to the Mirada Trail System is located behind Rancho Mirage City Hall where trailheads can be found for a number of trails, including the Bighorn Overlook Trail, Chuckwalla Trail, Jack Rabbit Trail, and Road Runner Trail.<ref name="Rancho Mirage 2017 General Plan"/>

Other trails include the Chuckwalla Trail, Butler-Abrams Trail, and the Clancy Lane Trail, which has a trailhead in Rancho Mirage Community Park. An additional trail, the Mirage Trail (also known as the 'Bump and Grind' or the Desert Drive Trail), climbs the [[Santa Rosa Mountains (California)|Santa Rosa Mountains]] and offers panoramic views of the surrounding Coachella Valley and neighboring mountains, including views of the [[San Jacinto Mountains]], [[Salton Sea]], [[La Quinta]], and other desert sights. The trail connects with other mountain trails, including Art Smith Trail and Hopalong Cassidy, which leads to Homme-Adams Park in [[Palm Desert, California|Palm Desert]]. Its trailhead is located at Desert Drive and follows a wide dirt and gravel path up the Santa Rosa Mountains. It joins the Magnesia Falls Trail after less than a mile.{{sfn|Randall|2012|pp=90–93}}{{sfn|Randall|2016|p=81}}

City officials in Rancho Mirage have worked with the [[U.S. Bureau of Land Management]] to further expand and improve desert trail networks.{{sfn|Randall|2016|p=ix}} The city also operates various nature and [[wildlife reserves]], such as the [[Magnesia Springs Ecological Reserve]] and Rancho Mirage Mountain Reserve, two of several reserves established within city limits to provide habitat for the [[Ovis canadensis nelsoni|Peninsular Bighorn Sheep]] and other local wildlife.<ref name="Rancho Mirage 2017 General Plan"/><ref name="yumpu.com"/>

There are six [[Cahuilla people|Cahuilla]] cultural heritage sites within the city limits of Rancho Mirage, including Bradley Canyon, Magnesia Spring, and Edom Hill (Indio Hills).{{sfn|Mallette|2011|p=15}}

Parts of the city lie within the [[Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument]], which makes up 280,071 acres and borders Rancho Mirage in the southwest.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bignell |first=Rob |date=July 11, 2019 |title=Hiking Destinations Abound in the Coachella Valley |url=https://ukenreport.com/hiking-destinations-abound-valley/ |access-date=June 14, 2023 |website=Uken Report |language=en-US |ref=none}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |title=Conservation and Open Space - City of Rancho Mirage |url=https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/36579898/conservation-and-open-space-city-of-rancho-mirage |access-date=June 14, 2023 |website=yumpu.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Rancho Mirage 2017 General Plan"/>

===Parks===
The city operates the following five public parks:<ref>{{Cite web |last=cityofrancho |title=Parks & Trails - City of Rancho Mirage |url=https://ranchomirageca.gov/residents/culture-and-recreation/parks-trails/ |access-date=June 14, 2023 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| title=City of Rancho Mirage - Parks & Trails Map | url=https://1elrsd35mlri2z7zmm3qkz2t-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Web-version-final-12-11-18.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919163245/https://1elrsd35mlri2z7zmm3qkz2t-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Web-version-final-12-11-18.pdf | archive-date=2020-09-19}}</ref><ref name="Rancho Mirage 2017 General Plan"/>

* '''Blixseth Mountain Park''' (access near the corner of Indian Trail and Mirage Road{{sfn|Baker|2008|p=131}}): 7-acre desert mountain park at the foothills of the [[Santa Rosa Mountains (California)|Santa Rosa Mountains]], accessed by a wooden bridge. Features desert landscape, Bighorn sheep displays, trails, native flora, and mountain vistas.{{sfn|Baker|2008|p=131}} The park was dedicated on April 19, 2002, and it is located immediately east of the Magnesia Storm Channel.
* '''Rancho Mirage Community Park''' (formerly Whitewater Park): 8.8-acre park featuring a fitness trail, picnic areas, a playground, an amphitheater, and sports facilities including two basketball courts, four tennis courts, and two handball courts. The city's oldest home dating to 1934 was moved to this park in 2004. The park also hosts annual concerts and events such as the Rancho Mirage Art Affaire.{{sfn|Baker|2008|p=142}}{{sfn|Van Vechten|2010|p=119}} The park is located adjacent to [[Whitewater River (California)|Whitewater River]] and was originally developed in 1982. The park was expanded in 1994 and in 2015. 
* '''Rancho Mirage Dog Park''': 4-acre park which opened in 2016 on the intersection of Key Largo Ave. and Via Vail. 
* '''Richard & Annette Bloch Cancer Survivors Park''': park adjacent to Rancho Mirage City Hall dedicated as a tribute to survivors of cancer. It is part of the series of parks known as [[Cancer Survivors Park]]. It has bronze sculptures, walkways, tiled benches, and a waterfall.{{sfn|Baker|2008|p=141}}{{sfn|Niemann|2006|p=192}}
* '''Michael S. Wolfson Park''' (trailhead for the Butler-Abrams Trail): 1.7-acre park landscaped with native palm and cactus gardens. The park was dedicated in 1986 and has a [[Victorian architecture|Victorian]] theme. There are several walking paths, decorative lights, picnic areas, bronze [[Braille]] plaques, and fountains. The red button near the entrance greets visitors with a recorded message from longtime local resident [[Frank Sinatra]]. The park is named for Michael S. Wolfson, mayor of Rancho Mirage from 1973 to 1986.{{sfn|Baker|2008|p=141}}{{sfn|Young|2011|p={{page needed|date=November 2021}}}}{{sfn|Copp|2008|p=41}}

An additional park, the 1.3-acre Magnesia Falls Neighborhood Park, is adjacent to Rancho Mirage Elementary School. It is a joint-use facility operated in conjunction with the Family [[YMCA]] of the Desert and the [[Palm Springs Unified School District]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Parkland Fund |url=https://weblink.ranchomirageca.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=288263&page=1&dbid=0&repo=RanchoMirage |website=Rancho Mirage Two Year Budget FY 2001-2002, FY 2002-2003 }}</ref> The park opened in 1999 and is equipped with a playground, benches, picnic areas, and ball fields.<ref name="Rancho Mirage 2017 General Plan"/>

===Nature reserves===
====Magnesia Spring Ecological Reserve====
The Magnesia Spring Ecological Reserve, a 3,800-acre area, was designated a nature reserve by the [[California Department of Fish and Wildlife]] in 1975. It is home to wildlife such as the [[Ovis canadensis nelsoni|Peninsular bighorn sheep]], [[Coyote]], [[Bobcat]], [[Gray fox]], [[Prairie falcon]], [[Golden eagle]], [[Gambel's quail]], and [[Mourning dove]]. It became a reserve to preserve and rehabilitate both habitat and access to freshwater sources for the Bighorn sheep.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Magnesia Spring Ecological Reserve |url=https://wildlife.ca.gov/Lands/Places-to-Visit/Magnesia-Spring-ER |access-date=June 14, 2023 |website=wildlife.ca.gov}}</ref> Magnesia Spring Canyon is the only desert palm oasis within city limits. The [[ecological reserve]] is located in Magnesia Springs Canyon and is an important habitat site for sensitive species such as the [[Peninsular Bighorn Sheep]], [[Bell's Vireo]], [[Southwestern Willow Flycatcher]], and the [[Prairie Falcon]]. It is managed by the [[California Department of Fish and Wildlife]].<ref name="Rancho Mirage 2017 General Plan"/>

Hiking is permitted in the reserve parts of the year. It can be accessed from trails such as the Mirage Trail and Magnesia Spring Falls Trail.<ref>California Department of Fish and Wildlife (2020). ''California Fish and Game Code''. Matthew Bender & Company, Inc. (LexisNexis Group). Page 1587. ISBN 9781522195641.</ref><ref>Snape, John (2014). ''California Fish and Game Code 2014''. Lulu. Page 53. ISBN 9781304925220.</ref> It can be reached by following the trail to Magnesia Falls, which has its trailhead at Blixseth Mountain Park, next to Rancho Mirage Elementary School. This trail leads to a variety of [[oases]] and waterfalls in the [[Santa Rosa Mountains (California)|Santa Rosa Mountains]] and is closed from January 1 to September 30 in order to protect the native Peninsular bighorn sheep. Lower Magnesia Falls is 2.5 miles roundtrip from Blixseth Mountain Park, while the Upper Magnesia Falls waterfall is a 6.5-mile roundtrip hike. This trail eventually joins the Art Smith Trail.<ref>Harris, David (2018). ''Afoot & Afield: Inland Empire: 256 Spectacular Outings in Southern California''. Wilderness Press. ISBN 9780899978161.</ref>

====Rancho Mirage Mountain Reserve====
Rancho Mirage was the first [[Coachella Valley]] city to establish a mountain reserve within its city limits. Rancho Mirage Mountain Reserve, which is approximately {{convert|2|mi2|acre|spell=in}}, was established to provide habitat for the [[Peninsular Bighorn Sheep]]. It consists of rocky terrain and a series of canyons and creeks in the [[Santa Rosa Mountains (California)|Santa Rosa Mountains]].<ref name="Rancho Mirage 2017 General Plan"/>