Desert Hot Springs Community

About Sky Valley, CA

Welcome to Sky Valley, a desert community in Riverside County's Coachella Valley, known for its natural hot mineral springs between the San Jacinto Mountains and Joshua Tree.

Sky Valley is a census-designated place in Riverside County, California, in the northwestern corner of the Coachella Valley, just east of Desert Hot Springs. It sits at about 994 feet of elevation, between the San Jacinto Mountains to the south and the high desert rising toward Joshua Tree National Park to the north. About 2,400 people live in the community. Sky Valley's identity is tied to its hot springs. The mineral waters, originally known as Miracle Springs, were discovered in the early 1900s and have drawn visitors seeking the therapeutic soaking culture of the Desert Hot Springs area. Sky Valley Resort, with its natural hot mineral pools and spas, remains the community's best-known landmark and the center of its social life. Beginning in the early 1970s, the area was developed as a manufactured-home and RV community — a pattern that still defines much of Sky Valley's housing and its largely retirement and seasonal population, many of whom split their time between the desert and points elsewhere. The setting is classic low desert: wide-open valley floor, distant mountain ranges, clear skies, and a warm, dry climate that supports year-round outdoor living. The community is a few minutes from Desert Hot Springs for daily services, and roughly twenty minutes from Palm Springs and its airport, with the rest of the Coachella Valley — Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, and Indio — strung along Interstate 10 to the southeast. Joshua Tree National Park's southern entrance is nearby to the northeast, placing some of Southern California's most distinctive desert landscapes within a short drive. Public schools for the area are operated by the Palm Springs Unified School District, based in Desert Hot Springs, and the community's largely adult population means local school enrollment is limited. Sky Valley suits people drawn to desert living with natural mineral springs, mountain views, and an affordable, low-maintenance footprint — whether year-round or seasonal — within reach of the Coachella Valley's amenities.

Population 2,411
County Riverside County
Active Listings 54

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is Sky Valley in?

Sky Valley is in Riverside County, California, in the northwestern Coachella Valley, just east of Desert Hot Springs and about twenty minutes north of Palm Springs. It sits at roughly 994 feet of elevation between the San Jacinto Mountains and Joshua Tree National Park.

Is Sky Valley a city?

No. Sky Valley is a census-designated place (CDP), not an incorporated city. It is a desert community in the Desert Hot Springs area of the Coachella Valley, known for its hot mineral springs.

What is Sky Valley known for?

Sky Valley is known for its natural hot mineral springs, discovered in the early 1900s. Sky Valley Resort, with its hot mineral pools and spas, remains the community's landmark, and much of the area is made up of manufactured-home and RV neighborhoods.

How far is Sky Valley from Palm Springs?

Sky Valley is about twenty minutes north of Palm Springs by car, reached via Interstate 10 and Dillon Road. Palm Springs International Airport serves the region, and the rest of the Coachella Valley is a short drive away.

What is there to do near Sky Valley?

Sky Valley offers hot mineral soaking at Sky Valley Resort, plus hiking, rock climbing, and stargazing at nearby Joshua Tree National Park. Palm Springs provides dining, shopping, and culture about twenty minutes away.

City Guide

About Sky Valley

Real Estate & Housing

Housing in Sky Valley is dominated by manufactured homes and RV-oriented communities, a pattern established in the early 1970s when the area was developed as a desert retreat. Many homes sit on leased lots within resort-style communities, with a smaller share of conventional single-family houses and vacant desert parcels scattered across the valley floor. The stock is generally low-maintenance and oriented to seasonal and retirement living. Land is plentiful and relatively inexpensive compared with Palm Springs and other Coachella Valley cities, which keeps entry costs accessible for desert-home buyers.

Neighborhoods

Lifestyle in Sky Valley

Sky Valley offers a relaxed, outdoors-oriented desert lifestyle. The hot mineral pools and spas of Sky Valley Resort are central to daily life, and the community's retirement and seasonal population sets a calm, social rhythm. Residents enjoy the high-desert setting — wide skies, mountain views, and easy trips to Joshua Tree National Park for hiking, rock climbing, and stargazing. Desert Hot Springs supplies groceries and services, while Palm Springs provides dining, shopping, and culture about twenty minutes away. The warm, dry climate supports year-round outdoor living.

Schools & Education

Sky Valley is part of the Desert Hot Springs area, whose public schools are operated by the Palm Springs Unified School District, which covers the northwestern Coachella Valley. Students attend district schools in Desert Hot Springs, and families have access to the district's full K–12 pathway as well as charter and private options across the Coachella Valley. The community's largely adult population means local school enrollment is limited, but College of the Desert in Palm Desert serves higher education.

Getting Around

Sky Valley sits off Dillon Road and is reached via Interstate 10, the Coachella Valley's main east-west freeway, with Desert Hot Springs a few minutes west and Palm Springs about twenty minutes south. Palm Springs International Airport provides commercial flights, and the Coachella Valley's other cities — Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, and Palm Desert — are all within a short drive. There is no local rail service, so travel is by car, with the open desert roads and mountain passes shaping the region's driving patterns.

Parks & Recreation

Recreation in Sky Valley begins with its natural hot mineral springs, enjoyed at Sky Valley Resort's pools and spas. The surrounding desert offers hiking, off-roading, and wide-open vistas, while Joshua Tree National Park — with its iconic rock formations, trails, and dark skies for stargazing — is a short drive northeast. The San Jacinto Mountains rise to the south, and the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, golf courses, and cultural amenities of the Coachella Valley are all within easy reach.

MARKET SNAPSHOT

The Market at a Glance

How homes have been selling here over the last 90 days.

home_work New This Week 0
Went Under Contract 0
trending_down Price Reductions 0
payments Median Sale Price $210,000 -28.8%
square_foot Price per Sq Ft $292
schedule Avg Days on Market 41
sell Homes Sold 1
percent Sale-to-List Ratio 105.0%
inventory_2 Months of Inventory 8.9

Price & Sales History

Market data reflects closed sales over the last 90 days and is provided for informational purposes.

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Contact us

Joshua Henry

(626) 461-2780

thehenryestate@gmail.com

Reach out any time — we would love to hear from you.