The Town of Yucca Valley is the gateway to the colorful and healthful Hi-Desert. Bordered on the west by the San Bernardino Mountains and the south by the Joshua Tree National Park, our community sits 3,334 feet above sea level. Pristine air, low humidity, moderate temperatures and starry nights make Yucca Valley a mecca for travelers and those who have grown weary of life in and around the city. Recently chosen as one of the top ten most affordable places to retire by U.S. News and World Report, Yucca Valley should be on your list of places to explore when planning for your retirement.
Our little piece of the desert started life as "Lone Star" in the early 1900s and served as a resting point for the horse-drawn supply trains between the town of Banning and the mining areas around Twentynine Palms. Development in the area started in 1923 with our first gas station at the "Lone Star Ranch." In the 1930s more gas stations and numerous food markets opened and by 1949, when the small town was renamed to "Yucca Valley," a thriving community had developed on the open desert.
Comfortable summers, mild winters and low relative humidity make Yucca Valley a favorite destination year-around. Often 10-or-more degrees cooler than Palm Springs, a 30-minute drive to our south and 29 Palms, a 30-minute drive to our east, average summer temperatures stay in the upper-90s during the day and in the mid-70s at night. The winter months bring daytime temperatures down into the mid-40s and nights into the low-30s, and on occasion we do enjoy a slight dusting of snowfall. Annual rainfall is slightly over 3" and the very low humidity allows for very enjoyable summer heat.
Yucca Valley is 25 miles North-East of Palm Springs California. Access in and out of the area is on the 4-lane "Twentynine Palms Highway," also known State Route 62, which starts 17 miles to our West on Interstate 10. A second highway, SR 247, enters Yucca Valley from the North and provides access to Victorville and Interstate 15. Approximate driving time to Palm Springs is 30 minutes, Los Angeles is 2 hours, San Diego is 2 1/2 hours and Las Vegas is 3 1/2 hours. Our closest major airport is Palm Springs International. Yucca Valley does have a small, uncontrolled airport with a 4,300 ft runway.
We offer all the amenities of life without the complications. Our residents enjoy large retail outlets right along side small "mom & pop" establishments. We do not experience "gridlock" and a trip through town will take not more than 10 minutes. We are close to ski and mountain resorts, the beaches, the Colorado River, numerous major attractions and even a couple of major cities. Close, but not too close. Yucca Valley is big enough to support our resident's needs but small enough to maintain the friendly hometown atmosphere. And most of us would not even consider living anywhere else. |
