A landmark wave basin is coming to California’s Coachella Valley, bringing year-round surfing to the desert. Developed by Meriwether Companies with Thermal Beach Club, the project anchors a new vision for Coral Mountain Desert Club.
Surfboards slicing across desert water may sound improbable, yet this is precisely the future taking shape in California’s Coachella Valley. In January 2026, Meriwether Companies announced a partnership with Thermal Beach Club to build the largest pneumatic wave basin in the United States, a private, world-class surf lagoon designed to anchor a new era of desert living.
The project will serve as an annex amenity for Coral Mountain Desert Club, a 400-acre master-planned community rising in La Quinta. Located less than ten minutes from the residential core, the surf basin brings consistent, programmable waves into a landscape long associated with golf, hiking, and open desert horizons.
Redefining recreation at Coral Mountain
Coral Mountain Desert Club is conceived as a fully integrated lifestyle destination, one where recreation, wellness, and social life are deeply intertwined. At its centre sits an 18-hole championship golf course designed by David McLay Kidd, complemented by fitness and recovery facilities, racquet sports venues, curated programming, and an extensive trail network connecting the community to more than 20,000 acres of surrounding public land.
The surf lagoon expands this vision in a meaningful way. Powered by a 48-chamber pneumatic system, the basin will generate customizable wave profiles suitable for every level of experience. Gentle, forgiving waves support first-time surfers, while advanced settings allow seasoned riders to refine technique and performance. In a region defined by sun and space, the ability to surf year-round adds an entirely new rhythm to daily life.
Surf culture without the coastline
Wave pool technology has transformed surfing from a seasonal, location-dependent pursuit into a more accessible, skill-driven discipline. At Coral Mountain, surfing becomes part of a broader outdoor ecosystem rather than a standalone attraction. Sessions can be social or solitary, athletic or playful, seamlessly integrated into a day that might also include trail running, strength training, or a late afternoon round of golf.
For Meriwether Companies, the wave basin reflects a deliberate shift toward adventure-forward communities. As buyers increasingly prioritize movement, health, and shared experiences, surf infrastructure has emerged as a defining amenity, one capable of anchoring community life while offering something genuinely distinctive.
Building on a proven surf-lagoon legacy
The Coachella Valley project follows the successful launch of Cabo Real Surf Club in Los Cabos, Mexico, a collaboration between Meriwether Companies and the Sanchez Navarro family. That development demonstrated how surf-centric design could shape residential communities around skill progression, family connection, and long-term lifestyle appeal.
By bringing a similar philosophy to Southern California’s desert interior, Meriwether extends its leadership in the manmade surf space. The Coral Mountain wave basin positions the company at the forefront of a movement that treats surfing as both sport and social infrastructure, adaptable to environments far removed from the ocean.
A rare addition to a tightly held region
Coral Mountain Desert Club holds particular significance for the greater Palm Springs area. It will be the first new private club and community to debut in the region in more than twenty years, developed on one of the last coveted, undeveloped parcels in the valley. That rarity, paired with an ambitious amenity mix, places Coral Mountain in a category of its own.
For Thermal Beach Club’s founding families, who have spent nearly a decade refining the concept and securing entitlements, the surf lagoon represents the realization of a long-held vision. Their focus on family connection, elevated recreation, and enduring community now finds a tangible centrepiece in the wave basin.
Where desert landscapes and new forms of adventure converge
Surfing in the desert signals more than technological novelty. It reflects a broader rethinking of where and how outdoor culture can exist. As wave pools become more sophisticated and environmentally controlled, adventure experiences are no longer confined by geography alone. They are shaped by intention, design, and a desire to live actively within everyday surroundings.
At Coral Mountain, the wave basin becomes a symbol of that shift. It suggests a future where deserts host surf sessions, where communities are built around movement and curiosity, and where the boundaries between traditional outdoor environments continue to blur in unexpected, compelling ways.
Further details on sales and development plans for Coral Mountain Desert Club are expected in early 2026.
Comments powered by CComment