Community guide · Palm Desert
BIGHORN Golf Club: a buyer’s guide.
Quick answer
BIGHORN Golf Club sits in the Santa Rosa foothills above Palm Desert, three miles up Highway 74 from El Paseo, which gives it elevation and proximity to shopping and dining that few Valley clubs combine. Established in 1991, it holds two courses, the Mountains by Arthur Hills and the Canyons by Tom Fazio, linked by a cart tunnel beneath the highway, alongside an 80,000 square foot clubhouse and The Vault, an auto gallery where around ninety members display collections. Membership is restricted to property owners and is described as non equity, non voting and non transferable, which is a materially different structure from most Valley clubs. It also carries the highest median price per square foot of any community we track.
BIGHORN at a glance
| Location | 255 Palowet Drive, Palm Desert, in the Santa Rosa foothills three miles up Highway 74 from El Paseo |
| Community type | Private golf and residential community |
| Established | 1991 |
| Residences | Approximately 570 at completion, on fee simple land |
| Mountains course | Arthur Hills, opened 1991. 6,874 yards, rating 73.6, slope 143 |
| Canyons course | Tom Fazio, opened 1998. 7,043 yards, rating 74.8, slope 141 |
| Connection | A cart tunnel beneath Highway 74 links the two courses |
| Clubhouse | Approximately 80,000 sq ft |
| The Vault | An auto gallery where around 90 members display and store collections |
| Membership | Property owners only. Described as non equity, non voting and non transferable licences* |
| Home sizes | Recent sales from 3,314 to 10,525 sq ft |
| Homesites | Recent sales from approximately 0.29 to 0.83 acres |
| Recent closed sales | $2,975,000 to $14,500,000, median $5,700,000, six months to August 4, 2026* |
*Membership terms are set by the club and subject to change. Closed sale figures cover February 4 to August 4, 2026 and are a snapshot rather than a valuation guide.
What makes BIGHORN different
The elevation. BIGHORN climbs the Santa Rosa foothills rather than sitting on the valley floor, which changes both the golf and the views. Homes here look down across the Valley rather than out along a fairway, and the temperature differential at height is noticeable in the shoulder months.
Two courses by two very different architects. Arthur Hills routed the Mountains course in 1991 with a slope of 143, the highest of any course in the communities we cover. Fazio’s Canyons followed in 1998. They are connected by a cart tunnel beneath Highway 74, which is a solution most clubs never need.
And The Vault. An auto gallery within the club where around ninety members display and store collections. No other Valley golf club has anything comparable, and it draws a specific kind of member. A collector weighing BIGHORN against The Thermal Club is choosing between two quite different propositions: a golf club that accommodates the collection, or a motorsport club built around it.
The street names follow a fourth convention again. Netas, Navtem, Tamit, Metate, Menil, Wanish, Kiva. Cahuilla names, from the people whose land this was.
Current market snapshot
As of August 4, 2026, for the MLS subdivision Bighorn Golf Club within Palm Desert South Area 323:
| Active listings | 6 |
| Active asking range | $2,395,000 to $7,950,000 |
| Median active asking price | $4,895,000 |
| Closed sales, six months | 13 |
| Closed price range | $2,975,000 to $14,500,000 |
| Median closed price | $5,700,000 |
| Median closed price per sq ft | $1,056 |
| Closed home sizes | 3,314 to 10,525 sq ft |
| Median sale to list ratio | 96% |
| Median days on market, closed | 85 |
Source: GPS MLS and CRMLS, subdivision Bighorn Golf Club, Palm Desert South Area 323, retrieved August 4, 2026. Closed sales cover February 4 to August 4, 2026. Information is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed. Updated monthly.
Thirteen sales against six active listings is roughly 2.8 months of supply. But the more useful figures here are the ones that do not appear in a summary.
The highest price per square foot in the Valley
At $1,056, BIGHORN’s median exceeds every other community we track, including The Madison Club. That reflects the elevation, the two courses and the age of the housing stock, but it also means comparisons drawn from Valley wide figures will understate value here considerably.
Four sales at full asking, three of them immediately
Four of the thirteen closed at full asking price or above. Three of those recorded zero days on market, which means they transacted before or immediately upon listing.
Nearly a quarter of the sales here never really reached the open market.
In a community of roughly 570 homes, a meaningful share of activity moves through relationships rather than through a portal. A buyer waiting for the right property to appear on a search may be waiting for something that has already sold.
And the gap between selling and sitting
Homes that sold took a median of 85 days. The six still on the market as of August 4 had been listed a median of 186 days, with two past 250.
That is the same pattern we see at Andalusia and it points the same way. Where inventory is thin and buyers are few but decisive, the initial asking price does almost all the work.
The largest vintage premium we have measured
Homes built between 1992 and 2001 averaged around $843 per square foot in the period. Homes built from 2004 onward averaged around $1,214. A 44 percent difference.
That is the widest spread across the four communities where the comparison can be made, and it matters more here than elsewhere because BIGHORN began in 1991. A substantial share of the housing stock is now more than thirty years old on land that has appreciated considerably.
For an owner holding original condition stock, that is worth modelling properly against what comparable updated homes in this community have actually achieved.
Architecture, homesites and orientation
Recent sales ranged from 3,314 to 10,525 square feet on homesites of roughly a third to five sixths of an acre, with build years spanning 1992 to 2026. That is a wide range in both size and vintage, and it means comparable sales need choosing rather than averaging.
BIGHORN’s architecture follows the evolution of desert luxury over more than three decades. Earlier homes tend to have heavier Southwestern or Mediterranean massing, deeper rooflines, smaller openings and more compartmentalized interiors. Later renovations and new construction increasingly favor long horizontal forms, disappearing glass walls, restrained materials and rooms organized around the view. Some older houses occupy extraordinary parcels but no longer use them particularly well. Others have been comprehensively rebuilt and should not be valued as though they remain part of the original housing stock.
That distinction helps explain the substantial premium achieved by newer homes. At BIGHORN, buyers are not simply paying for current finishes. They are paying for architecture designed around larger openings, indoor-outdoor circulation, contemporary ceiling heights and the ability to see across the property from the moment they enter.
Elevation is the other defining variable. BIGHORN rises into the foothills of the Santa Rosa Mountains rather than sitting on the Valley floor, and the experience changes noticeably as the internal roads climb. Lower and mid-level homes may look directly across a fairway, lake, rock formation or neighboring roofline. Higher homes begin to clear those foreground elements and take in a much broader sweep of Palm Desert, the northern Valley and the ranges beyond.
The highest residential positions are found around the upper reaches of the community, particularly the Summit Cove and Pinnacle Crest enclaves. Summit Cove sits above the balance of BIGHORN, and the club describes its remaining estate homesite there as elevated over the entire community, with views across golf, surrounding mountains and the lights of south Palm Desert. Pinnacle Crest occupies another of the community’s prized ridgelines; homes there can combine Canyons Course frontage with long easterly Valley views and a more immediate mountain aspect to the south.
Those positions are scarce, but elevation alone does not determine the best parcel. A home can sit high and still have its principal rooms directed toward a nearby slope, while a slightly lower home may open perfectly along a fairway corridor and hold an uninterrupted view for miles. The relevant questions are what the house looks over, how much of the Valley is visible above the foreground, whether adjacent construction enters the sightline and which direction the primary outdoor rooms face.
The two course environments also feel materially different. The Arthur Hills–designed Mountains Course occupies BIGHORN’s original, more dramatically contoured terrain. Its golf holes move through steeper landforms, rocky desert and pronounced changes in elevation, creating homesites that can feel embedded within the mountain rather than arranged around a conventional course. The Tom Fazio–designed Canyons Course, added later on land acquired across Highway 74, is broader and more open, with a more expansive desert landscape and longer visual corridors between fairways, mountains and sky.
In practice, Mountains frontage tends to offer greater topographic drama: close mountain walls, elevated tees, sculptural rock and golf moving above or below the residence. Canyons frontage can feel more panoramic, with broader fairway exposures and clearer opportunities to look east across the Valley while retaining the Santa Rosa Mountains behind or beside the house. Neither is categorically superior. Buyers choosing between them are often choosing between intimacy and breadth.
Highway 74 divides the two physical sides of the club, but it does not divide the BIGHORN lifestyle. Both operate as parts of the same private community, and the Canyons expansion was deliberately incorporated into the original club. The difference is experienced more through terrain and outlook than through status. The Mountains side feels tighter to the foothills and more vertically layered. The Canyons side generally feels more open, with larger expanses of desert and sky.
Orientation becomes especially important in the afternoon. West- and southwest-facing exposures receive the most dramatic late light on the surrounding rock, but they also take the strongest direct sun and require thoughtful glazing, overhangs and outdoor shading. North- and east-facing terraces are generally gentler during the hottest part of the day and can hold longer views across the illuminated Valley as the mountains behind the house fall into shadow. South-facing positions often receive the most immediate mountain presence, while elevated easterly exposures capture the transition from daylight to city lights.
At this height, sunset is not confined to the western horizon. The light moves across the entire landscape. The Santa Rosa Mountains change from pale stone to deep amber, the fairways flatten into shadow and the Valley begins to illuminate below. Homes positioned above neighboring rooflines experience that sequence as a continuous panorama. Lower homes may instead gain greater protection, privacy and intimacy with the golf course.
This is why a BIGHORN comparable cannot be selected from square footage and age alone. Course side, elevation, street position, architectural generation, afternoon exposure, foreground obstruction and the direction of the principal glass all affect value. Two houses of similar size may offer fundamentally different properties, and the better parcel is not always the one with the larger house or the highest address.
Membership
This is the most important thing for a buyer to understand here, and it differs from most of the Valley.
Membership is available to property owners only, and club materials describe memberships as non equity, non voting and non transferable licences rather than an ownership stake. That is a different proposition from an equity club such as The Reserve, where resident golf membership is equity, or from Toscana, which offers non resident categories.
The questions worth asking before an offer: what happens to the membership on resale, whether an incoming buyer must apply afresh, whether membership can be resigned and on what terms, and whether capital assessments are possible.
Membership categories, initiation, dues, availability, transfer terms and assessment powers are set by the club, are subject to change without notice, and are not guaranteed by The McLennan Team or Desert Sotheby’s International Realty. Obtain written confirmation before making an offer.
Who BIGHORN is right for
Buyers who want elevation and a Valley outlook rather than a fairway view, and who value being three miles from El Paseo rather than twenty minutes from anywhere.
It suits serious golfers, given two courses and the highest slope rating in the communities we cover. And it suits collectors, because The Vault is a genuinely unusual amenity and BIGHORN is one of only two places in the Valley built with a collection in mind.
It is less suited to buyers who want an equity stake in their club, or who want the reassurance that membership transfers cleanly with the house. Those buyers should look carefully at the terms before committing.
How BIGHORN compares
| BIGHORN | Toscana | The Reserve | |
|---|---|---|---|
| City | Palm Desert | Indian Wells | Indian Wells and Palm Desert |
| Setting | Santa Rosa foothills, elevated above the Valley | Valley floor, formally master planned | 780 acres built into the slope |
| Golf | Two courses, Arthur Hills and Tom Fazio | Two Nicklaus Signature courses | 21 holes, Weiskopf and Morrish |
| Membership | Owners only. Non equity, non voting, non transferable | Resident and non resident categories | Resident golf is equity, owners only. Capped at 250 |
| Median closed price | $5,700,000 | $4,025,000 | $3,082,500 |
| Median price per sq ft | $1,056 | $897 | $881 |
| Months of supply | About 2.8 | About 1.4 | About 6 |
All figures retrieved August 4, 2026.
Read the full guides: The Madison Club · The Hideaway · Tradition Golf Club · PGA WEST · The Quarry · Andalusia · Toscana · The Reserve · The Thermal Club · all community guides
Frequently asked questions
Do you have to own a home at BIGHORN to be a member?
Yes. Membership is available to property owners only, and club materials describe memberships as non equity, non voting and non transferable lisences rather than an ownership stake in the club. That is a materially different structure from an equity club and should be understood before purchase. Confirm current categories and terms directly with the club.
What do homes cost at BIGHORN?
Over the six months to August 4, 2026, 13 homes closed between $2,975,000 and $14,500,000, with a median closed price of $5,700,000 and a median of $1,056 per square foot. That is the highest median price per square foot of any community we track. As of that date there were six active listings asking between $2,395,000 and $7,950,000.
What golf is there?
Two courses. The Mountains course, designed by Arthur Hills and opened in 1991, plays 6,874 yards to a slope of 143. The Canyons course, designed by Tom Fazio and opened in 1998, plays 7,043 yards to a slope of 141. The two are linked by a cart tunnel beneath Highway 74.
What is The Vault?
An auto gallery within the club where members display and store collections. Around ninety members participate. It is unusual among Valley golf clubs and it draws a particular kind of member, one who would also recognize the appeal of a private motorsport community elsewhere in the Valley.
How large are the homes and homesites?
Recent sales ranged from 3,314 to 10,525 square feet on homesites of roughly 0.29 to 0.83 acres. The community was planned for around 570 homes at completion, and the land is held fee simple.
Why do so many homes sell at full asking?
Four of the thirteen sales in the period closed at full asking price or above, and three of those sold with zero days on market. That means they transacted before or immediately upon listing, which is characteristic of a community where a meaningful share of activity happens through relationships rather than through the MLS.
Are short term rentals allowed?
No, not in the ordinary Airbnb or vacation-rental sense. Available rental information for homes within BIGHORN indicates a minimum stay of 30 days, effectively excluding weekend, weekly and other short-term bookings.
Palm Desert defines a short-term rental as a residential property rented for 27 consecutive nights or fewer. Properties operating within that period require City approval and must comply with Palm Desert’s permitting and operating standards.
The City’s rules do not override a private community’s governing documents. An association may impose a longer minimum stay or prohibit short-term rentals altogether. For a BIGHORN purchase, buyers should obtain the current CC&Rs, rules and rental disclosure directly from the homeowners association and confirm the following before relying on the property for rental income:
- The minimum permitted lease term
- The number of leases allowed each year
- Whether tenants require advance approval or registration
- Whether club privileges transfer to tenants
- Any security deposits, access fees or owner-responsibility provisions
Based on the information currently available, BIGHORN should be approached as a 30-day-minimum seasonal rental community rather than a short-term-rental community. Buyers should verify the rule for the specific property and association before entering escrow.
How does BIGHORN compare to the Indian Wells clubs?
BIGHORN sits in the Santa Rosa foothills above Palm Desert, three miles up Highway 74 from El Paseo, which gives it elevation and proximity to shopping and dining that the Indian Wells clubs do not have. It carries two courses like Toscana, but membership is restricted to property owners and is non equity, where Toscana offers resident and non resident categories and The Reserve's resident golf membership is equity. Median pricing at BIGHORN is also higher than either.
Buying or selling at BIGHORN
Three of thirteen recent sales here closed at full asking with zero days on market. That is not a market a buyer navigates from a search page, and it is not one a seller should approach without understanding what comparable homes at similar elevation and vintage have actually achieved.
Laurie McLennan has spent decades advising buyers and sellers throughout the Coachella Valley, including clients evaluating the Palm Desert and Indian Wells private clubs. Three generations of Realtors sit behind that experience, and a desert connection dating to 1960.
Last updated: August 4, 2026
Written by Laurie McLennan, Founder, The McLennan Team at Desert Sotheby’s International Realty
California DRE #01424382 · Market figures from GPS MLS and CRMLS, retrieved August 4, 2026
Club membership terms, fees, dues, transfer provisions and rules are set by BIGHORN Golf Club. Short term rental regulations are set by the City of Palm Desert and by the community’s governing documents. All are subject to change without notice, are not guaranteed by The McLennan Team or Desert Sotheby’s International Realty, and should be confirmed in writing before any purchase decision. This page is informational and is not legal, financial or tax advice.