Palm Desert resident Karina Quintanilla was looking to educate herself about hiking, which she planned to start as a pastime.

So when the 30-year-old heard that a local author of 10 hiking books was scheduled to speak Sunday at the Oliphant Auditorium at the Palm Desert Campus of the California State University San Bernardino, she didn't pass up the chance to pick up a few tips from an expert.

“We know there are a lot of beautiful places here, and hiking is easy for beginners and it's affordable,” Quintanilla said.

Author Philip Ferranti, founder of the Coachella Valley Hiking Club, spoke to about 40 people and urged them to hike, an activity he has done every weekend “for the last 20 years.”

“Hiking is the fastest-growing activity in the world,” he said, citing its benefits to the body and mind.

“I am always amazed at the level of health people in hiking clubs have,” he said.

Ferranti recently enhanced his “140 Great Hikes in and Near Palm Springs” book with more detailed maps and images. The new edition is expected to be available at book stores in the next few weeks, he said.

Ferranti stressed that the Coachella Valley has a high diversity of topographic landscapes, geographic formations, flora and fauna, making it distinct from other places in the nation.

Ferranti spent a great deal of time Sunday sharing his knowledge of the Mecca Hills, 50 miles east of Palm Desert. He said the hills and canyon system there are a rich source for myriad natural phenomena such as plate tectonics and iron deposits, yielding landscapes that could be mistaken for other parts of the American West.

“Probably in no place in the United States (is) there, within 50 miles, the diversity you get here,” Ferranti said of the Coachella Valley.

“What a nice escape to be able to access other areas of the country without having to drive a thousand miles,” he said.