Top Palm Springs Nature and Wildlife

Soar over Palm Springs on the Aerial Tramway for spectacular views of the desert. Ascending to 5,783 feet (1,790 meters), the tram transports you to the cool air in the San Jacinto Mountains. View unspoiled wilderness, including mountain spires and Ponderosa pine trees, during your ascent. Disembark and explore the area around Mountain Station, which includes a cocktail lounge, restaurant and observation deck. Hike, snowshoe or cross-country ski on the trails in the Mt. San Jacinto State Park and Wilderness Area around Mountain Station.

Explore the geology around California’s legendary San Andreas fault during a Jeep tour from Palm Desert. See a desert oasis fed by an underground spring as your naturalist guide describes how the Native American Cahuilla tribe used the desert's plants for food, medicine, and shelter. Marvel at steep-walled canyons and tall twisted rock mountains, and learn about the plant and animal life of the area. Choose from a morning or afternoon tour that includes light snacks, bottled water, and round-trip transport from Palm Desert.

At nearly 800,000 acres, Joshua Tree is nearly impossible to take in on foot, and the best views are far off the paved path. Touring the park via 4x4, you’ll get to ride deep into the rugged backcountry, nabbing enviable views of the Mojave Desert, the sacred Joshua trees, wild rock formations, and more, making the most of your precious time in this incredible national park.

Explore the uncanny landscape of Joshua Tree National Park with a 4.5-hour van tour from Palm Desert, near Palm Springs. Enjoy the comfort of an air-conditioned van or SUV as you navigate soaring granite formations and groves of the park’s famously spiky trees, and capture unforgettable images of terrain that spans the Colorado and Mojave deserts. Trace a gentle trail into the rocks at Hidden Valley and Keys View, watch for the park’s reclusive wildlife, and experience the unique beauty of one America’s most remarkable national parks.

Enjoy the adventure of hiking in Palm Springs without the risk of getting lost on this guided hike. You'll be taken on a half-day hike with fantastic viewpoints across the desert with city and mountain views and a visit to a hidden palm tree oasis. The hike is best suited to moderately fit hikers with outdoor experience.

Take a leisurely bike ride in the desert. This guided mountain bike tour will take you down a gentle grade along the San Andreas Fault where the Mojave Desert transitions into the Colorado Desert. Enjoy beautiful views of the desert landscape as you pedal along the paved path. The tour concludes with a rest stop at a date farm where you can try a date shake.

Learn about California's geology and desert wilderness on a half-day Jeep/SUV tour to the San Andreas Fault. Drive through the Coachella Valley to the fault zone while hearing from your guide about native plant and animal life, local history, the Salton Sea, and earthquakes. Depending on your preference, you can take a nature walk in the desert or stay in the vehicle. Includes guide, transportation, and light refreshments.

Explore Palm Springs and Indian Canyons by bike and on foot during a half-day tour from downtown Palm Springs. With guide, bike rental, and snacks included, it’s easy to discover one of southern California’s most scenic city and desert landscapes. You'll ride through Palm Springs on a 10-mile (17-km) loop to Indian Canyons, then hike in the canyon at a leisurely pace suitable for reasonably active people.

Pack seeing three South Palm Spring neighborhoods into just one morning with this South Palm Springs Architecture, History, and Bike Tour. Although your bike rental isn't included, you can bring your own bike for ultimate comfort along the way or get a discount to rent a bike nearby. You'll explore Deepwell Estates, Twin Palms, and Indian Canyons while your guide tells you the history of the area.

Long a Hollywood hangout and celebrity playground, Palm Springs has decades of secrets to uncover. With this smartphone-led scavenger hunt, you’ll get away from the crowds and go on your own quest across the city, solving clues, trivia-style riddles, and more, visiting the most iconic spots in town. Play at your pace—maybe you’ll even catch sight of a star.

The San Andreas Fault is one of the world’s best-known fault lines—and this small-group tour will help you discover it up close. Pick between morning and afternoon start times, make your own way to the Indio departure point, and set off via open-air Jeep. You’ll discover the region’s dramatic scenery, will learn about desert habitats and the local Cahuilla people, will visit a desert oasis, and much more.

Go deep into Palm Springs’ Indian Canyons on a 3-hour, small group Jeep and hiking tour to the ancestral home of the Cahuilla tribes. Take in views of the rugged desert landscape as you ride into the rocky canyons, and learn the rich history of the Cahuilla; take a 1-mile (1.6-km) walk along a palm-lined stream to see the traces of historic Native American settlements. Visit a shady desert oasis, walk to a seasonal spring and browse a tribal trading post, then finish the tour at your Palm Springs hotel.

Discover the desert landscapes of Joshua Tree National Park on your own with this self-guided GPS tour. The guide’s GPS tracks you as you explore the park and informs you about the scenery and landmarks that you are looking at; it’s like having a real-life guide with you. Hike along trails, see interesting rock formations, and take in the views from different vantage points all without missing a beat.

There’s no place on earth like California, and this ultimate bundle gives you the complete Golden State experience! Cruise down the picture-perfect Pacific Coast Highway, spot some celebs in LA and hit the beaches in historic La Jolla. Or take time to unwind and enjoy the beauty of nature at Lake Tahoe or Joshua Tree National Park. Plus, hack into the tech sector in Silicon Valley and cross the Golden Gate Bridge in San Fran! California’s a huge, beautiful state, so why limit yourself to just one part of it? Within 30 min, we'll send you two things: a unique password and the app. Download the app onto your phone and enter the password. Then download the tour inside. When you arrive, go to the designated starting location to start the tour. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience. No expiration — The tour comes with lifetime validity! This isn't an entrance ticket. Check opening hours before your visit.

Take a grand tour of America the Beautiful with this ultimate bundle of 80+ tours across the USA! Relive the intensity of the Battle of Gettysburg. Witness nature’s raw power and beauty at Yellowstone National Park. Unwind by the ocean along the Pacific Coast Highway. Explore the hottest streets in Manhattan and Brooklyn. And much, much more! This bundle contains self-guided driving and walking tours of everything from historic battlefields to national parks to buzzing cities. If you want to explore all the beauty, wonder, and history this nation offers, this bundle’s for you. The bundle is valid for 1 year from your date of purchase. This isn't an entrance ticket. Check opening hours before your visit.

Learn about the natural history of the Indian Canyons area from a professional naturalist guide with this tour from Palm Springs. You and your small group of fellow explorers will head out in an open-air jeep, with a break along the way to take an easy, one-mile walk up the Andreas Canyon.

Make your time in Palm Springs into an interactive game with this smartphone-based scavenger hunt tour. You and your group of up to 12 people can tear through Palm Springs on the hunt for clues that reveal facts and figures about the town while leading you ever onward. Test your problem- and puzzle-solving skills during this activity, great for groups of friends and family.