Top Palm Springs Outdoor Activities

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.

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 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.

Explore a shady oasis and rugged canyons on a Hummer adventure that goes deep into Joshua Tree’s arid landscape. Leave Palm Desert and hold on tight as your guide takes you through the park’s back roads, and enjoy sweeping views from the truck’s open top. Walk through the heart of a vast oasis, and learn about the settlers and Cahuilla Indians that lived in this harsh environment; watch for golden eagles and bighorn sheep as you navigate Berdoo canyon then discover ancient stands of bristling Joshua trees.

Joshua Tree National Park has long been revered as sacred by Indigenous groups—well before it was attracting Western artists and visionaries. On this intimate experience, you’ll be led to a hidden alcove for a nature walk, soundbath, and guided meditation into the arms of Mother Nature. Connecting to the power of this magical landscape, you'll calm and cleanse your soul and, perhaps, connect to a deeper version of yourself.

Enjoy a full-throttle way to explore the dramatic scenery of the Mojave Desert, and travel along 19 miles (31 kilometers) of rugged trails, on this private, all-terrain vehicle tour. Pick a start time that's convenient for you, make your way to the Helendale headquarters, and take part in a safety briefing. Next, you'll be outfitted with gloves and safety helmets equipped with intercoms, and can then follow your guide into nature.

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.

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.

Southern California’s Joshua Tree National Park can be a bit intimidating to take on all on your own; however, this Joshua Tree National Park Self-Driving Audio Tour lets you explore the park in your own vehicle while navigating the area with a tour that leads the way. Just download the app on your smartphone, launch the app when you get the park, and follow the recommended route and speed limit.

Opt for this Palm Springs windmill tour, and try something a little different from your typical celebrity homes or San Andreas Fault tours you’d usually do in Palm Springs. This self-driving windmill tour allows you to explore the evolution of wind turbines on a private wind farm from the comfort of your own vehicle. The tour allows you to exit at each stop and guides you with a curated video.

Get an introduction to the fun sport of archery in the beautiful setting of Coyote Dry Lake Bed in Joshua Tree. To start, we’ll set you up with a beginner bow and a bucket of arrows to shoot from any distance you choose. We’ll instruct you in the proper form to aim and shoot. When you are ready, you can move up to a more advanced bow and heavier arrows.

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.

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.

Explore Joshua Tree in a unique and interactive way when you book this exciting guide-designed scavenger hunt. Talk to locals about fun subjects, go on a hunt for art and local stories, and make new memories with your team. Every game turns out different—a co-creation between you and your interactive host. For families, kids do well on adult-led teams.

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.

The unsinkable Titanic is going down – but, you heard the captain mention a hidden lifeboat over dinner. This unique Titanic-themed escape room is a great way to break out of your normal routine. Enjoy an exciting night out with friends or family, solving this exciting game, at Palm Springs’ largest escape room.

To truly see Joshua Tree National Park and feel the Mojave Desert’s magic—artists and visionaries flock here, after all—travel in the footsteps of a local guide and naturalist. On this private tour, you’ll follow what feels like an expert friend, discussing flora, fauna, geology, history, and more of this vast, wondrous, storied park. Totally customizable to your group, you’ll go beyond the guidebooks, leaving the park with connection and appreciation.

Goodbye glitz of Palm Springs, hello simpler days. With this tour, you’ll leave behind modernity for a true eco-adventure, hopping on a mule-drawn covered wagon through the Sonoran Desert. With a naturalist leading your way, explore the vast landscapes of the Coachella Valley, returning to the ranch for music, yard games, BBQ, dancing, campfire marshmallows, and desert views under the stars.

This sunrise hike in the San Jacinto Mountains has a beautiful resting stop with stunning views of the Coachella Valley. Here, your guide will lead you through a grounding meditation to help set your intention for the day. Before you get there, you'll watch the sunrise over Indian Canyons and enjoy the nature in Oswitz Canyon. This hike and meditation will help you feel refreshed, relaxed, and connected to the Earth and universe

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.

Take a break from the heat on a visit to Palm Springs’ Escape Rooms. Work as a team to find clues, solve puzzles, and use logic to complete your mission, playing at a time that suits you with regular game slots available throughout the day. Enjoy an immersive, private experience for you and your party, ideal for families, bachelor parties, or corporate groups.

Learn the rock-climbing basics against the one-of-a-kind backdrop of Joshua Tree National Park's otherworldly scenery: this small-group, beginner-friendly tour makes climbing accessible. In the morning, make your own way to the Joshua Tree Visitor Center, meet your guide, and get ready to explore. You'll get acquainted with the park's famed climbing options when you attempt to scale a granite rock face. First-hand guidance, support, and equipment are all provided.

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.

Spend a day in the great outdoors with your family on a private rock climbing excursion in Joshua Tree National Park. Learn the basics of rock climbing and venture to a couple of crags to get your day started. This tour is suitable for all ages, with special equipment provided for children and pregnant moms.