Five-Star Trails: Palm Springs: 31 Spectacular Hikes in the Southern California Desert Resort Area

by Laura Randall

Overview

A popular outdoor destination for the 7 million residents of Los Angeles, Palm Springs offers stunning hiking opportunities. With Joshua Tree National Monument to the east, the San Bernardino National Forest to the north and south, and the storied Pacific Crest Trail passing nearby, hiking expert Laura Randall has chosen the best hikes that highlight the area.

Five-Star Trails: Palm Springs features child-friendly hikes and urban hikes that are easily accessible from resorts. Laura also includes hikes for the new Whitewater Preserve, as well as updated trails in La Quinta and Palm Desert. Extensive at-a-glance information makes it easy to choose the perfect hike based on length, difficulty, and scenery. Each trail profile includes maps, directions, driving times, nearby attractions, and other pertinent details.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781634042192
Publisher:	Menasha Ridge Press
Publication date:	07/01/2018
Series:	Five-Star Trails
Edition description:	Second Edition
Pages:	200
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 8.10(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

A native of suburban Philadelphia, Laura Randall lived in Washington, D.C., and San Juan, Puerto Rico, before moving to Southern California in 1999. Her byline can be found in a variety of newspapers, consumer magazines, and websites, including the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, and Sunset. Her other books for Menasha Ridge Press are 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Los Angeles and Peaceful Places: Los Angeles. She lives in Los Angeles.

Read an Excerpt

Andreas Canyon Trail

Scenery: 4 stars
Trail Condition: 4 stars
Children: 5 stars
Difficulty: 1 star
Solitude: 2 stars

GPS Trailhead Coordinates: N33° 45.653' W116° 32.976'
Distance & Configuration: 1- to 3-mile loop
Hiking Time: 40 minutes–1 hour
Highlights: California fan palms, caves, unusual rock formations, year-round stream
Elevation Gain: 285'
Access: Open daily 8 a.m.–5 p.m. October–June, Friday–Sunday July–September. Admission: $9 per adult/$5 per child ages 6–12, payable at front gate.
Maps: Detailed maps are posted at kiosks throughout the property and available at the entrance station and the Trading Post in Palm Canyon.
Facilities: Restrooms and picnic tables along the trail
Wheelchair Access: None
Comments: No pets or bikes on trails. Gates close at 5 p.m., and no vehicles are allowed in after 4 p.m.
Contacts: 714-323-6018, indian-canyons.com

Overview

This short, scenic loop should be a part of any trip to the Indian Canyons. It’s especially good for families, bird-watchers, and anyone who wants to experience the serenity of the canyons in a short period of time. The well-marked path leads past sheer rock walls and a year-round stream shaded by California fan palms to a seasonal waterfall and 1925 clubhouse once used by local hunters, then gives way to wide-open desert landscape. Though the best scenery can be found along the main 1-mile loop, the hike can be extended by 2 miles by picking up the easy horse trail on the north side of the road just before the parking lot entrance.

Route Details

The Indian Canyons, just south of downtown Palm Springs, are desert oases and the ancestral home of the Agua Caliente band of Cahuilla Indians. The area boasts year-round waterfalls, rocky canyon streams, and some of the largest collections of California fan palm oases in the world. More than a dozen trails of all levels snake through the canyons and connect to trails in Palm Springs and as far away as Idyllwild. Remnants of ancient life, such as irrigation ditches, stone shelters, and rock art, can be found along many of the trails. The entrance fees prohibit the area from being a regular hiking venue for area residents, but it’s worth a visit at least once for anyone who wants to combine a hike with pristine desert landscapes and insights into an ancient culture.

Look for the Andreas Canyon trailhead at the north end of the parking lot, just past a cluster of large rock formations. There is a sign on the right just before the trailhead that marks an Indian grinding mortar. The Cahuilla Indians used the bedrock mortars in front of you to grind mesquite beans, acorns, and wild oats.

Follow the packed sand-and-rock trail down a gradual hill past more rock formations. The stream, shaded by oaks, palms, and other trees, is to your left. This is a great place for kids to splash around and boulder-hop, especially in summer and fall, when water levels are low. In the fall, the leaves on some of the trees turn bright yellow and orange, making a nice contrast to the lush green palm trees.

The trail continues flat between the stream and towering rock formations. At 0.25 mile, pass a signpost for Andreas Canyon and take the path under a natural arch made of desert scrub brush. Continue straight along the flat trail, with the stream to your left. Soon the trail makes a brief ascent, then descends some natural rock steps and comes within touching distance of more California fan palms before hugging a sheer rock wall. Look for a small cave on the right—the Cahuilla Indians once used this and other small caves in the area for shelter. At almost 0.5 mile, the stream gives way to a pretty waterfall flanked by large boulders, another great place to stop and rest or have a picnic. I hiked this trail in the fall, when water levels were low, but the boulders can be slippery in late spring or after it rains. Be sure to wear sturdy shoes, just in case.

To the west of the waterfall are two small stone buildings on a hill; a chain-link fence bars public access. One of the buildings is the Andreas Canyon Clubhouse, the headquarters for a hunting club formed in 1923 on land once owned by the Southern Pacific Railroad. According to a sign, club members camped in the nearby streambed, using caches made of rocks. From here the trail crosses a small wooden footbridge and loops back to the east; now the stream is to your left. Ascend a moderate flight of natural rock steps past distant views of rock formations and fields of creosote and desert sage. The trail levels for 0.25 mile before ending back at the parking lot.

The hike is best done in the winter or early spring because there is virtually no shade. Those who want to extend this hike can either hop on the Murray Canyon Trail south of the parking lot or pick up the Andreas Canyon Horse Trail to the east of the parking lot. The horse trail isn’t as well marked as the main loop, but it’s impossible to get lost, as the main road in and out of the canyon stays within sight the entire time.

Nearby Attractions

Downtown Palm Springs is only a few miles north, but the self-contained reservation seems worlds away from the bustle of Palm Canyon Drive. It’s a good idea to bring a lunch and plenty of cold drinks to enjoy at the picnic tables near the trailheads before or after your hike. The Trading Post, near the Palm Canyon trailhead, sells cold drinks and snacks, as well as Southwest-themed trinkets. It’s also the starting point for guided nature and history hikes on weekends October–June. Call ahead (714-323-6018) for times.

Directions

From southbound I-10, take Exit 111 and drive south 9.4 miles on CA 111 through downtown Palm Springs. Continue straight (south) on South Palm Canyon Drive for about 3 miles to the Indian Canyons toll gate, where you can pick up a map and pay the entrance fee. Turn right just after the entrance gate and go about a mile to the parking lot for Murray and Andreas Canyons.

Table of Contents

Overview Map
Map Key
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Preface
Recommended Hikes
Introduction

Indian Canyons
1. Andreas Canyon Trail
2. Maynard Mine Trail
3. Murray Canyon Trail
4. Palm Canyon Trail to the Stone Pools
5. Tahquitz Canyon Trail

Palm Springs
6. Araby Trail
7. Clara Burgess Trail
8. Earl Henderson Trail
9. North Lykken Trail
10. Palm Springs Art Museum Trail
11. South Lykken Trail

Other Desert Cities
12. Art Smith Trail, Palm Desert
13. Bear Creek Canyon Oasis, La Quinta
14. Big Morongo Canyon Trail, Morongo Valley
15. Canyon View Trail, Whitewater Preserve
16. Desert Hot Springs Loop, Desert Hot Springs
17. Hopalong Cassidy Trail, Palm Desert
18. Mirage Trail Loop (Bump and Grind), Palm Desert
19. Randall Henderson Loop, Palm Desert

Coachella Valley Preserve
20. Moon Country Trail
21. Pushawalla Palms Loop
22. Willis Palms Loop

Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains
23. Black Mountain Road Trail
24. Cactus Springs Trail
25. Cedar Spring Trail
26. Deer Springs Trail
27. Devil’s Slide Trail
28. Hurkey Creek Trail
29. Ramona Trail
30. San Jacinto Peak
31. South Ridge Trail

Appendix A: Outdoor Retailers
Appendix B: Map Resources
Appendix C: Hiking Clubs
Index
About the Author
Map Legend