Top Palm Springs Outdoor Activities

I am a 20 year resident of the Mojave Desert and log 200 miles annually on foot within Joshua Tree National Park. Over the years and miles I've cultivated an awareness of landscape, ecological systems, and local culture that when contextualized by the trail becomes a narrative experience I'm eager to share. I landed in Joshua Tree after dropping out of college in 2001. Back then you arrived by chance or a friend of a friend said you had to check out the rocks, feel the energy, and camp under the stars. I fell in with the gathering characters, an assortment of dirtbag climbers, avant artists, practical new age visionaries, and entrepreneurs...an amalgam of identities that would go on to create the image of the High Desert that is so coveted today. I am legally permitted to guide within Joshua Tree National Park and happy to host you. I know my stuff and I want you to know it too.

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.

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.

Explore a remote national park less than an hour's drive from the lush resorts of greater Palm Springs. Wonder at the otherworldly plants and rock formations in a unique, and wild desert setting. THIS IS A RUGGED, 4x4 ONLY TRAIL. For those wanting a smoother experience and to see more of the park highlights please consider our Joshua Tree Driving/Van Tour. We don't recommend it for anyone with any back injuries, with any neck injuries, anyone that is pregnant or gets car sick easily. Age limit is 6 years old. This is group tour.

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. You'll also stop by a date farm where you can try their signature date milkshake. Includes guide, transportation, and light refreshments.

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 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.

Enjoy the adventure of hiking around Palm Springs without the risk of getting lost on this guided hike. With a small group of like-minded travelers you'll be taken on a three-hour loop that includes fantastic viewpoints across the desert and canyons. The hike will be at a leisurely pace but it's 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.

Stand above a gaping rift in the earth’s crust on a Hummer tour that goes deep into California’s rugged desert terrain. Enjoy sweeping views from your open-air truck as you leave Palm Desert for the San Andreas Fault, and learn about the area’s extraordinary history and geology from your guide. Look down into some of the world’s oldest ravines, watch for bighorn sheep and golden eagles as you explore the back roads of Berdoo Canyon, then take a short hike through the heart of a vast palm oasis.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Team up with friends or family for a fun vampire-themed escape room. Test your teamwork and challenge your puzzle-solving abilities as you collect clues and work out how to escape. As you unravel the vampire love story, set in 17th-century Salem, learn how the husband-to-be was turned into a vampire and then locked out of his coffin—it’s your job to help him open it!

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.

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.

Ideal for couples, families with kids, and groups of friends or co-workers, Merlin's Magic School escape room in Palm Springs is a challenging real life escape game without the dark and scary themes. Working as a team, you'll uncover clues and use magic to break into Merlin’s secret study and find his hidden spell book. See if you’ve got what it takes to save the entire school from a talent show curse in under an hour.

Get up close and personal with the Mojave Desert's rugged, striking scenery—and enjoy an adventurous, outdoorsy experience—on this small-group all-terrain vehicle tour. Make your own way to the Helendale departure point, attend a detailed safety briefing, and grab your gear, including gloves and helmets outfitted with intercoms. Then, follow your guide on a 28-mile loop through the desert, over dirt, sand, and rocky terrain.

Go rock climbing in Joshua Tree National Park on a half-day, private trip with a certified rock-climbing guide. Since all equipment is included, you won’t need to bring or rent your own gear. Whether you’re a beginning climber excited to try the sport, or a more experienced climber looking for a local intro to Joshua Tree rock climbing, the tour will be tailored to your preferences.

Join us in a private energy-rich Joshua Tree location where mother nature is the guiding light and sound alchemy allows you to experience the present from a higher space. Held in an intimate group setting, surrounded by the abundant embrace of Mother Nature, you’ll join us for a nature walk + soundbath and guided meditation in a magical cave. You'll have access to hike, explore, and center yourself in a majestic desert setting. Stick around and catch sunset. Come for the group experience and have access to sacred land for the day. *In the event of rainy/overly windy weather we will host the Meditation/Soundbath portion of the event in an acoustically tuned geodome instead of boulder cave, for your comfort. *The boulder cave is a natural environment and temperatures/winds can drastically shift. *A large portion of proceeds from this event are donated to a local 501-(c)3 non-profit, focused on the preservation of the local environment. We thank you for your contributions♾

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.