Top Palm Springs Outdoor Activities

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 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.

Learn about California's geology and desert wilderness on a half-day Jeep 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.

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.

Explore the rugged, mystical beauty of Joshua Tree National Park with this narrated driving tour. Discover a desert full of amazing hikes and cartoonishly strange trees, and hear all about the area’s fascinating history, from the greed of the gold rush to the McHaney Gang’s reign of terror. Enjoy all this in any season from the comfort of your own car! As a bonus, this package also includes a tour through Palm Springs! Purchase only one tour per car. Everyone can listen at the same time! Here's how it works: Within 30 min, we'll send you two things: a unique password and an app. Download the app onto your phone, enter the password, and download the tour. When you arrive, go to the first stop, launch the app, and follow the instructions! Stick to our recommended route and speed limit for the best experience. No expiration — the tour is available from the minute you book until forever! This is not an entrance ticket. Check pandemic rules and opening hours before your visit.

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, JEEP 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.

I provide water, a snack bar and a backpack for each hiker. We'll hike in the Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument on some the best trails in the Greater Palm Springs Area. I know these trails very well & the best viewpoints along the way to enjoy some of the most beautiful views of Palm Springs & beyond. You'll see desert plants & cacti close up as we hike. You'll see from the desert valley floor below all the way up to beautiful nearby mountain peaks, while getting in some great exercise. I'll point out interesting landmarks along the way, like the very unique Bob Hope house, Mt San Gorgonio (the tallest mountain in So Cal), Indian Canyons & other points of interest. Depending on the time of year I've seen the endangered Peninsular Bighorn Sheep here. They'll be lots of time for taking beautiful scenic photos & I'll point out some of the best photo spots. Contact me if you want to do any of my hikes on a certain date/time or if you're looking to hike somewhere else.

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.

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 lush palm oases of the Indian Canyons on this morning or afternoon 3-hour eco-tour from Palm Springs. Learn about the rich history and culture of the Cahuilla Indians as you ride a jeep their ancestral homelands with your knowledgeable guide. Take an easy 1-mile guided walk up Andreas Canyon for captivating views and see a stunning palm oasis from the rim of Palm Canyon. This small-group open-air outdoor adventure is limited to seven people per Jeep for a more relaxed, intimate experience.

I'll provide each hiker with water, a granola bar & a backpack. We'll be hiking in beautiful south Palm Springs in the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument on Native American land. I know these trails very well and the best lookout points along the way to enjoy some of the most beautiful views of the Palm Springs desert & far beyond. From the trail we'll see the Bob Hope house, the windmills, Joshua Tree, Mount San Gorgonio (the tallest mountain in So Cal at 11,501 feet high), the San Jacinto Mountains & the Indian Canyons. You'll also see desert vegetation/plants & cacti close up as we hike along & enjoy amazing views of the desert valley floor below all the way up to beautiful mountain peaks, all while getting in some great exercise. Hopefully we'll see the endangered Peninsular Bighorn Sheep or other desert animals. We'll stop along the way for any needed breaks & scenic picture taking.

Explore the otherworldly landscape of Joshua Tree National Park with a customized, guided hiking tour that takes in the best of the region. Tailor the trip to your interests and abilities, and walk to soaring granite formations with sweeping views of the arid terrain. Learn about the plants and animals that thrive in this unique ecosystem, then see Joshua Tree’s fascinating geological history laid bare in the rock record. Choose between a 1- or 2-day hiking tour, and immerse yourself in one of America’s most distinctive National Parks.

With 800+ 5-star reviews across Google, Trip Advisor, Facebook, and Yelp, we are confident you will have a blast! Get ready to experience the Mojave Desert's incredibly diverse, off-road terrain. Challenge your driving skills over dirt, sand, and rock, as you maneuver through twists, turns, inclines, dips, and off-camber terrain. Participants will attend a 1-hour safety orientation and prep upon arrival. Once helmets and gloves are fitted, intercoms will be synced...and off you go!

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.

With 800+ 5-star reviews across Google, Trip Advisor, Facebook, and Yelp, we are confident you will have a blast! Get ready to experience the Mojave Desert's incredibly diverse, off-road terrain. Challenge your driving skills over dirt, sand, and rock, as you maneuver through twists, turns, inclines, dips, and off-camber terrain. Participants will attend a 1-hour safety orientation and prep upon arrival. Once helmets and gloves are fitted, intercoms will be synced...and off you go!

Join our certified local guides for a half day exploration of Joshua Tree National Park's world renowned rock climbing! Meet other travelers who, like yourself, have a healthy appetite for adventure, while learning the basics of the sport from an expert. See JTNP from a new perspective 100' up a wall of granite!

With 800+ 5-star reviews across Google, Trip Advisor, Facebook, and Yelp, we are confident you will have a blast! Get ready to experience the Mojave Desert's incredibly diverse, off-road terrain. Challenge your driving skills over dirt, sand, and rock, as you maneuver through twists, turns, inclines, dips, and off-camber terrain. Participants will attend a 1-hour safety orientation and prep upon arrival. Once helmets and gloves are fitted, intercoms will be synced...and off you go!

If sound and nature move you, and you yearn to connect from a place within, come join us in a private energy-rich Joshua Tree location where mother nature is the guiding light, where sound alchemy allows you to experience the present from a higher space. Held in an intimate group setting, 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. We're a team of sound alchemists, artists, creators, locals, and nature enthusiasts eager to share with you the beauty of this sacred land and the sounds created while gathering. So much magic to see and experience. ♾

Swap the hustle and bustle of city life for an adventure in the Mojave Desert. With this off-road UTV tour, there’s no need to worry about getting lost as your helmet has a built-in intercom system for clear communication with your guide. Take in the desert views and expand your off-road driving skills with a diverse route that goes through sand and over rocky terrain with plenty of dips, climbs, twists, and turns along the way.    

Only Red Jeep Tours can take you to Metate Ranch, located in the heart of the San Andreas Fault Zone. On this awe-inspiring OPEN-AIR Jeep Tour, you will travel deep into the heart of California’s world-famous San Andreas Fault and witness the forces of nature that have created amazing, steep-walled canyons and the most twisted and tormented landscapes on Earth! You will be awestruck by the spectacular scenery as your Jeep winds its way through the bones of the earth. During your adventure, you will stop several times for short nature walks, including a short hike through a slot canyon, if desired. This tour also stops at a natural palm oasis, where water bubbles up from the ground year-round. Here you will learn about how the Cahuilla Indians used desert plants to survive in this inhospitable environment. A final highlight is a guided tour of our recreated Cahuilla Indian Village that showcases the lifestyle and culture of the Cahuilla people.

From first time climbers to competition team kids, there are opportunities for fantastic climbing in Joshua Tree National Park. We have experience guiding families with mixed climbing experience and know the best crags to serve everyone's ambitions! Regardless of your experience level, desires or goals there is a fantastic rock climbing trip ready and waiting for you!!! We have guided ages 2- 80 and have specialty equipment such as tiny rock climbing helmets, sticky rubber baby climbing shoes and full body harnesses for little people or pregnant moms! The 4-Hour Trip is great for people who want to focus on rock climbing. Typically, we keep the approaches short and visit only 1-2 rock formations so that we spend the bulk of your trip climbing as many routes as possible!

Are you a beginner or intermediate rock climber looking to have a fantastic time sampling the excellent rock climbing routes in Joshua Tree National Park under the careful watch of an experienced and certified rock climbing guide? Maybe you have a family with kids who absolutely love rock climbing? Or perhaps you are an experienced climber looking for a partner to climb as many rock climbing routes as possible during your trip? Regardless of your experience level, desires or goals there is a fantastic rock climbing trip ready and waiting for you!!! The 6-Hour Trip is a great option for travelers who want to travel deeper into Joshua Tree National Park, leave the crowds behind and climb on a few rock formations. Contact Stone Adventures for more information.

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.

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.