DSC_9588

Tram to Cool Treks

Take the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway for Amazing Hiking

06.11.2025

Ready for the coolest summer escape? Elevate your fun, getting whisked from palm trees to alpine wilderness on the world’s largest rotating tramcar. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway transports you up and away on a 2.5-mile scenic route from the desert floor to the refreshing wilderness of Mount San Jacinto State Park.

Board the tram at the Valley Station (elevation 2,643 feet) and within 12 minutes you’ll pass through five climate zones among the dramatic cliffs of Chino Canyon to arrive at Mountain Station (8,516 feet). Tip: At the station you can find grab-and-go dining, including pre-packaged salads and sandwiches, as well as cocktails.

With the desert heat left in the dust (temps are 30 to 40 degrees cooler at the top), it’s time to explore. Welcome to a hiker’s high of Jeffrey pines, surrounding peaks, and 50+ miles of hiking trails.

Day hikers can opt for something short and sweet, like the 1.5-mile Desert View Trail, a loop featuring five dazzling panoramic points. Or head for the second-highest point in SoCal on an 11-mile (round-trip) adventure to San Jacinto Peak. There are also several secluded backcountry camps.

Stay for sunset. Hulking boulders are the perfect spots for scrambling up to watch as the golden hour casts its magical light across the mountain ranges and over the Coachella Valley. Speaking of the boulders, Mount San Jacinto State Park is a popular spot for bouldering.

Afterwards you’ll still have time to dine, with two top-of-the-tram options, Pines Café and Peaks Restaurant (recently named #8 in Architectural Digest for World’s Best Cliffside Dining).

BONUS: Get a Summer Pass ($85) and benefit from free parking, 10% discounts on food, and unlimited tram rides through August 31. Way to elevate your summer fun!

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Napa Valley Paddle kayaker and paddle boarder on the Napa Valley river

    Napa's Wild Side

    It’s wine country’s Amazon. The gentle Napa River is an ecological—and recreational—delight. And Napa Valley Paddle sets you up for maximum enjoyment of this experience.

    View

  2. Been There, Dome That

    Surrounded by granite domes, craggy peaks, and miles of hiking trails, the High Sierra landscape of Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park is famous for good reason. For a truly grand view, take a short hike to bold—and bald (except for snow at times)—Lembert Dome.

    View

  3. Wapama Wows

    Hetch Hetchy can be overlooked in Yosemite National Park because of its more remote location and limited facilities. But this is where you’ll also find one of the best day hikes in the park: Wapama Falls.

    View
  4. Hike Mount Tamalpais into Muir Woods

    Muir Woods Through the Backdoor

    A backdoor entrance into Muir Woods? Hike a tranquil trail that starts in Mount Tamalpais State Park and quietly leads into Muir Woods, letting you avoid the busyness of the main parking area.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories

  1. Inn-spiration Point!

    For more than a century, people have been hiking or mountain biking to West Point Inn for good reason. Perched at 1,785 feet on the southern slope of Mount Tamalpais, the historic inn has sweeping views from the Marin Headlands to the San Francisco skyline.

    View

  2. A Thousand Steps to Paradise

    A picture is worth a thousand words, but is a gorgeous beach in Laguna worth a thousand steps? The answer is yes, though the question is moot, because it’s only 223 steep steps down to the 400-yard stretch of sand known as 1000 Steps Beach.

    View
  3. Sponsored

    Take the Exit to the Best of the San Francisco Peninsula

    The San Francisco Peninsula is proof that some of Northern California’s greatest surprises are hiding just off Highway 101. All you have to do is take the exit.

    View
  4. Hike to the Sierra Buttes Fire Lookout in the Lakes Basin

    Lookout for This View!

    Sierra Buttes Lookout, at a lofty 8,591 feet, is a memory maker for its pucker-worthy stairway to the tower’s balcony. It's a 5-mile (round-trip) hike to reach it. And the reward? Epic!

    View