Attractions and Places To See around Palm Desert - Top 19

The Pines to Palms Highway (Highway 74) climb from Palm Desert is a dramatic and challenging road biking ascent, taking you from the desert floor into the mountains on a state highway. Starting around 1,100 feet near Palm Desert, you'll climb approximately 10 miles, gaining about 2,900 feet to reach the area just past the vista point around 4,000 feet, with a sustained average gradient around 5.5%. This climb is famous for its sweeping switchbacks offering stunning, expansive views of the Coachella Valley below and the surrounding desert landscape as the vegetation changes from sparse desert growth to more high-desert chaparral and pinyon pines around the vista point.

This section of the somewhat disjointed Palm Springs CV Link Bike Path runs through Demuth Park section. This paved multi-use path is open to cyclist, joggers, and walkers, and offers nice views to the mountains over a golf course and other green spaces.

Since 2020, Palm Canyon Trail—a multi-use trail—has seen a significant increase in users: hikers, equestrian and mountain bikers, including eBikes. Most of the trail crosses BLM and US Forest Service land. The Trail crosses private land as well as land owned by Agua Caliente. The properties the Tribe recently received as ancestral land back donations were offered to the Tribe. As a property owner with the right to regulate access to its land, the Agua Caliente chose to improve a portion of Palm Canyon Trail that is on its land—not federal land. The Tribe conducted trail maintenance work within its own property in the Indian Canyons for emergency access, security and safety for our hikers and other lawful users of the Trail. Why did it do this? Because it values its lands and prioritizes proper management of it. Unfortunately, one entitled business owner, [Dave Wood, owner of Bikes and Brews -tgk] who is unhappy over the fact that mountain biking and e-mountain biking is not allowed in this area is acting out by spreading false information, which is unnecessarily causing confusion in the community. His false narrative insultingly prioritizes his desire to financially profit from trespassing on Tribal lands, over the Tribe’s right to protect its property and its cultural resources. Tribal employees are now receiving “anonymous” threats promising more property destruction if tribal staff attempts to interfere with this illegal activity, which generates profits by organizing trail rides for groups of bikers who (unknowingly) trespass on a trail where that activity is not permitted. The Tribe has never permitted mountain biking on its land. The land acquired as land back donations is now Tribal land and consistent with our policy, mountain biking and eBikes are prohibited. Anyone on a mountain or eBike accessing the land is in trespass of Tribal lands. Trespassing on, and damaging, the property of another is never ok. We ask this business owner to ride his bicycle somewhere else where this activity is permitted.

The Palm Canyon Epic Trail is now closed to mountain biking. In April and June 2024 several landowners of wilderness areas donated their land to the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indicans (ACBCI). The donated lands included important parts of the Palm Canyon Epic Trail. As part of ACBCI policy on land use, mountain bike travel is prohibited on these lands. Recently Margaret Park-Robinson, Chief Planning Officer of ACBCI released a statement concerning the closure of the PCE. She can be reached at 760-883-1326 or email: mpark@aguacaliente-nsn.gov I append the full statement to this comment. Tom Kohn ACBCI Statement on the PCE closure Since time immemorial, Agua Caliente and other Cahuilla have lived within the lands of the National Monument, including Palm Canyon. Since time immemorial, the Palm Canyon Trail has been a significant cultural and historical pathway for Cahuilla people. Since 2000, the National Monument was established despite concerns by Agua Caliente. The legislation directs the federal agencies (BLM & USFS) to consult with Agua Caliente. Since 2008, Palm Canyon and the portion of the trail was designated as a federal Wild & Scenic River by the US Forest Service despite concerns by Agua Caliente. continues in a following post...

Cycle and Foot Path connecting Country Club Drive in the south with Frank Sinatra Drive in the north. Sufficiently wide and a smooth asphalt surface make it nice to ride. But note: it crosses the White Water River in the riverbed. After a rainy period the path can be flooded, so beware. Also the entrance on Country Club Dr is a little hidden between a wall and some bushes, right next to the parking lot. At Frank Sinatra Dr it ends into Wolfson Park.

This trail is suberb! Palm Canyon Trail is a true backcountry experience for experienced mountain bike riders. I recommend riding this trail between November and March when temperatures are still a bit cooler. Bring lots of water and don't forget to pack spare tubes.

Start to the right it you want a gradual rise and a steep descent. Could be done with a sturdy pair of sneakers. Well maintained. Water fountain at the trailhead.

Experience the high alpine desert in southern California travelling from high elevation Pine Forest though cactus and steep drop offs to the Palm Oasis of Palm Springs. Flowy and smooth 21 kilometer long downhill section with stunning views of the California desert landscape and the valley floor. The trail is nestled in between the Santa Rosa Wilderness and the San Jacinto National Monument, home for the Agua Caliente Indians. At the bottom of the trail, there's a good steady cardio hill of 5 kilometer through a sand wash with a perfect incline for a good workout and great conversation. From the top of the sand wash, you jump on Dunn Road, a closed down dirt road that takes you down to Palm Springs. There's also the option of exploring one of the single track trails from Dunn Road to Palm Springs. Pinyon Flat Campground is a great base camp close to the trail head at the top of the trail. Sheltered from the city lights, it's a great spot for a campfire and star gazing. The ride is a shuttle ride so leave one car at the bottom or take the shuttle from Palm Springs (www.CrazyBearBikes.com). Best experienced from November through January. Summer months get challenging or in the heath and from January to April the area is protected for the Big Horn Sheep. What to bring: Plenty of water Rapair kit (cactus needles) Offline Map Exploring this hidden gem comes with a few challenges such as no cell phone coverage, steep drop off and the possibility of ending up in a cactus or two on a wrong turn. Give yourself plenty of time to finish before dark and bring lights and a warm layer. The temperature drops quickly at night.