Palm Springs is one of California’s most popular vacation destinations for anyone looking to trade the hustle and bustle of urban life for a serene escape. If you’re an outdoor enthusiast keen on an offroad adventure, Palm Springs offers numerous thrills to cater to your needs. Here’s the perfect Palm Springs offroading travel itinerary.
Day One: Explore Moorten Botanical Gardens With Palm Springs Offroading
Moorten Botanical Garden offers a unique chance to interact with over 3,000 plant varieties, including cacti and desert trees from around the globe. Enjoy everything from miniature plants to gigantic trees in concentrated niches along an outdoor pathway. The garden categorizes its flora species geographically, including biomes from the Mojave Desert, the Baja California Peninsula, and Mexico’s Gran Desierto de Altar. Stop by the Cactarium and discover rare plants in a unique exhibition. Call ahead to book a guided tour and enjoy in-depth insights from Moorten’s staff.
Day Two: Take a Hummer Tour in Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree National Park stretches 800,000 acres, offering gorgeous terrain and numerous biological species. One of the best ways to explore Joshua Tree is on a thrilling sightseeing excursion courtesy of Adventure Hummer Tours. The company offers daily tours of Joshua Tree in their military-style Open-Air H1 Hummers, with pick-ups at Palm Springs Art Museum. Expert guides trained in geology and plant and animal life lead each tour, giving in-depth insights into the park’s features and biodiversity.
Day Three: Connect with Nature at Indian Canyons
Connect with Palm Springs’ backcountry at the picturesque Indian Canyons Nature Preserve. The park stretches over 31,500 acres, offering one-of-a-kind rock formations, beautiful canyons, and rich vegetation. Indian Canyons hosts several hiking trails, including Palm Canyon, Murray Canyon, and Andreas Canyon, each delivering something unique. The trails cover approximately 60 miles, providing stunning views of the surrounding terrain and local canyons.
Day Four: Go Biking in Palm Canyon
Take an offroad journey on a scintillating bike ride in Palm Canyon. This scenic route stretches 29 miles along a single track, with elevation changes of over 8,000 feet, offering lovely desert views. The trail is well-maintained, with trimmed back cactus, although arm and shin armor is a massive plus, giving much-needed protection against injuries. If you’re not a fan of transporting your mountain bike, stop by Big Wheel Tours and choose from an impressive collection of quality brand bicycles, including Brooklyn, Benno, and KHS.
Day Five: Enjoy the Sights Aboard Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
Relish the sweeping sights of Palm Springs’ landscape aboard the famous Aerial Tramway as you ascend two and a half miles up the San Jacinto Mountains. The 10-minute journey transports you to the majestic wilderness of Mt. San Jacinto State Park, where you’ll enjoy breathtaking sights of the valley below from 8,500 feet above. Once you reach the top, you can access the observation decks, two restaurants, a natural history museum, and tens of miles of beautiful hiking trails. Conditions at the peak typically average anywhere between 30 and 40 degrees less than the desert floor, so wear several layers to keep warm.
Day Six: Relish a Horseback Ride in Palm Springs’ Backcountry
Spend the day exploring the jaw-droppingly gorgeous Indian Canyons on a peaceful horseback ride with Smoke Tree Stables. The company offers three rides at 9 AM, 11 AM, and 1 PM, each from Andreas Canyon to Murray Canyon and back. There’s also an option for private guided tours, offering a more personal experience with family or friends. Rides can accommodate riders aged seven and up, allowing for wholesome family fun with your kids.
Day Seven: Take an ATV Tour of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
The famous Anza-Borrego Desert State Park lies roughly an hour from Palm Springs, allowing adrenaline-pumping ATV experiences across thousands of acres of sandy expanse. Check out Steve’s ATV Rentals for quality machinery and enjoy top-notch options, including Sport ATVs, Beginner ATVS, UTVs, and RZRs. The minimum age for each rental varies, ranging from 12 for the KYMCO Auto Beginner ATVs to 30 for the new Can-Am Maverick X3-4. Rides last two to four hours, giving you ample time to explore more than 87,000 acres of picturesque desert landscape.
Book Your Palm Springs Vacation Rental Early
Palm Springs is an epic vacation hub, delivering magnificent offroad adventures. As you plan your outdoor escapades to this lovely Golden State gem, look to Ryson Vacations for the city’s most exquisite holiday lodging. We offer multiple high-end vacation homes, ranging from one-bed rentals for two guests to five-bed options for up to 10 vacationers, ideal for a romantic couple’s getaway or riveting escapes with family or friends. Our rentals feature ample amenities, promising a laid-back and convenient lodging experience. Contact us today to secure your vacation rental and relish a memorable, exciting offroad adventure in magnificent Palm Springs.
