Mount San Jacinto State Park: Desert View & Nature Trail

Our First Step Toward San Jacinto Peak

Summer is here, and so is the Summer Pass for the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. When the Coachella Valley is flirting with 110°F (43°C) and your car doubles as an air fryer, there’s something deeply satisfying about riding ten minutes up the mountain into a breezy 70°F (21°C). A little shiver in June? Bring it on!

Half the fun is the ride up

The Tram’s rotating car climbs nearly 6,000 feet (1,830 m) in about ten minutes, spinning slowly so everyone gets the full panorama as you pass through five distinct life zones, from Sonoran desert scrub to alpine forest. It’s a little surreal to leave a heat advisory at the bottom and step out into pine country at the top. The Mountain Station sits at 8,516 feet (2,596 m), and that first lungful of cool, pine-scented air is reason enough to make the trip. For us, though, it’s the start of something bigger: this summer we’re working our way toward the summit of San Jacinto Peak, one hike at a time.

This first outing is all about acclimating. Altitude sickness can creep in above 8,000 feet (2,440 m), where there’s noticeably less oxygen to go around, so easing into the elevation is a smart way to stave it off before tackling anything more ambitious. Translation: a gentle stroll today means happier lungs later.

From the tram, we headed down the ramp toward the wilderness boundary. Good news for the spontaneous among us: the Desert View and Nature Trails technically sit outside the wilderness area, so no permit is required. Just walk down the paved path from the Mountain Station and the trailhead is waiting on your left.

These trails barely climb, which makes them perfect for a warm-up (or for anyone who’d rather sightsee than suffer). The real reward is the scenery. The Desert View Trail strings together five “notches”, little lookouts perched over the Coachella Valley thousands of feet below. They’re all worth a pause, and on a clear day you can spot the Salton Sea shimmering in the distance.

The plant life up here belongs to a completely different world than the desert floor. We found blooms you simply won’t see down in the valley: the eerie, blood-red snowplant pushing up through the pine needles, delicate granite prickly phlox, and Grinnell’s beardtongue. The wildlife joined in too. The southern sagebrush lizard favors these higher elevations (roughly 4,600 to 9,500 feet, or 1,400 to 2,900 m), and we spotted plenty of them sunning on the rocks, completely unbothered by the altitude we were so carefully respecting.

We looped back through Long Valley feeling refreshed, a little more adjusted to the thin air, and already plotting the next leg of our summit project. If you’re local, the Summer Pass pays for itself fast — at roughly the cost of two and a half day tickets, a couple of heat escapes and you’re already ahead. And if you’ve never explored the top of the Tram beyond the observation deck, this is the gentlest and prettiest introduction you’ll find.

Next time, we climb a little higher. Stay tuned.

The Quick Trail Guide – Mount San Jacinto State Park: Desert View & Nature Trail

Location: Mount San Jacinto State Park, at the top of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

Getting there: Ride the Tram up from Valley Station (Chino Canyon, off Tramway Road). From the Mountain Station, take the paved ramp down — the trailhead is on your left.

Trail length: ~1.5-mile (2.4 km) loop (Desert View Trail); the connected Nature Trail loop is a shorter ~0.75 mile (1.2 km)

Elevation: Mountain Station 8,516 ft (2,596 m); minimal gain (~300 ft / 90 m)

Difficulty: Easy / family-friendly

Permit: None — these trails sit outside the wilderness area

Best time of year: Summer, when it’s ~30°F (17°C) cooler up top than the valley floor. Beautiful in winter too, but bring snow gear and check conditions.

Heads up: The Tram typically closes for annual maintenance in early fall (often mid-September to mid-October) — confirm dates before you go.

Cost: Tram day ticket ~$37 adult / ~$21 child; Summer Pass ~$85 adult (valid May 1–Aug 31). Prices change — check pstramway.com for current rates.

What to bring: Water, sunblock, a light layer, and sturdy sneakers (obviously).

Facilities: Restrooms, picnic tables, gift shops, and dining at the Mountain Station.