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    Cahuilla Mountain Trail

    4.5 (2 reviews)

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    5 months ago

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    Palomar Mountain State Park - Mariposa lily

    Palomar Mountain State Park

    4.4(91 reviews)
    19.2 mi

    A beautiful state park and such amazing campgrounds. There are a few campground options, but during…read moremy recent visit, we stayed at the Doane Valley Campground. It was very easy to book ahead online and pay for our daily parking pass once we checked-in. The campsite itself is tucked into the forest, very high up on Palomar Mountain. We found it easy to park our one SUV at our campsite and pitch our tents. The sites do have water, tables, and food boxes. The bathrooms were kept quite nice and tidy. We were all very impressed with the simple but clean and well maintained facilities. We did do a dog friendly hike that starts in the Doane Valley Campground and it's about 4 miles round trip. We had a lovely hike with a decent amount of incline along with beautiful weather. They also have a lovely stop/view area at the beginning of the campgrounds with picnic tables. Palomar mountain is great for camping, hiking, a nice Sunday cruise up the mountain for the beauty, etc. Cell phone service is spotty up there so make sure to either download your map ahead of time or use satellite service.

    WARNING Do not…read moreattempt to drive on Nate Harrison Road unless your vehicle can handle off-road conditions. It is not paved and has many dangerous sections for cars not equipped for them. Take 76 and S Grade Road instead. Phone reception is limited on the mountain. I strongly suggest downloading maps before you visit. The park headquarters is quite small and it doesn't seem like it is continually staffed. Make sure you have plenty of fuel. Bring lots of water. Keep in mind that it may be hotter on the mountain than the temperature at sea level. We didn't see any potable water during a recent visit. As long as you're well-prepared, you will enjoy this beautiful park. Have fun and stay safe.

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    Palomar Mountain State Park
    Palomar Mountain State Park
    Palomar Mountain State Park

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    Volcan Mountain Preserve - Mountain Lion tracks

    Volcan Mountain Preserve

    4.6(87 reviews)
    34.2 mi

    We tackled Volcan Mountain Trail with an eight-year-old, so we didn't make it the full way but it…read morewas such a nice experience. We also brought along our dog as it is a dog friendly trail as long as your dog is on a leash. The trail starts out pretty steep, but it's well-marked with clear paths throughout. One thing I really loved was all the signage explaining local plant life and animal tracks so it made the hike feel educational and engaging. My kiddo was really into looking at the different animal paw prints. This trail is great for hiking enthusiasts and beginners alike but just know your limits and pace yourself if you're newer to hiking. I would definitely say if it's sunny to make sure you bring plenty of water with you, but there are a lot of shady spots on this trail so that is a nice change from the hikes that are closer to coastal San Diego.

    It's a good hike to pair with a trip to Julian. My husband and I picked up sandwiches in town for a…read morepicnic on the trail. Parked next to the road and knew we were in the right place because of all the other cars. We made our hike a loop as we went up the mountain, taking the 5 Oaks Trail, and then came down using the Vulcan Mountain preserve trail. The 5 Oaks Trail has more of a view. There are a few seats to stop, sit (catch your breath) and enjoy the view. Sadly, we haven't had rain so it wasn't as green as I'm sure it would be on a normal January. Nevertheless, a great hike to work off all the apple pie you eat in Julian.

    Photos
    Volcan Mountain Preserve - Sign at the trailhead

    Sign at the trailhead

    Volcan Mountain Preserve
    Volcan Mountain Preserve

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    Indian Canyons - Another spot before a hike through the trees up the mountain.

    Indian Canyons

    4.4(314 reviews)
    17.5 mi

    What a spectacular experience. So much to learn about the Indians that lived here and why. From a…read morenice cool walk under the trees next to the natural water flowing up through the ground then to some fabulous hiking with glorious views of the mountains to all the creatures that live all around it. Keep your eyes open for all of them and especially for the dangerous ones hiding around rocks. Stay away from the selfies with them. Shouldn't have to say it but.... Well worth the $12.00 entry fee per car. Come here when it's hot for a cooler experience under the trees or winter for some good hiking. This is Palm Springs after all.

    Nov, 2025. Palm Springs, CA. "The Indian Canyons are the ancestral home of the Agua Caliente Band…read moreof Cahuilla Indians. These canyons are especially sacred to the Cahuilla people today and are historically important to scientists and nature lovers. The Cahuilla people have thrived here for thousands of years. Ancient trails, rock art, house pits, foundations, irrigation ditches, dams, reservoirs, and food preparation areas still exist in the canyons." While there are many hiking trails in the Indian Canyons, our preference was to hike one of them that offered some shade. (While Palm Springs was only expected to reach 81 degrees today, it feels hotter when you're hiking in direct sun!) We spoke to a friendly ranger near the Trading Post, and he suggested that the two trails with shade are: (1) Palm Canyon, which is described as a moderated-graded footpath that winds down into the canyon for picnicking near the stream, meditating, exploring, hiking and equestrian trails. (2) Andreas Canyon, a tranquil setting with a one-mile walking loop and a year-round flowing stream showcasing magnificent palms and more than 150 species of plants. We chose the Palm Canyon hike as we were already close to its trailhead. The trail was mostly wide, well-maintained, and dry. It's an out-and-back trail that's 0.9 miles in each direction. Total elevation change is 224'. At the 0.9-mile mark, it intersects with other trails that allow you to lengthen the distance of your hike. For instance, there was an option to return via another route that would be 2.0 miles (rather than 0.9), but it appeared that it would be mostly in the sun so we decided against it. A few general observations: *this is a family-friendly trail, and there were quite a few kids on the trail. It is NOT stroller-friendly as there's a fairly steep descent at the beginning from the parking lot down to the palms. *the trail was crowded on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, 10:30 am, but many hikers turned after the first 1/4 to 1/2-mile. *there is an entry fee to enter Indian Canyons, but you're allowed to hike as many trails as you'd capable of doing during operating hours. Adult admission is $12, seniors (62+) and students are $7, children (6-12): $6, and U.S. military, and first responders are free. HINT: we purchased our tickets at the Palm Springs Visitors Center and got a $1 discount per ticket. *there are regularly scheduled ranger-led interpretive hikes and ranger talks. *there are three parking areas, all with port-a-potties. *some concessions, including water and Gatorade, are available at the Trading Post, but there aren't any public fountains so make sure to bring a lot of water for this desert environment. *we didn't see any creatures, but you need to careful of where you step or place your hands as there are rattlesnakes in the canyon. *signage is good, but it's also easy to unintentionally go off-trail as there are quite a few unofficial trails. We enjoyed our visit to the Indian Canyons, and will return to do some of the other hikes.

    Photos
    Indian Canyons - On the way up the mountain. Road towards the top is narrow.

    On the way up the mountain. Road towards the top is narrow.

    Indian Canyons - It's bloody G O R G E O U S  ! !   #BritAccent #ThiccPalmTrees #TreeBeard

    It's bloody G O R G E O U S ! ! #BritAccent #ThiccPalmTrees #TreeBeard

    Indian Canyons - Andrea's Canyon Trail

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    Andrea's Canyon Trail

    Cahuilla Mountain Trail - hiking - Updated May 2026

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