Popular hike with sweeping views at the top by the cross. This is a moderate hike, steep in…read moresections but relatively short, and it's very dog friendly with many leashed dogs on the trail. Free parking is at Cap Homme / Ralph Adams Park at the end of Thrush Rd in Palm Desert. From the lot, you walk through the gate and follow the Homestead Trail signs up to the cross, so it's very straightforward to find the route. Start as early as you can because the sun makes you feel warm quickly and there's not much shade on the trail. Distance: approx. 2.2-3 miles total Elevation gain: about 600-700 ft It took me and my friend about 1.5 hours to complete the loop

The Trail to the Cross is an AOK hike; it's dog friendly, but it's not linked to the other trails…read morein the area. Tip: It's difficult to find dog-friendly hiking trails in the Palm Springs area, but this is a nice one :-) You'll get to enjoy some nice views of the valley when you hike here, though be careful - you'll be fully exposed to the desert sun and there isn't a whole lot of shade out here. Need less to say, where proper hiking shoes and bring along lots of water.

Have you ever been on a hike ? All by yourself ? Wondering if you were going to get lost ? and…read morewondering if ANYONE would be able to find you and if they would even CARE to find you ? Well, every time I go on a hike, by myself, I always wonder these things: 1) Will my phone work while I'm on the hike 2) Did I bring enough water and electrolyte tablets 3) Did I wear the right clothing 4) Did I put enough sunscreen on 5) Will I meet with a bobcat, bear or ... snake Lots of concerns... but I managed to keep my fears under control as much as I possibly could Turns out... I didn't need to be that concerned. This particular trail starts off with Fantastic Parking at the Rancho Mirage Civic Center... where the trail head is... This would be the trailhead for BigHorn Trail & Jack Rabbit Trail. It's quite steep in the very beginning but what I like so much about this trail is that I don't feel alone and I don't feel isolated. The very beginning of these two trails overlook the entire Coachella Valley and Highway 111 below.. so you can see cars and activity from up high as you climb up to the top... However, If you follow the Jack Rabbit Trail far enough towards the mountain and away from the roads below... it starts to get more isolated and also... there are a lot of paths to walk... none of which are very clear in my mind and its easy for your 2 hour walk to turn in to 3 hours or more as the Jack Rabbit Trail turns into the Chuckwalla Trail. The Chuckwalla Trail by itself is 2.1 miles and its a loop so you really can't get lost... but I still haven't been able to find the complete beginning and end to Jack Rabbit Trail.. Maybe someone wants to join me on this venture ?

After you head up the Overlook bighorn you come to the Jack rabbit trail across the road fairly…read moreeasy that connects you to chuckwalla trail

We decided to hike bump & grind one early morning for a sunrise view of the city. What an…read moreincredible area, beautiful views, and really wonderful people along the way. Many even trail running in the dark, way to go!!! I would call it moderate, and I could see it being quite difficult if we started when the sun was already up. They have decent parking on the road where the trailhead starts.

Great place for a hike in the desert! My husband and I are beginners, but it's a great place to get…read morea workout! It does get crowded so if you get there late, they will be lots of people. Parking runs up and down the street and it will be difficult to find a spot. The views are beautiful, the climb steep, but it makes it a lot easier if you have a hiking stick.

If you are out inexperienced this entire hike is a challenge. Almost all rocks. The canyon leg is…read moreall boulders, 843 yards. You are challenged to find footing, get over large boulders going uphill. Once done, another 1.25-1.4 miles to the top. Narrow rocky incline. DO this side first. The other leg, ridge leg is narrow, gravel and rocks with sun hitting it hard in late morning and early afternoon. Steep inclines on both sides. Need good hiking shoes..we met several experienced hikers who only go up and down ridge leg and skip boulder canyon side because it is difficult. Views at top spectacular. Go early. Take LOTS of water. Trails not clearly marked and easy to take wrong turn. Do not underestimate the entire loop. We did, survived, loved it but next time will skip the canyon boulder side.

What a great hike located in the Indian Wells mountains right behind the Palm Desert living desert…read morezoo. The complete hike is closer to 5.5 miles and is no joke. Very rocky terrain and no shade. It's not too steep at any point and you are mostly following the watershed trail off the mountains. You have to pay admission to the living desert to get access to the trail. Can't wait to go back and do it again.

I love this particular location for easy to moderate day hiking. It's *way* out in Thousand Palms…read more(literally at the end of Ramon road when it changes names). There is a small but informative visitor center (that is almost always looking for volunteers, so if you live out here full time consider volunteering!) and rest rooms at the parking area, and then a number of hikes out from there. The preserve sits directly on the San Andreas fault, so some of the hikes follow it for a bit. My favorite hike so far has been out to McCallum Oasis, where a permanent "pond" sits under a grove of huge palm trees. The trails are usually well marked, though sometimes you might have to go scrambling. The terrain is mostly flat, though, with the exception of a few major hills. Do note that this is 'middle of the desert' hiking - there is not much to see if you are not looking to walk/admire the natural beauty of a desert landscape. Also it *is* out in the desert - with the exception of some of the oases (oasi?) there is not a lot of shade either. Bring lots of water, and avoid the high heat of the mid-day. Also I noted that it 'feels' like you do more walking/hiking on softer sand here than other places that I have been (Indian Canyons, Big Morongo, municipal trails, etc.). That makes some hikes take slightly longer as I find walking on soft sand to be more strenuous. The preserve is free though $5 donation for parking is asked for (but not insistently - the first few times I went I didn't see the sign asking for the parking fee, didn't pay, and wasn't harassed about it). Also one other tip - the Circle K gas station just up the road (at the corner of Ramon and I think Monterey) always has the absolute cheapest gas, and does not charge you extra for using a credit card. I always make it a point to get gas when I'm leaving after my hike.

This is a pleasant walk. My husband and I spent about an hour walking two miles through an oasis,…read morethen desert, then more oasis. We were amazed by the temperature difference under the palm trees. I almost gave this four stars because it was fairly crowded. We went on a Tuesday, and it was still busy. The parking lot was filled so we had to park on the road. Which may have been a positive because the parking lot was dirt. Definitely not a good choice for a weekend afternoon. On the positive side they do have two porta potties available.

A lovely park with great views of the mountains. Be sure and push the button on a stand (yes it…read morestill works, I listened to it yesterday) to hear Frank Sinatra wax poeric about the park's namesake. A parking lot as well as street parking leads on to a botanic gatden and shady paved walkways plus access to the Abrams Butler trail. The trail crosses the wash and connects to parking on the opposite side.

*Frank Sinatra's (dog) Park*…read more {{{Start~Spreadin'~the~News}}} Cute little (dog) park on the Corner of Da Vall & Frank Sinatra Dr... Lots of little paths to stroll around... Lots of trees & palm trees, cactus, and grassy areas... A few water fountain stations... A few doggy poop bag stations...so please be kind and pick up after your furbies... Lots of single & double benches to sit & chill or have a picnic...and take in the beautiful panoramic desert & mountain scenery... Parking lot on Frank Sinatra Dr with a few EV charging stations...and also parking along the street... Even if you're a catmandoo and don't have a dog...it's a cool place to visit and walk around...and soak in the 50th Anniversary of Rancho Mirage. {{{And I did it My Way}}}

While we were in Palm Springs, I wanted to go do some bird watching. My friend didn't want to go so…read moreI traveled solo. Found this place on Yelp and decided to drive down there since they didn't have any tour trams, shuttles or buses. It was a 30 to 40 minute drive from our hotel. Not too bad considering that we didn't have to put miles on our own car, and that is what a rental is for. All we needed was to fill up the tank with gas. Got there around 12pm and it was kind of empty inside the park. They had couple of different hiking trails and they were not too far away from each other. They were also easy to walk/hike and trails were short, but not as narrow. I was there for about 2 hours and the weather was not too hot..(to my surprise). Cool breeze, considering that I was in the arms of nature and trees were hovering and keeping the place nice and cool. Wasn't sure if they had a store that sold snacks or a restaurant, so I packed 2 sandwiches and a bottled water to go on this hike. The sceneries were just breathtaking, beautiful, peaceful and tranquil. At first I was looking for some birds. Even took my binoculars. Later, saw few chilling on a branch, hiding in trees, and also few on the rocks. There were also several different species of birds to watch/view and observe. Took few pictures and it was fascinating, interesting how the way the path/trail turns into a nature that is SO beautiful. They have a nice small lake, lots of trees, a golf course, a decent sized parking lot and a very clean restrooms. Usually at places like this, restrooms are very nasty looking and dirty. Admission is free, and had few resting areas with benches under the trees. They had 2 park rangers patrolling the area. Trash cans in some places and no littering. What a great 1st time experience!! It was so worth the wait. Highly recommend to anyone who is interested in bird watching. Some people are interested in people watching, but for me this was 100 times better!!

What a disaster. This area is an overgrown sand pit. I love animals and wildlife but not here. I…read morefound a pair of pants just off the trail. Gross. I too saw a bum fire. Sad for the condo owners. Why no dogs? Will they scare the bums and wildlife away? Dumb concept and development.

What would you say if a park offered all of these amenities:…read more1. Volleyball courts 2. City pool 3. Ymca fitness center and pool 4. Dog Park 5. Scenic Landscaped trails 6. Sculptures throughout the facility 7. BBQ pits and shaded seating 8. Duck ponds and two major water ways with bridges 9. Tennis courts 10. Football and Soccer grassy areas 11. Civic Government including Police I would say you should visit and enjoy the day. Stay tuned the Library is also moving to this location too.

Beautiful place!!! Great scenery and very peaceful…read more I recommend this place. Great for families and they allow pets on a leash