Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway lifts you from the desert floor at the north edge of Palm Springs to a mountain station at 8,516 feet in about ten minutes, in cars whose floors slowly turn on the way up. At the top are restaurants, viewing decks and the trails of Mount San Jacinto State Park, where the tramway says it is typically 30 to 40 degrees cooler than the valley. From the house it's about 50 minutes to the bottom station.

The ride

The Valley Station sits at 2,643 feet in Chino Canyon. The cable climbs about 2.5 miles to the Mountain Station, a rise of nearly 5,900 feet, and the ride takes roughly ten minutes each way. Since 2000 the tramway has run what it calls the world's largest rotating tramcars: the floor turns twice during the trip, so everyone gets the full view without moving, and each car holds up to 80 people. The cars aren't heated or air conditioned; the windows open for ventilation.

The tramway opened in September 1963 after decades of planning. Helicopters were used to build four of its five towers, flying some 23,000 missions during 26 months of construction. The Mountain Station, a midcentury building by architect Stewart Williams, went through its first full renovation between 2019 and early 2023.

At the top

The Mountain Station has two restaurants, a cocktail lounge, observation decks, a small natural history museum and two theaters showing films about the state park and the tram's construction. Peaks is the sit-down restaurant, and the tramway recommends reservations. Pines Café is cafeteria-style, and from 4pm a Ride 'n' Dine ticket bundles the round trip with dinner there.

Snow typically falls up here from November through April. When conditions allow, a Winter Adventure Center near the bottom of the path rents snowshoes and cross-country skis, first come, first served, to renters 18 and over. Its opening depends on the weather, so check the tramway's site before you count on it.

Trails in Mount San Jacinto State Park

A concrete path leads down from the Mountain Station into Long Valley, where you'll find picnic tables, a ranger station, flush toilets and the easiest trails. The tramway counts more than 50 miles of trails in a 14,000-acre wilderness. A few to know:

• Long Valley Discovery Trail. A level three-quarter-mile loop with numbered nature posts, and the gentlest introduction to the park's plants and animals.
• Desert View Trail. A 1.5-mile loop to several overlooks and forest views, with short, moderately strenuous climbs.
• Round Valley. A 2.5-mile trail out to Round Valley, fairly level with short climbs. Wellman's Divide is a mile beyond it, with about 600 feet of gain.
• San Jacinto Peak. About 5.5 miles one way to the 10,834-foot summit, the second-highest point in Southern California. It's a long day at altitude.

No permit is needed for the Long Valley trails, but anyone hiking beyond the ranger station needs a wilderness permit. It's free, and you pick it up at the ranger station when you arrive. Water is only available at the ranger station, so carry your own for anything longer. The trail network continues over Wellman's Divide and down the far side of the mountain toward Idyllwild, a town that makes its own mountain day trip.

Getting there from the house

Plan on about 50 minutes from the house to the Valley Station: Highway 62 down through Morongo Valley to Interstate 10, then into the north end of Palm Springs and up the access road into Chino Canyon. Mapping services put the Yucca Valley to tramway leg at about 30 miles and 44 minutes, so allow a little extra for traffic.

Parking costs about $15 per car. The lots open at 9am on weekdays and 7am on weekends and holidays, the ticket booth opens 30 minutes before the first car, and cars leave at least every half hour.

Tickets and hours

Online prices in 2026 were about $37 for adults, $21 for children 3 to 10 and $34 for seniors 65 and over, each including a $2 online fee. Children under 2 ride free but need a boarding pass from the ticket booth on the day. If tickets show as sold out online, the tramway says you can still buy them at the booth on the day of your visit.

On the winter schedule the first car goes up at 10am on weekdays and 8am on weekends and holidays, with the last car up at 8pm and the last down at 9:30pm. In summer, Fridays and Saturdays run an hour later. Each year the tram also shuts for a preventative maintenance closure; in 2026 it ran from early September to early October. Prices and hours change without notice, so check the tramway's site before you go.

When to go

In summer, when the valley floor is hot, the cooler air at 8,500 feet is the main draw. In winter you can ride from the desert floor into snow, though you'll want boots and a warm coat for it. Spring and fall are easy any day. Clear days give the longest views, so check the tramway's live cameras and forecast before you commit, and see when to visit the high desert for how the seasons play out up at the house.

Know before you go

• Layers. The tramway suggests a light jacket in spring and early summer, a heavy jacket and gloves in fall and winter, and sturdy closed-toe shoes year-round.
• Altitude. You gain about 6,000 feet in ten minutes. The tramway suggests pregnant riders check with a doctor first. Take the first stretch of trail slowly.
• Pets. Only service animals are allowed on the tram and in the state park, so plan this day around your dog if one is traveling with you. Our pet-friendly page covers dogs at the house.
• Accessibility. The Valley Station, tram cars and Mountain Station are wheelchair accessible. The state park trails are not.
• Water. The tramway says water is only available at the ranger station, so bring your own if you're hiking past Long Valley.
• Kids. Riders under 16 must be with an adult 21 or older.

Make it a full day with lunch in town using our Palm Springs day trip guide, then drive back up Highway 62 for a soak in the hot tub. When you're ready, check dates.