The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

One of the major attractions of Palm Springs is a civil engineering marvel that takes you from the hot desert floor to the cool, and often snow-capped, top of Mt. San Jacinto. As the Palm Springs Aerial Tram zips you up the Chino Canyon, it slowly rotates offering you an exhilarating view that is beyond compare.

You’ll board the tram in Palm Springs and travel up the mountain two and a half miles. While the ride up is gentle, the view below will get your heart pumping. The route up the canyon is steep with sheer cliffs and rugged gorges giving way to an endless panorama of California scenery at its best.

And the reward at the top is well worth the price of admission. Where else can you start your ride in flip-flops and end it in snow-shoes in a mere ten minutes? That’s right, if you ride the tram in the winter, you’ll find yourself in a winter wonderland complete with cross-country skiing, snow-shoeing, and snow fun for the whole family. In fact, rental shops are conveniently located near the Tram’s Mountain Station to accommodate all of your snow-play needs.

But if snow isn’t in the forecast - no worries. You’ll love the hiking in the Mount San Jacinto State Park. You’ll find over fifty miles of hiking trails that range in difficulty from easy to extreme. Free, guided nature walks are a great way to get a taste of the mountain environment. For a full blown bite, consider camping in the primitive campsites found within the wilderness area.

Taking a trip on the Palm Springs Aerial Tram makes a romantic date or a fun family getaway. You can ride up and enjoy a fine meal at the Peaks Restaurant or a more casual dining experience at the Pines Restaurant. Or plan your trip at sunset and cap it off with a cocktail at the Lookout Lounge. You can get special “Ride ‘n Dine” tickets for a discounted rate.

The Palm Springs Tram was a long time in the making. From the initial dream in the mid 1930s, to the ultimate groundbreaking nearly thirty years later, the tram has safely served over 12 million visitors. In 2000, the tramway was renovated with new, rotating cars and more modern facilities. What was once called the “eighth wonder of the world” now boasts having the world’s largest rotating tramcar.

Tickets range in price from about $15 for kids to about $22 for adults with a small discount for seniors. Children under three ride free but you must obtain a boarding pass for them. The Ride ‘n Dine passes cost $34 for adults and $22 for children and are available after 3:00PM only.

The tram is open most days. It opens at 10:00AM during the weekdays and at 8:00AM on weekends and holidays. The cars depart at least every half hour. The last car going up is at 9:00PM and the last car coming back down is at 10:30PM. The tram cars as well as the Valley Station and Mountain Station are all handicap accessible.

Helpful Links:

• Palm Springs Aerial Tram

The Palm Springs Desert Resort cities include Palm Springs, Palm Desert,
Cathedral City, Indian Wells, Indio, Desert Hot Springs, La Quinta and
Rancho Mirage. Abbreviations for California include CA, Calif. and Cal.