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It’s possible that we became snow birds this winter. Like the sandhill crane that leaves the wetlands of British Columbia and heads south, following the Pacific Flyway until it lands in California, we left for warmer habitat. At least for a few weeks.

Sandhill cranes overwinter in places like California, and if you travel out to the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge, you can see flocks of them traipsing through reeds and over desiccated tilapia. If you had traveled a few dozen miles to the northwest last week, you might have seen us running up granite ridges and dodging Gander’s cholla cactus. Unlike sandhill cranes, we prefer the trails, food and culture of the Palm Desert region to that of the Salton Sea.

Perhaps it’s in my blood to snowbird. Both of my parents have been bringing my brother and I to the desert since we were kids. Pictured is Torrey and I in Palm Desert around 1999.

A few weeks ago, in preparation for an upcoming race, we loaded up the majority of our animals and drove our trusty Subaru south from BC, past the coffee shops and co-ops of Washington and Oregon, and across California’s central valley with its endless stretches of almond orchards. Palm Desert may not be widely regarded as a trail running mecca, but that’s also why I like it. The trails are relatively quiet, the wildlife is abundant if you know where to look, and the geology is fascinating (and maybe a little scary; see “4.9 earthquake on final evening.”) If you too find yourself on a desert escape and in need of some trail inspiration, here are a few routes I suggest:

This is a popular hiking spot along Highway 74, just up the road from the El Paseo Shopping District. An official trailhead exists, though you’ll see most people using the shoulder to park then starting the trail by hiking up a steep cement drainage. I’d suggest using the proper trailhead, especially if you’re interested in trying for a fast effort; the Fastest Known Time route begins here.

The trail is tougher than one might suspect given the number of tourists and locals alike you’ll see in the first mile. After this, the crowds all but disappear. The point-to-point trail is roughly 8 miles in length, making for a challenging 16-mile effort round-trip. Highlights include singletrack (the entire way!), views of Rancho Mirage and Palm Desert and desert scrub landscape—all with the dramatic backdrop of the Santa Rosa Mountains. Expect to see flowering agave, cholla, creosote, desert lavender, barrel cactus, and brittlebush. If you’re lucky, you might even spot a few Peninsular Bighorn Sheep although we personally had better luck on other trails in the area.

It goes without saying, but bring plenty of water no matter the time of year you visit.

The end of the Art Smith Trail (or the start, if you begin at Dunn Road.)

Despite having visited Palm Desert many times, I had never heard of this area prior to our recent trip. This makes sense, since it’s better known as a biking area and is a relatively long schlep if on foot. Cathedral Canyon trails are best accessed from Cathedral City, though it’s possible to reach these trails by way of Murray Hill (see below) or a very long connector from Art Smith.

We were stunned by the vibrancy of color in this area, at least when we visited in early January. Expect to see similar desert scrub diversity: jojoba, California barrel cactus, catsclaw, and ephedra (desert tea.)

It’s best to use an app like Gaia if you plan to head to this area since service is unreliable and the trails are a bit challenging to follow.

A few days of rain lead to green grass across the desert floor.

This barrel cactus and I are almost the same height at 5’5”, though these cactus can grow up to 8 feet.

Murray Hill was a new route for us, but one we came back to again and again. It was so good, in fact, that we ran it a dozen times, including on our final morning in the area.

The trail doesn't look like much to start. Parking begins at the end of Palm Hills Drive and doesn’t look like more than a dirt lot leading to a fire road. But go a mile up and the area suddenly opens to a variety of trails: do you want to hike into the Jane Hoffbrau Oasis Trail? Or out to Shannon Trail and Araby Drive? My suggestion: run Murray Hill!

The route up to Murray Hill is steep. From the start, it’s only 3.5 miles but roughly 2500 feet to the top.

The views are worth it, and the trail up is fun: singletrack that snakes through brown boulders lined with barrel cactus and brittlebush, all eventually leading to Murray Hill, a prominent pyramid-shaped peak.

Here, your options are to either go back the way you came for a 7-mile round-trip run or continue down the backside of Murray and along a smooth ridge leading out toward Cathedral Canyon.

We frequently made a loop of the route, heading west toward Cahuilla Peak for some more climbing.

This route makes for a 12.5 mile run with about 3,500 feet of climbing.

We frequently saw Peninsular bighorn sheep while running in this area. This was a delight, because these sheep are endangered and their numbers aren’t all that large. Peninsular bighorn sheep have a range extending from the Santa Rosa Mountains to the US-Mexico border. Oddly, you won’t find them on the other side of Highway 10—those bighorn sheep belong to a different subspecies of bighorn.

This photo is crappy because I used my iPhone and took it from a distance. Be sure to give bighorn sheep plenty of space and avoid bringing dogs on trails. Cashew and Mohi stayed happily at home while we were on this run.

This is a helpful map from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Don’t be fooled by the start of this route. Yes, it’s a block off of Palm Spring’s main shopping drag, and sure, the trailhead shares a parking lot with the Palm Springs Art Museum, but this is one of the hardest routes in the United States. The full route traverses about 10,000 feet from Palm Springs to the top of San Jacinto Mountain though the route most commonly done in the winter, when snow covers the peak, is Skyline Ascent.

Skyline Ascent is roughly 9 miles and climbs 8,000 feet to the Palm Springs Aerial Tram. All of this is on singletrack, and all of it is technical.

I wouldn’t recommend this route unless you’re physically prepared for the challenge, which means preparing for a very long day in a remote location. Using an offline map is essential as trails crisscross the area, making it easy to meander off the correct ridge unless you know where you’re going. Also, this route shouldn’t be done in summer when daytime temperatures are in the triple digits (Fahrenheit) nor around a recent winter storm where ice and snow can make the final miles treacherous.

All of this said, if you’re prepared both the Skyline Ascent and the full Cactus to Clouds route make for an unforgettable experience.

A few weeks ago, while still in Palm Desert, I received notification that Helen Mino Faulkner had bested my 2020 Skyline Ascent FKT by nearly seven minutes! Coincidentally we were driving past the base of San Jacinto when I got the notification. After seeing that the forecast looked favorable, I decided to try for the record two days later. Helen’s speedy time gave me a lot of motivation and I reached the tram in 2:39, improving upon the FKT by a few minutes and beating my 2020 time by more than ten minutes.

At the start of the Cactus to Clouds (and Skyline Ascent) route in Palm Springs.

Running is great, but there are plenty of activities that don’t involve your watch or running shoes. When we weren’t running, we leaned on our other interests:

If you’re even vaguely interested in geology or gems, a trip to the Ocean View Mine is worth the roughly two-hour drive to Pala. Seventy-five dollars gets you four hours of digging at an active mine and all of the gear that’s required. The mine brings a dump pile and visitors get the chance to screen and take home as much as they can find. We came away with quartz, kunzite, morganite, aquamarine and tourmaline!

From top left, clockwise: screening at our site, some of our top finds, enjoying lunch we brought while other visitors dig in the background, our favourite quartz find.

We ran out of time to visit the Cultural Museum, which is a shame because both of us love learning about the history, geology, and people of the places we visit. The Cultural Museum has several permanent exhibits about the Cahuilla Nation, but we were impressed by the Oasis Walk alone! After visiting downtown Palm Springs with Cashew one day, we took a detour to wander this replica of Taquitz Canyon. We learned about common plants of the area (brittlebush, desert agave) and spotted several monarch caterpillars on native milkweed which was a delight!

I have always loved farmers’ markets and will go out of my way to visit one any chance I get. The Palm Springs Farmers’ Markets aren’t the best I’ve been to, but they’re decent and it is special to be able to buy fresh citrus and dates in the dead of winter (at least coming from the Pacific Northwest.) We enjoyed the La Quinta market in particular, and favourite finds included freeze dried persimmon, colorful bell peppers, and free carrot tops and other greens we were given for our rabbit, Betty (we brought about half of our animals on this trip with us.)

The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens—heavily focused on conservation and education

Mojave Flea Trading Post—a boutique featuring local artists from a diversity of backgrounds

Chef Tanya’s—the best vegan food in Coachella Valley. Both the Palm Springs and Rancho Mirage locations also sell local products and have an emphasis on animal welfare and sustainability.

We’re leaving the desert with renewed appreciation for the desert and its inhabitants!

Adventures in Palm Springs

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