Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

Rotating gondola climbing from desert floor to alpine wilderness

Address One Tramway Road, Palm Springs, CA 92262
Admission Adults $31.95; Seniors $29.95; Children (3–10) $21.95
Opening Hours Mon–Fri from 10:00; Sat–Sun from 08:00; last car up 20:00
Phone (888) 515-8726
Website https://www.pstramway.com

One of the great short rides in California. The rotating gondola climbs from the Coachella Valley floor at 2,643 feet to the Mountain Station at 8,516 feet in under 15 minutes — a transition from scrubby desert vegetation to pine forest that never quite loses its drama. At the top, Mount San Jacinto State Wilderness offers 54 miles of hiking trails, from a gentle nature walk in Long Valley to the strenuous 5.5-mile summit climb to 10,834 feet.

In winter the Mountain Station is typically snow-covered; rent snowshoes at the top. Year-round there is a restaurant, observation decks, and natural history exhibits. The valley views on the descent are exceptional, particularly at sunset.

things to do landmark
A story
The tramway opened in 1963 after 26 years of lobbying by James Outman, a Riverside judge who dreamed of making Mount San Jacinto accessible. The rotating cars — which complete a full 360° revolution during the 10-minute ride — were introduced in 2000 and were the largest of their type in the world at the time.