When we were looking for family-friendly things to do on our family trip to Palm Springs, we knew we wanted a hike that felt different from the dry desert trails we had already done. The Palm Canyon Trail with kids ended up being a perfect family outing. It gave us shade, water, towering palm trees and a great family adventure.
The Palm Canyon Trail in Palm Springs is one of the best easy hikes in Palm Springs for families, for good reason. Instead of hiking through exposed desert the entire time, the trail follows Palm Canyon Creek through a beautiful palm oasis in Indian Canyons. It feels completely different from many of the other hikes near Palm Springs, which makes it a memorable kid-friendly hike/.
That said, there are a few things families should know before going. The shaded Palm Canyon section is the easiest and most enjoyable part with kids, while the optional Victor Trail loop is more exposed and better for families who are comfortable hiking in the sun. In this post, I’ll share what the Palm Canyon hike is like with kids, how far we hiked, what to expect on the trail and the practical tips that helped make this one of our favourite Palm Springs hikes as a family.
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Palm Canyon Trail: Quick Family Hiking Overview
Located in the Indian Canyons on the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation, the Palm Canyon Trail follows Palm Canyon Creek as it flows through the oasis. This cool water supports the hundreds of palm trees lining its shores.
The Palm Canyon Trail is a fun and easy kid-friendly hike in Palm Springs. Palm Canyon is a shady and cool palm tree oasis and is a must-do activity in Palm Springs with kids.
Palm Canyon Hike Highlights
The Palm Canyon Trail is a popular kid-friendly Palm Springs hike for good reason. Here are the highlights of the Palm Canyon Trail hike:
Hiking along the Palm Canyon Creek through the surprisingly large palm tree oasis is a lot of fun. The palm trees are massive, yet beautiful; many of them have large clusters of dates hanging down from the top branches.
If you’d like to make the Palm Canyon hike a loop, instead of an out-and-back hike, we recommend taking the Victor Trail back to the parking lot. The aerial views of the palm oasis from the Victor Trail are excellent.
The desert landscape on the Victor Trail is in stark contrast to the lush Palm Canyon. Victor Trail is home to thousands of cacti, including some really cool species!
Palm Canyon Trail Overview
Palm Canyon Trail
The kid-friendly Palm Canyon hike leads you through the heart of this huge, amazing palm oasis. The Palm Canyon Trail follows the path of the lazy little Palm Canyon Creek flowing gently through the palm tree oasis. The cool water from this gentle creek provides life for the hundreds of palm trees which line its shores.
Your kids will love exploring the the shaded areas under the palm canopy and along the cooling shores. This easy, yet beautiful walk is one of the best things to do in Palm Springs with kids on a hot day. No wonder it is one of the most popular easy hikes in Palm Springs.
The huge palm tree oasis effectively ends after about 1.4 miles (2.3 km) of walking through the canyon. At this stage, most people simply turn back and follow the Palm Canyon Trail back to the Agua Caliente Visitor Center (Trading Post).
Victor Trail Loop Option
We prefer a little variety when we hike with our kids, so we made the Palm Canyon Trail a loop by combining it with the Victor Trail, which begins at the end of the palm tree oasis.
The Victor Trail ascends a little way up the eastern canyon wall providing incredible aerial views of the huge palm tree oasis and the surrounding mountains.
If you decide to take the Victor Trail back, there are some minor trade-offs to be aware of. On the plus side, you’ll gain a wonderful new perspective of the the size and beauty of the Palm Springs oasis.
You’ll also enjoy hiking through a dense cactus forest, with literally thousands of beautiful & interesting cacti growing all over the canyon wall.
The only downside to taking the Victor Trail back is that you lose all that wonderful shade. Be sure to bring hiking hats, a hydration pack with lots of water and sunscreen for this leg of the hike. They’re all useful anytime you’re hiking around Palm Springs with kids.
Hiking the Palm Canyon Trail with Kids
The Palm Canyon hike is fun, short and easy, making it an excellent choice for a kid-friendly hike in Palm Springs.
Here are a few other considerations for hiking the Palm Canyon hike with kids:
There are porta-potties at the far end of the main Agua Caliente parking lot. If you continue walking straight past them, there is also a very short walk to West Fork Falls.
There are no water stations, so fill your water bladders before leaving. Bring more water than you think you’ll need, especially if you take the Victor Trail back to the Agua Caliente Trading Post. See below for the recommended water intake on this kid-friendly Palm Springs hike.
The Palm Canyon Trail is nice and shady, but on the Victor Trail your biggest risk is sun exposure. Be sure your kids wear hiking hats, have ample sunscreen on and drink tons of water.
The Palm Canyon hike is not stroller accessible, but it’s common in Palm Springs for parents to carry their baby or toddler on their backs in a backpack carrier.
You can hear frogs croaking in the Palm Canyon Creek, and it might be fun for kids to try and find one. Don’t let them pick up any frogs, though. It can be dangerous for both your kids and the frogs.
There are little stone bridges over Palm Canyon Creek. Without fail, kids always love crossing little bridges over streams while hiking.
The Palm Canyon Trail Hike Stats
During our visit to the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation, we visited the West Fork Falls, hiked the Palm Canyon Trail to the end, and then took the Victor Trail back. This combination is often referred to as the Victor Loop Trail.
Palm Canyon Trail Distance
The full round-trip distance of the Victor Loop Trail hike is 3.2 miles / 5.2 km. Divided into its parts, the approximate distances are:
- Round trip hike to the waterfall: 0.1 miles (0.2 km).
- One-way hike on the Palm Canyon Trail to the Victor Trail junction: 1.4 miles (2.3 km).
- One-way hike on the Victor Trail back to the Agua Caliente Trading Post: 1.7 miles (2.7 km).
Palm Canyon Hike Elevation Gain
There is a very gradual incline which you won’t even notice during along the Palm Canyon hike.
The Victor Trail gets steep for a short distance as you walk upwards above the palm oasis, but it’s doable for anyone in decent shape. The total elevation gain on the Victor Loop hike is only 410 feet / 125 m.
How Hard is the Palm Canyon Trail?
We’d rate the Palm Canyon Trail to Victor Trail Loop hike as ‘easy’, but Indian Canyons rates the Victor Trail as moderate. It’s short and mostly flat, with only one short uphill climb up out of the canyon floor. It’s really not that hard if you are in reasonable shape, making it a great hike for kids in Palm Springs.
How Long Does the Palm Canyon Hike Take?
It took us 2.75 hours to complete the Victor Loop Trail (3.25 hours including breaks). This is a little slower than usual hiking pace for our kids, but this is to be expected when they are having so much fun.
People hiking the Palm Canyon Trail without kids will likely complete the trail in under 2 hours.
Palm Canyon Trail Location, Parking and Admission
The Palm Canyon hike is within the Indian Canyons on the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation, just south of the Palm Springs International Airport (PSP). It’s a short 20 minute drive from central Palm Springs, and it took us 35 minutes to drive from our Palm Desert hotel.
Note that there is an admission charge to visit Indian Canyons.
Palm Canyon Trail Map
If you don’t plan on taking the Victor Trail loop, then you likely won’t need a Palm Canyon Trail map. Simply enter the trail near the Agua Caliente Trading Post and follow the trail down into the canyon and into the palm tree oasis.
If you wish to take the Victor Trail back, then it’s a good idea to have a trail map on your phone as you’ll need to know where to leave the Palm Canyon Trail and return toward the parking lot.
When we need a hiking trail map, we always use the AllTrails hiking app when we go hiking with our kids. We downloaded the Victor Loop trail map onto our phones and followed along using the phone’s GPS.
AllTrails Map
Having the Victor Loop trail map on your phone will be a big help in navigating your hike.
Where to Stop for Lunch or a Break
There are a few good spots along the Palm Canyon Trail to stop for lunch. The most comfortable will be the shady picnic tables located near the beginning of the Palm Canyon Trail. You’ll see them once you descend into the valley.
Another fun idea for taking a break with your kids along the Palm Canyon Trail is to sit on one of the fallen palm trees along the trail. Chances are you’ll find a very scenic spot with lots of nice shade to enjoy.
Palm Canyon Safety Tips
The Palm Canyon hike is a very kid-friendly hike near Palm Springs. The vast majority of families hiking here will not have any safety incidents, but here are a few safety tips for hiking in Indian Canyons with kids:
Indian Canyons recommends hikers bring one quart of water per hour of hiking. This means bringing 2-3 quarts per hiker (including the kids). If each parent carries a full water bladder in their hiking daypack, this will help you meet that recommendation.
There are a few sections along the Victor Trail where there are steep drop-offs. Hold hands when hiking with kids during these sections.
Watch out for the sharp needles on the thousands of cacti along the Victor Trail. Many are growing right next to hiking trail.
Some potentially dangerous animals live around the Indian Canyons hiking trails including bobcats, coyotes and rattlesnakes. We didn’t see any of these animals and chances are very good you won’t either, but it’s best to keep your kids close by just in case.
The Indian Canyons have additional safety rules for hiking.
What to Bring When Hiking Palm Canyon with Kids
We do a ton of hiking with kids and know that bringing the right gear along is important. It’s just as important not to bring too much unnecessary gear.
We have a good post on our recommended hiking gear for kids. Specific to hiking Victor Trail & Palm Canyon with kids, we’d like to reiterate the importance of having hydration packs filled to the brim with water, hiking hats, and sunscreen.
Normal shoes are okay if you just want to hike the Palm Canyon Trail. If you make the hike a loop via the Victor Trail, be aware the trail gets a bit steep going down some switchbacks toward the end. The gravel path makes it a bit slippery, making hiking shoes with good grips a smart idea.
Final Thoughts: Palm Canyon Trail with Kids
As you can see, the Palm Canyon Trail in Indian Canyons is a shady, cool paradise, making it an excellent thing to do in Palm Springs with kids on hot days. The Victor Trail gives up that soothing shade, but the amazing cacti forest and views of the Palm Springs oasis more than make up for it!
We hope you enjoy this kid-friendly Palm Springs oasis hike as much as we did. We think it’s one of the best hikes in Palm Springs for kids!
Our Palm Springs and Joshua Tree Family Trip
We enjoyed the Palm Canyon Trail with our kids during our two-week family vacation to the Southern California desert. During our trip we enjoyed visiting Palm Springs with kids, before heading out of town to enjoy the best things to do in Joshua Tree National Park with kids.
Our Travel Journal for Kids
Based on our family travels, our kids helped us design this Travel Journal for Active Kids! This engaging travel journal encourages kids to document their adventures, spark creativity, and stay entertained on the go – grab yours now on Amazon!
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