Hiking Andreas Canyon in California was one of the highlights on our trip. Indian Canyons is one of the most beautiful spots in Palm Springs, and definitely worth a visit. And it’s ideal for little ones too!
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When we were planning our trip to Palm Springs, I saw some pictures of a beautiful palm oasis where people were hiking. It looked so amazing that in spite of the extremely hot weather we decided go check it out.
We have done many hikes in Southern California and even in the Palm Springs area but this was definitely the highlight of our trip. And our kids very much enjoyed the time we spent at Indian Canyons too.
We hiked at Andreas Canyon, enjoyed the beautiful views and ate at picnic tables inside the palm oasis. We will definitely go back there again when we are in the area!
THE PALM OASES OF INDIAN CANYONS IN PALM SPRINGS
Indian Canyons is not far from downtown Palm Springs, only about a 15-minute drive. It is located inside the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation and there is a fee to get in.
In return, you will get well maintained trails, restrooms and picnic areas. You will also get a brochure when you enter with a great trail map on it.
The ranger was sitting by the entrance of the trail while we were there and was answering visitor’s questions. They even had a junior ranger program for kids, but they had paused it due to the pandemic.
The area has been home to the Native American Cahuilla people for at least 5000 years. Back in the day, there was plenty of water and a variety of plants and animals for their community to thrive.
They farmed corn, squash and beans for food. They also used acorns, wild fruit, agave and yucca from the canyons, and traded food, shells, animals and minerals with other tribes. The water came from the streams in the area that you can still see running through there. Many of them fill again during the spring when the snow in the mountains melts.
You might still run into some old rock art, house-pits, irrigation ditches, dams, trails or food preparation areas while hiking in the canyons.
There are three main areas for hiking in Indian Canyons; Palm Canyon, Murray Canyon and Andreas Canyon. Both Palm Canyon and Andreas Canyon features the world’s largest California Fan Palm oases.
It comes as surprise to many that there is actually only one kind of palm tree that is native to California: the California Fan Palm (Washingtonian Filifera). All the other palm trees are imported.
In Murray Canyon people may be able to spot Peninsular Bighorn Sheep which is an endangered species, or some mule deer.
Palm Canyon Trailhead also has a little souvenir shop selling refreshments, Indian art and artifacts, and other things.
HIKING THE ANDREAS CANYON TRAIL AT INDIAN CANYONS
Hiking the Andreas Canyon in California was so much fun! As the Palm Canyon and Murray Canyon hikes were little bit longer, we chose the Andreas Canyon for our visit. We were hiking with kids and it was closer to 100F that day, so we just wanted to enjoy an easy trail which we knew we could finish.
Hiking with kids can be so much fun but you want to make sure you choose a trail that is not too challenging and are well prepared. Here are our tips for hiking with kids.
The Andreas Canyon Loop Trail seemed to be most suitable for kids, and it had everything we wanted to see: the palm oasis and a little creek with some waterfalls!
The trail starts from a parking lot by the Bent Palm Picnic Area. After passing the entrance booth, you will turn right from the next cross road.
We were at Indian Canyons on a Saturday morning around 8 am and the parking lot was already almost full. So if you are planning to go during the weekend, go early!
We decided to hike in the morning—not only to avoid crowds, but also to avoid the heat. They do recommend bringing some extra water, since it can get very hot in this area.
The Andreas Canyon Loop Trail is about 1.2 miles long. It took us nearly two hours to hike this trail, mainly because our 3-year old was walking so slow and we kept stopping constantly for photos. With a normal pace, it would probably be about a 30-minute hike.
Some parts of the trail were a little bit rocky, but other than that, it was very easy going. And when you get too hot, you can always take a little dip or at least soak your feet in the chilly creek water.
The trail follows Andreas Creek and there are several tiny (but beautiful) waterfalls along the way. The palm grove is absolutely amazing and we saw several lizards, butterflies and birds. There are said to be over 150 species of plants in Andreas Canyon.
Among the palm trees, you can spot sycamores, cottonwoods and willows for example. After about a half mile of hiking, you will cross a bridge over the creek and turn back. You will be able to see the palm oasis from up above before coming back to the parking lot.
After the hike, we sat down under some palm trees and had lunch. It was a great, shady spot on a hot day.
At the end of the parking lot, there is another picnic area with another palm tree grove. If you are not taking a break there, you should at least drive by it, since it was also a beautiful place. And great for photos!
Our morning at Indian Canyons was everything we hoped for and more. I really loved this place and if it was closer to us, I would return to do all the other hikes we weren’t able to do now.
Once again we realised, that California has so much to offer. There are so many places we still haven’t seen even after living here over ten years. And we didn’t even know about this one prior to our trip! I hope we can visit Indian Canyons again someday!
There are also some ready tours you can take to Indian Canyon.
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Palm Springs area is amazing for those who like hiking. There are many great parks and trails there, for example in Joshua Tree National Park. And the nature is very versatile!
Other interesting places to visit close by are for example the Salton Sea and Salvation Mountain, or you can do an art tour around the Palm Springs. Here is our full itinerary for what we did while in Palm Springs.
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Have you found a spot on your travels that you fell in love with but had never heard of beforehand?
This hike looks wonderful but since I sweat a lot I would love to do it in the winter months. The name Indian draws my attention a lit bit more than usual. I absolutely love the rock formations and the look of the trees. How I wish we could travel now.
If you are into hiking I definitely recommend winter months. It was slightly too hot even in April. Palm Springs is quite warm all year around.
We have been to Indian Canyons once and I agree with you that it’s beautiful and definitely worth the visit. We loved their picnic tables and the palm oasis are really nice.
Indian Canyons was a total surprise to me as I had never heard of it before. Yet, it was my favorite from this holiday.
I’ve never heard of Indian Canyons but I definitely want to visit now. I also like that it’s family friendly and if your 3 year old can do it, I can too! The pictures are beautiful and I could feel the heat from looking at them. Arriving early would be a must for me.
I don’t do well on heath either, so we had to go early. Winter months there are probably better especially if you want to do a longer hike.
I think it will take more than 30 minutes for me to finish the 1.2 miles Andreas Canyon Loop Trail, too. Who doesn’t want to spend time in the spring, right? It looks cool and inviting. I like those giant palm trees, although I found the Bent Palm Picnic Area set up like a Hollywood movie’s backdrop.
I agree. Most people like to stop by the creek, sit on the rocks or take photos, and it will take longer then. That picnic area was amazing!
The Andreas Canyon loop trail looks very pretty and also it is not hard and a short hike. I would totally do it and would love to see those palms, they are huge. I had never heard of Indian canyons till date, now I am totally visiting it when I can. California is surely beautiful and a must place to visit in US as it has so many things.
Absolutely, it is a worth visit when ever you will make to CA.
Wow! The palms look huge. Very adventurous and interesting hiking choices. I love that image of the split rock on the way to Palm canyon. Yes, early morning is a good idea to avoid the heat and people. Will look up these hikes when I am in LA next. 🙂
Despite of the heath, it was so much fun! It is a little ways from LA though but I’m sure you can do a day trip or you can book a hotel from somewhere.
Andreas Canyon is really beautiful and diverse with over 150 species of plants. I’d love to spot old rock art, house-pits and other items when hiking here. Palm oasis picture looks dreamy and impressive. I’ve never seen anything like that. Also, it’s good to know that we should hike early in the morning to avoid the crowd and the heat.
I agree. It was so beautiful and we enjoyed it a lot.
We were sorry we did not get to hiking in Indians Canyon when we were in Palm Springs. I did not know we missed some of the largest Fan Palm oasis in California at Andreas Canyon. Even though it might be shorter, it does look like the Andreas Canyon offered some great spots to stop. We would probably take several hours to do this route too! I love those shady picnic areas!
Andreas Canyon was really great even though it is shorter. I hope you get to see it next time you are in town.
Wow, I have never seen palms like this before! Andreas canyon looks like the perfect place for a quick hike and a view for lunch. It’s so interesting to walk that trail and think of the Native Americans who call it home. I’m sure your kids had a great time, too!
Yes, we all had so much fun there!