Name: Palm Springs Tramway
Brand: Desert Oasis Insider
Availability: InStock

Palm Springs’ rotating tramcar travels approximately 2.5 miles through Chino Canyon, climbing nearly 6,000 vertical feet to the cool forests of Mount San Jacinto State Park.

Facts verified July 27, 2026.

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway carries passengers in two large cable-suspended cabins from the rocky desert slopes of Chino Canyon to Mountain Station at 8,516 feet. The approximately ten-minute ride begins at Valley Station, elevation 2,643 feet, and gains 5,873 vertical feet before arriving beside the forests and trails of Mount San Jacinto State Park.

The circular passenger floor turns slowly inside each tramcar, giving riders a changing 360-degree view during the climb. At Mountain Station, visitors can use the observation decks, explore exhibits, dine or descend into Long Valley and more than 50 miles of state-park trails.

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway in Five Points

The tram travels approximately 2.5 miles between Valley Station and Mountain Station in about ten minutes each way.
It rises from 2,643 feet at Valley Station to 8,516 feet at Mountain Station, an elevation gain of 5,873 feet.
Each tramcar has a slowly rotating passenger floor that normally completes one or two turns during the trip.
Mountain Station is the entrance to Mount San Jacinto State Park from the Palm Springs side; it is not the summit of Mount San Jacinto.
The mountaintop is typically 30 to 40 degrees cooler than the desert below and offers observation decks, dining, exhibits and access to more than 50 miles of trails.

What Is the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway?

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is sometimes casually called the Palm Springs gondola, cable car or air tram. “Aerial tramway” is the more precise term.

A gondola lift usually moves many smaller cabins around a continuously circulating cable. An aerial tramway uses two much larger cabins that travel back and forth along one route. As one Palm Springs tramcar ascends, the other descends.

What makes the Palm Springs system unusual is the moving floor inside each cabin. The floor turns slowly while the exterior car remains aligned with the cables. Riders do not need to compete for one “best side” because the view changes around them during the ascent and descent. The operator describes it as the world’s largest rotating tramcar.

What the Tram Ride Is Actually Like

The journey begins inside Valley Station, a modernist structure designed by Albert Frey and Robson Chambers. The building sits high above central Palm Springs within the narrow walls of Chino Canyon, so the ride does not begin at the city’s lowest elevation. It begins where the developed valley is already giving way to raw mountain terrain.

After the tramcar leaves the station, the ground drops quickly. Rock walls, canyon vegetation and support towers fill the windows before the view expands across Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley. As the passenger floor turns, the perspective shifts from the cliff face to the open desert and back toward the higher ridges.

The rotation is slow rather than theatrical. The tramcars are not heated or air-conditioned, and open windows provide ventilation. The cabins are large, shared spaces, and the height is unmistakable. Visitors with a strong fear of heights may find the ride intense, while standing closer to the center of the cabin can make the exposure feel less immediate.

Riders may also notice a brief swing after the cabin crosses a support tower, while wind can add movement on exposed sections of the route.

At the lower station, the surroundings are defined by exposed stone, desert plants, canyon washes and intense sunlight. Higher on the route, chaparral and mountain vegetation begin to replace the lower desert. By the time the doors open at Mountain Station, the landscape has become a high-country forest of pines, firs, boulders and seasonal snow.

Temperatures at Mountain Station are often 30 to 40 degrees cooler than in Palm Springs, although the difference varies with weather and time of day.

In summer, the tram can turn a triple-digit Palm Springs afternoon into a walk beneath tall trees. During snowy winter periods, visitors can leave palms and swimming pools below and arrive beside a white forest. Mountain conditions can change much faster than conditions in the valley.

In a single ride, passengers can watch desert scrub give way to pine and fir forest.

Where Does the Palm Springs Tram Go?

The tramway travels from Valley Station in Chino Canyon to Mountain Station at 8,516 feet. The upper station stands beside Long Valley and serves as the Palm Springs gateway to Mount San Jacinto State Park.

It does not reach the summit of Mount San Jacinto.

San Jacinto Peak rises to 10,834 feet. Reaching it from the tram requires a serious wilderness hike of approximately 11.6 miles round trip with about 2,400 feet of elevation gain. The tram removes the enormous climb from the desert floor, but it does not turn the summit into a short walk.

This distinction matters because “the top of the tram” and “the top of Mount San Jacinto” are two different places. Mountain Station is a developed visitor destination. San Jacinto Peak remains a high-elevation backcountry objective.

What Is at the Top of the Palm Springs Tram?

Mountain Station is a multi-level building designed by Palm Springs modernist architect E. Stewart Williams. Its windows and outdoor terraces frame the Coachella Valley on one side and the forest on the other.

Inside and around Mountain Station are:

Observation decks overlooking Chino Canyon and the Coachella Valley
Peaks Restaurant, a full-service restaurant for lunch and dinner
Pines Café, a casual cafeteria-style option
Lookout Lounge, serving drinks and appetizers
A California State Parks visitor center
A small natural history museum
Two theaters showing films about the tramway and Mount San Jacinto State Park
A gift shop
Restrooms, elevators and indoor places to sit
Access to Long Valley, picnic areas and the park’s trail system

No hike is required to enjoy the trip. The observation decks, changing climate, architecture and mountain views can fill a visit on their own.

Entering Long Valley

The entrance to the state park is below Mountain Station. Reaching Long Valley requires descending a paved path that drops approximately 100 feet in one-eighth of a mile.

The path is paved, but it is steep. California State Parks notes that the grade can be difficult for some visitors and that the handrails do not extend along its entire length. This is an important difference between visiting the accessible Mountain Station and entering the natural trail system below it.

At Long Valley are picnic tables, restrooms, the ranger station and the beginnings of both short nature walks and longer wilderness routes.

How Much Time Does a Visit Take?

The ride takes about ten minutes in each direction, but the full experience is longer. These are rough planning estimates:

About 90 minutes to two hours: Ride both ways, explore Mountain Station, use the observation decks and see the museum or films.
About three to four hours: Add a meal, the Discovery Nature Trail or the Desert View Trail.
Most of a day: Hike farther into the state park or spend unhurried time in Long Valley.
A full mountain day: Attempt a longer wilderness destination such as Wellman Divide or San Jacinto Peak.

Parking, boarding and busy-day waits should be added to those estimates.

Who Will Enjoy the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway?

Its real appeal is the transition itself: in about ten minutes, desert canyon gives way to high mountain forest. The experience is especially strong for photographers, families, architecture enthusiasts, sightseers, hikers and anyone seeking cooler air during summer or snow during winter.

It may be less comfortable for visitors with a severe fear of heights or those expecting a private, seated scenic ride.

Hiking from the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

The tramway provides unusually direct access to high-elevation hiking, but the routes vary from a gentle nature loop to a demanding mountain day. California State Parks currently lists the following figures, verified July 27, 2026:

Trail or destination	Approximate round-trip distance	General difficulty	Wilderness permit
Discovery Nature Trail	0.6-mile loop	Easy	No
Desert View Trail	1.5-mile loop	Moderate	No
Round Valley Loop	4.0 miles	Strenuous	Yes
Wellman Divide	6.2 miles	Very strenuous	Yes
San Jacinto Peak	11.6 miles	Very strenuous	Yes

The Discovery Nature Trail and Desert View Trail remain within the developed Long Valley area and do not require wilderness permits. Routes continuing into the state or federal wilderness require a free day-use permit, available through the ranger-station system.

As of July 2026, State Parks notes that part of the Discovery Nature Trail is under construction. Trail distances alone do not describe the full challenge: the starting elevation is already above 8,000 feet, weather can change rapidly, and snow or ice may remain after warm conditions return to Palm Springs.

Closed-toe footwear, layered clothing, sun protection and drinking water are sensible even for a short walk. Longer routes require mountain preparation rather than ordinary sightseeing plans.

Dining at Mountain Station

The tramway has two primary dining choices at Mountain Station.

Peaks Restaurant is the full-service option, with large windows looking over the Coachella Valley. It serves lunch and dinner, and reservations are recommended.

Pines Café is the more casual choice, serving cafeteria-style and grab-and-go food. It works well for families, hikers and visitors who do not want to plan a formal meal.

The Lookout Lounge offers drinks and appetizers, while Cascade Café at Valley Station sells snacks and casual food when open.

Restaurant menus, service hours and combination ticket packages change. Current details are best confirmed through the official dining page before planning the trip around a meal.

The Tramway Through the Seasons

Summer: The temperature difference becomes most useful. Mountain Station is commonly 30 to 40 degrees cooler than the valley, although a light layer can still be useful after sunset.

For a locally focused seasonal perspective, see Palm Springs Tram Summer Pass: Weekly Local Escape.

Autumn: Clear views and comfortable walking weather are possible, but the annual maintenance closure is normally scheduled around late summer or early autumn.
Winter: Storms can bring snow play, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Conditions vary, so the live cameras should be checked before expecting snow.
Spring: Longer daylight can make exploring easier, although snow or ice may remain on higher routes after the Long Valley trails begin clearing.

Accessibility

Valley Station, the tramcars and Mountain Station are accessible in accordance with ADA guidelines. Accessible routes, elevators, common areas and restrooms are available within the facilities. Accessible parking is offered on a first-come basis for vehicles displaying the appropriate placard or plate.

Mount San Jacinto State Park’s natural trails are not ADA accessible. The steep paved descent between Mountain Station and Long Valley can also be physically demanding even though the surface is paved.

Printed narration scripts, closed-captioned videos and sensory guides are available through the tramway’s accessibility program. Only trained service animals are permitted on the tramway and in the high-country park area reached from it; pets and emotional-support animals are not allowed.

Before You Go

The tramway is located at One Tram Way, Palm Springs, California 92262. The access road begins near the northwestern edge of Palm Springs and climbs into Chino Canyon before reaching Valley Station.

The Palm Springs Visitor Center at the base of Tramway Road is a separate building and does not sell tram tickets.

Ticket prices, operating hours, parking rates, restaurant schedules, trail conditions and maintenance closures change. The most reliable planning method is to check the official pages on the day of travel:

Advance tickets are sensible for weekends, holidays and other busy periods, although same-day walk-up inventory may be available. Parking is normally charged separately; qualifying local residents may receive complimentary parking with acceptable proof of residence.

There is no public tramway shuttle from downtown Palm Springs, but taxis and rideshare services can use the designated pickup and drop-off area.

Check mountain weather and operating status before leaving. High wind, storms, snow, ice, technical work or scheduled maintenance can alter operations even when central Palm Springs appears calm.

A Brief History of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

Electrical engineer Francis Crocker began developing the tramway idea in the 1930s, and the line opened in September 1963. The original cabins had fixed floors; the present rotating-floor cars entered service in 2000.

Read the complete history of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the ride, and how high does the tram go?

The ride normally takes approximately ten minutes each way and covers about 2.5 miles. It begins at 2,643 feet and reaches Mountain Station at 8,516 feet, a vertical gain of 5,873 feet.

Does the Palm Springs tram go to the top of Mount San Jacinto?

No. The tram ends at Mountain Station beside Long Valley. San Jacinto Peak is 10,834 feet and requires an approximately 11.6-mile round-trip wilderness hike from the tram area.

Does the entire tramcar rotate?

No. The exterior cabin remains aligned with the cables while the circular passenger floor turns slowly inside it. The floor normally makes one or two rotations during a trip.

What is there to do at the top?

Visitors can use observation decks, dine at Peaks Restaurant or Pines Café, visit the natural history museum, watch documentary films, browse the gift shop, picnic in Long Valley or enter a trail system extending for more than 50 miles.

How much colder is it, and what should visitors wear?

Mountain Station is typically 30 to 40 degrees cooler than the desert floor, but the actual difference changes with the weather and time of day. Current mountain conditions should be checked before leaving; layers and secure walking shoes are useful even when no hike is planned.

Is the Palm Springs tram scary?

The floor rotates slowly and the trip is not designed as a thrill ride, but the cabin travels high above steep canyon terrain. Visitors who are highly sensitive to heights may find the exposure and normal movement of an aerial cable system intense.

Is the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway wheelchair accessible?

Valley Station, the tramcars and Mountain Station are accessible. The natural trails in Mount San Jacinto State Park are not ADA accessible, and the paved route from Mountain Station into Long Valley is steep.

Are dogs allowed on the Palm Springs tram?

Pets are not permitted. Trained service animals are allowed under the tramway and state-park policies.

Are advance tickets required?

Advance purchase is not always required, and same-day walk-up tickets may be available. Reservations are a sensible choice for weekends, holidays and other busy periods. Current availability should be checked through the official ticket page.

The Takeaway

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is a moving connection between two landscapes. In approximately ten minutes, a slowly rotating cabin rises from the exposed cliffs and desert vegetation of Chino Canyon to the pines, cooler air and trails of Mount San Jacinto State Park.

It does not reach the summit. It makes an entire mountain transition visible through glass.