“Season” has ended, part-timers have left for the summer, and the rest of us have the desert to ourselves — roads, restaurants, attractions, and hiking trails.
Yes, you can hike in the summer if you start before dawn — or if you invest $85 in the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway Summer Pass, offering unlimited tram rides to the verdant, pine-scented wilderness of Mount San Jacinto State Park, 8,600 feet above the Coachella Valley. (The pass is valid May 1 through Aug. 31 and includes free parking.)
For my partner Edgar and me, dedicated hikers, the investment pays for itself in the first week. On weekdays, we squeeze in quick hikes after work, usually choosing the easy but awe-inspiring Desert View Trail. On weekends, we rise early to catch the first tram, rushing to the Long Valley Ranger Station to register for wilderness permits and continuing to the trailheads leading to Round Valley, Hidden Lake, Wellman Divide, and San Jacinto Peak. The state park weaves over 50 miles of trails across 14,000 acres of pristine alpine wilderness and invites picnicking and camping in designated spots…”
[Read the full article at palmspringslife.com]