architectural tour map.
Then drive uphill to
clamber aboard the Palm
Springs Aerial Tramway
(%888-515-8726; http://www.
pstramway.com; 1 Tram Way;
adult/child $24/17; h10am-
8pm Mon-Fri, 8am-8pm Sat &
Sun, last tram down 9:45pm
daily; c), which climbs
nearly 6000 vertical feet
from the hot Sonoran
Desert floor to the cool,
even snowy San Jacinto
Mountains in less than
15 minutes. Back down
on the ground, drive
south on Palm Canyon
Dr, where you can hop
between art galleries,
cafes, cocktail bars
and chic boutiques like
fashionistas’ find Trina
Turk (www.trinaturk.com; 891
N Palm Canyon Dr; h10am-
5pm Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm Sat,
noon-5pm Sun).54 p347
The Drive » Drive north out of
downtown Palm Springs along
Indian Canyon Dr for 8 miles,
passing over the I-10. Turn right
onto Dillon Rd, then after 2.5
miles turn left onto Palm Dr,
which heads north into central
Desert Hot Springs.2 Desert
Hot Springs
In 1774 Spanish explorer
Juan Bautista de Anza
was the first European
to encounter the desert
Cahuilla tribe. Afterward,
the Spanish name Agua
Caliente came to refer
to both the indigenous
people and the natural
hot springs, which still
flow restoratively today
through the town of
Desert Hot Springs
(www.visitdeserthotsprings.
com), where newly hip
boutique hotels have
appeared atop healing
waters bubbling up from
deep below. Imitate
Tim Robbins in Robert
Altman’s film The Player
and have a mud bath at
Two Bunch Palms Resort
& Spa (%800-472-4334;
http://www.twobunchpalms.com;
67425 Two Bunch Palms Trail;
hby reservation only), which
sits atop an actual oasis.
Bounce between a variety
of pools and sunbathing
areas (including clothing-
optional), but maintain
the code of silence.4 p347
The Drive » Head west on
Pierson Blvd back to Indian
Canyon Dr. Turn right and
drive northwest through the
dusty outskirts of Desert Hot
Springs. Turn right onto Hwy
62 eastbound toward Yucca
Valley; after about 4 miles, turn
right onto East Dr and look for
signs for Big Morongo Canyon
Preserve.3 Big Morongo
Canyon Preserve
Another oasis hidden
in the high desert,
Big Morongo Canyon
Preserve (%760-363-
7190; http://www.bigmorongo.
org; admission by donation;
11055 East Dr, Yucca Valley;
h7:30am-sunset) is a bird-
watching hotspot. Tucked
into the Little San
Bernardino Mountains,
this stream-fed riparian
habitat is flush with
cottonwood and willow
trees. Start from the
educational kiosk by
the parking lot, then
tramp along wooden
boardwalks through
marshy woodlands as
hummingbirds flutter
atop flowers and
woodpeckers hammer
away.The Drive » Rejoin Hwy 62
eastbound past Yucca Valley
(p347), with its roadside
antiques and vintage shops,
art galleries and cafes, to the
town of Joshua Tree 16 miles
away, where you’ll find places
to sleep and eat (p347). At the
intersection with Park Blvd,
turn right and drive 5 miles to
Joshua Tree National Park’s west
entrance. Make sure you’ve got a
full tank of gas first.y
Palms to Pines
Scenic BywayStarting just outside
Palm Springs, drive
this twisting highway
from the desert floor
up into the cool green
mountains.
z
Temecula,
Julian &
Anza-Borrego
From the Coachella
Valley, drive along the
Salton Sea’s western
shore, then head inland
to Borrego Springs, a
50-mile trip.
LINK
YOUR
TRIPSOUTHERN.CALIFORNIA..33
.PALM SPRINGS & JOSHUA TREE OASES