Araby Trail Guide

In This Guide	Video and Turn-by-Turn Directions To Hike the Araby Trail Parking and Trailhead Information Insider Hike Tips & Things to Look For
Total Distance	3.4 miles (5.5 km)
Hike Time	2 Hours (Total)
Difficulty (?)	Moderate
Total Ascent (?)	1,200 feet (366m)
Highest Elevation	1,360 feet (415m)
Fees & Permits	Free
Dogs Allowed	No
Alerts & Closures (?)	City of Palm Springs
Park Phone	760-323-8299

The Araby Trail is one of the more popular hikes in Palm Springs. You not only get the natural beauty of the Santa Rosa Mountains and all the views that they offer, but you’ll also get to go by some iconic architecture in a gated community that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to see. And while the trail is challenging, you’ll be heading uphill for about 1.7 miles; it’s not a big mountain hike and is doable by most folks with a reasonable level of fitness.

How to Get to the Araby Trail

Parking for the Araby Trail is in a small parking lot by Rim Road. Use this trailhead address:
2049 Rim Rd, Palm Springs, CA 92264

Araby Trail Directions 1 — The parking lot is not that big. Get here early to beat the heat and the crowds. The trailhead is a short walk up the road.

Araby Trail Directions 2 — There’s a trail board for the Araby Trail in the parking lot, confirming that you’re in the right place.

Gear for the Hike

While it’s not a long hike, the Araby Trail is an exposed desert hike and has all of the normal dangers that the desert does. It gets very hot in the summer, so it’s best done at sunrise or sunset, or when the high temperatures are cooler. . Bring at least 1L of water, and good hiking footwear is recommended.

The Best All-Around Hiking Footwear
For most hikers, a hiking shoe is the great choice, and the Moab 2 is a winner. The ventilation is great, they last forever, offer good protection, and have a solid grip. There are sizing options for everyone’s foot in this really comfortable and reliable shoe. This shoe is also a favorite of thru-hikers. The only downside is that they are a little heavy. If you are looking for something more aggressive or lighter, check out the bottom of my gear page.
Latest Price on Women’s Shoe – REI | Amazon
Latest Price on Men’s Shoe – REI | Amazon

Stay Safe Out of Cell Phone Range
If you’re not familiar with the Garmin InReach technology, it allows you to send and receive text messages where you don’t have cell phone signals. You can also get weather reports and trigger an SOS to emergency responders. Even if you don’t have an emergency, sending a quick message telling a loved one that you’re okay or are running late is well worth the cost. The Garmin InReach Mini (REI | Amazon | My Review) fits in your palm and weighs next to nothing.

Gaia GPS Mapping App
Smartphones are not backcountry instruments, but almost everyone has one today. And they all have GPS onboard. So I recommend getting a good GPS hiking app like Gaia GPS that supports offline maps. Just make sure to put your phone in airplane mode so the battery doesn’t drain. GaiaGPS not only has smartphone and tablet apps, but also an online planning tool. You can drag the GPX hike tracks from my (or any) guides into the online map and they will sync to your phone. You can also check for wildfires, weather, snow, and choose from dozens of map types with a premium membership (HikingGuy readers get up to 40% off here). Note that I also carry a paper map with me in case the phone dies or gets smashed.

Here’s my complete gear list that I personally use, have tested, and recommend, updated April 2021.

My April 2021 Top Gear Picks

No company pays me to promote or push a product, all the gear you see here is gear I use and recommend. If you click an a link and buy gear, I get a small commission that helps offset website expenses. There is no cost to you.

Araby Trail Maps

The Araby Trail is easy to follow, but some unofficial side trails branch off into residential areas. If you follow the directions below, you’ll be fine.

Explore Map on CalTopo View a Printable PDF Hike Map Download the Hike GPX File

If you try to download the GPX file and your browser adds a “.txt” or “.xml” extension to it, simply rename it as a “.gpx” file.

How are you going to navigate this hike?
To start, you should always have a paper map and compass. And it helps to print this guide out or save it on your phone. I highly recommend a GPS as well. I use the Garmin Fenix 6 Smart GPS watch ( REI | Amazon | My Review) with maps (or the more affordable Garmin Instinct). The GPS smartwatch is nice because it’s rugged, works if your phone dies, and also has a billion other features like sleep tracking, workout recording, etc.

Elevation Profile

Araby Trail Guide Elevation — The trail is pretty much all uphill, with a little downhill dip in the middle. The last half of the hike to the summit is steep but doable if you pace yourself and take breaks when you need them.

3D Map

Why is it called the Araby Trail?

“Araby” is a romantic term for the Middle East, and the trail was named Araby because it reminded an early visitor, J. Smeaton Chase, of the Middle East. Chase was an Englishman who explored and wrote about the natural wonders of California in the early 1900s. He was also an early visitor who documented the wonders of Yosemite.

Araby Trail Directions

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