Pushawalla Palms Trail Loop

5 miles - Moderate Effort
2-3 Hours (Total)
880 Total Feet of Climbing
Max Elevation of 860 feet
No Dogs Allowed

The hike to Pushawalla Palms in the Coachella Valley Preserve is a must-do hike in the Palm Springs area. You'll follow a ridge on top of the San Andreas Fault to the hidden Pushawalla Palms grove, fed by water that has risen to the surface through cracks in the fault. On the way back, you'll hike through Hidden Palms, full of thick growth fan palms. The Pushawalla Palms loop is a spectacular hike and not to be missed.

In this Guide:

Video and Turn-by-Turn Directions for the Pushawalla Palms Trail Loop
Where to Park for the Pushawalla Palms Trail
Insider Tips and Gear Recommendations for the Hike

Quick Links: Coachella Valley Preserve - NOAA Weather Report - Top Gear Picks (Sep 2023)

When planning, always check the park website and social media to make sure the trails are open. Similarly, check the weather and road conditions.

Where is the Pushawalla Palms Trail?

The Pushawalla Palms Trail is located in the Coachella Valley Preserve. Unlike other trails that start at the gated visitor center and are closed some days, the Pushawalla Palms trailhead is just off the road outside of the visitor center, and is generally open all the time. Check the park website link at the beginning of the guide to confirm.

You can use this trailhead address:
Pushawalla Palms Trailhead, Thousand Palms Canyon Rd, Desert Hot Springs, CA 92241

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 2 — There's a small dirt parking area around the trailhead.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 3 — And when the parking area fills up, you can park in the dirt along the road.

Gear For the Hike

This is an exposed desert hike, and you should plan accordingly. I bring 2L of water and plenty of sun protection. It's not a summer hike, ass it's almost completely exposed (except for the oasis areas). Some folks find trekking poles helpful on the sandy slopes.

My Latest Gear Picks

Garmin inReach Mini 2 ( Amazon | REI )
HOKA Speedgoat 5 ( Men | Women )
Zpacks Sub-Nero Ultra ( Zpacks | Review )
Alpine Carbon Cork Poles ( REI | Amazon )

As a hiking guide, I test lots of hiking gear. On my picks page, I'll show you all of the gear that I actually use. I don't accept paid promotions or talk about the stuff that doesn't make the cut. It's just the gear that works best, so you don't have to waste your money.

All My September 2023 Top Gear Picks

Pushawalla Palms Trail Maps

Overall the trail is well-marked, with some spots that are a little confusing if you don't look at my turn-by-turn directions below. The trail is a mix of hard-packed sand and loose sand.

Another thing to note is that there are a fair amount of other trails and unmarked trails. If you look at other guides, you'll see that many of them are different variations of some of these trails. I picked this routing and loop because I think it's the most scenic and fun. But it's easy enough to choose your own adventure if the fancy strikes you. I included an alternate route to the palms in the map and GPX below. Also note that many of the trails are not shown on OSM and similar trail maps. I'd highly recommend using my GPX file on your GPS device to confirm your position, and knowing how to read a topographic map is a great skill to navigate this desert hike.

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

Best Smartphone Apps to Navigate: AllTrails | GaiaGPS | OnX

Elevation Profile

Pushawalla Palms Trail Loop Elevation — In the beginning you'll climb up the ridge, and then descend back down to Pushawalla Palms and then to Hidden Palms. From there it's a very gradual climb back to the start.

3D Map

Hike Brief

Coachella Valley Fringe Toed Lizard — While you may see the usual variety of lizards and snakes out here, keep your eye open for ones that look like this (it's about 6-9 inches long). This is the Coachella Valley Fringe-toed Lizard, which is endangered and is only found in a 19-square mile range here now (down from 270 square miles). Unlike most other lizards, these guys can use their wedge-shaped noses to burrow under the sand to escape the heat and predators.

The palms you see on this hike are native California Fan Palms, not the ornamental palm trees you'll see in planned landscaping. California Fan Palms usually have a thick "skirt" of dead palm fronds attached to them.
When you visit the oasis, you might notice water flowing on the ground. That's because the groves are near the San Andreas Fault, and the movement on the fault line has let groundwater rise to the surface. If you see a white powder on the water, it's alkaline and salt deposits.
Why is it called Pushawalla? Legend has it that Pushawalla was the name of a local Native American who lived to be over 100 years old. Allegedly he died when a summer cloudburst flooded the canyon he was in and swept him away. The canyon where he was found (and where the grove is) is called Pushawalla Canyon.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions

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Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 5 — Keep straight and avoid the turnoff to the right.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 6 — You'll see a good amount of these trail markers for Pushawalla Palms along the route.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 7 — Go straight toward the hill. To the left is the alternate route, on my map in red.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 8 — Start climbing up the hill, known as Bee Rock Mesa.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 9 — At the top of Bee Rock Mesa, make the hard left to continue uphill on the ridge.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 12 — If you look behind you to the right up here, you'll get some incredible views of Mt San Jacinto.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 13 — The trail winds its way along the spine of the hill. You're actually hiking on the top of a fault line here. You can explore the fault line locations on the USGS website..

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 14 — Keep going past a wide flat point where folks often leave rock drawings. Note that cairns are not encouraged in the Coachella Valley Preserve.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 15 — Continue along the ridge.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 16 — If you look down to your left, you'll be able to see the alternate trail. It's nice, but you don't get these incredible ridge views. The mountains to the left in the distance are in Joshua Tree National Park.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 17 — Keep straight and avoid the trail down the hill to the right.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 18 — Soon you'll see Horseshoe Palms down to your right, at the bottom of the hill.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 19 — Continue hiking on the ridge.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 20 — When the trail descends from the ridge, make the left and then the first right at the bottom.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 21 — Here's the right turn at the bottom.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 22 — From there the trail descends through a little gully and over some spectacular rock formations.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 23 — Then you'll descend some wide switchbacks.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 24 — When you get to the bottom of the switchbacks, keep your eyes open for this intersection and left turn. Make the left.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 25 — There's a trail marker after you make the left confirming that you're heading to Pushawalla Palms.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 26 — Follow the trail as it heads to a gully.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 27 — Then make the hard right turn into the gully and descend.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 28 — Head down in the gully to the end, avoiding any side trails out of the gully.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 29 — You'll wind around in the gully.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 30 — And soon the Pushawalla Palms will emerge in front of you.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 31 — When you get into Pushawalla Canyon, make a right to continue the trail. You can also explore up to the left, where there are more trees.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 32 — Head down Pushawalla Canyon. Note the small stream of groundwater. The water makes the area popular for wildlife. Don't be surprised to see rabbits, coyotes, snakes and all kinds of birds. Owls often nest in the palms.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 33 — If you keep heading down the canyon you'll come to a nice picnic bench where you can take a break in the shade of the palms.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 35 — Keep heading down the canyon until you see this turnoff to the right. It's easy to miss so keep your eyes open.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 36 — And once on that trail, make the right to continue up the canyon wall.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 37 — The trail winds up through a gully.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 38 — And when you get to the top, make the hard left.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 39 — There are small trail splits, but they all join back up together. I walk on the one closest to the edge to enjoy the views.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 40 — When you get to the big intersection, make the left / forward turn. There's a hard left turn back that leads to a viewpoint, but that's not the one you want.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 41 — You'll pass the back of a Coachella Valley Preserve sign.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 42 — And then you'll see a marker for Hidden Palms as the trail turns into a wide jeep track.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 43 — From here on out you're on this wide track for about a mile. On your right will be the Horseshoe Palms. Note that there are many unofficial trails that parallel this jeep track. You might see the footprints. I stay on the jeep track to minimize my impact on the fragile ecosystem.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 44 — After about a mile on the track, look for the right turnoff.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 45 — And then make the immediate right when you see the Hidden Palms.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 46 — The trail goes to the right of the Hidden Palms Oasis.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 47 — The palms here are pretty massive with huge skirts.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 48 — The trail continues out the back of the grove when the big, wider trail ends.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 49 — Now you'll be back on a smaller trail.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 50 — Like before, there are a decent amount of trail markers pointing you in the right direction.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 51 — When you get to the mound, hike uphill.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 52 — And from here to the end, most of the hike looks like this.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 53 — Keep straight at the junction.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 54 — And when the trail dead-ends, make the left.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 55 — At the split, keep right.

Pushawalla Palms Trail Directions 56 — And then you'll be back at the Bee Rock Mesa area that you climbed at the beginning of the hike. Head back down on the trail you took up and you'll be back at the parking area in a couple of minutes.

Have a question about the guide or want to see what other people are saying/asking? View the Youtube comments for this video. Leave a comment and I will do my best to respond.

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This Guide Was Written by Cris Hazzard

Cris Hazzard 4 Mile Trail Yosemite
Hi, I'm Cris Hazzard, aka Hiking Guy, a professional outdoors guide, hiking expert, and author based in Southern California. I created this website to share all the great hikes I do with everyone else out there. This site is different because it gives detailed directions that even the beginning hiker can follow. I also share what hiking gear works and doesn't so you don't waste money. I don't do sponsored or promoted content; I share only the gear recommendations, hikes, and tips that I would with my family and friends. If you like the website and YouTube channel, please support these free guides (I couldn't do it without folks like you!).

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