Palm Canyon Trail, Palm Springs Indian Canyons

DAY THREE HUNDRED AND FOUR

Palm Canyon is the jewel of Palm Springs hiking. It is an eighteen mile canyon with unlimited options for adventure. There are numerous palm oases, including the main Palm Canyon oasis with over 3000 palms, streams, year-round springs, Indian trails and ancient village sites. It is an area worthy of a lifetime of exploration. Too bad I only had a couple of hours.

I enjoy hiking so much in the Indian Canyons--although I consider it a bit too expensive to go often--I'd like to live there. I wonder if this place is available?

I park near the Trading Post and head down to the incredible main oasis.

I find these two braves ready to go out and explore but I wonder if they are up to it.

Are you kidding me? We were born ready, they tell me.

Which way should we go?

We head up the main canyon toward the Victor Trail and the canyon is lush with growth. It's the type of place you'd never know was in the desert unless you'd be there.

One reason it's so lush is springs that just bubble right out of the ground.

The water is somewhat warm. It's not a hot spring but a tepid one.

Along the way we use these rocks to make it across the stream. We don't really need them now but they'll be handy in the spring.

I had originally wanted to do a loop hike and come back the Victor Trail but that's not really very exciting for boys. What adventure is there to just hiking on a trail? So, we decide to follow the creek bed up and it's easy since there's really no water in it this time of year.

Along the way Nik picks apart a Cattail and its parts float up into the air. It is reminiscent of snow floating on the wind so Nik dubs the Cattail a "snow wand".

The "snow" floats above us on the wind. Click on the picture and look for the white dots on the photo. That's the "snow".

This is a great adventure for these young braves. They get to climb logs.

Play Atlas trying to hold up the world

And just kick back.

Boys love going through the jungle.

Or maybe not.

They love jumping off rocks.

Or maybe not.

But all in all it was the best adventure these young braves have ever had, at least until the next one. And with all the places to explore in the Palm Canyon area there are sure to be many, many more.

But we can't go until they slide down the rocks just one more time.