Palm Springs Aerial Tramway: Tickets, Tips & What to Expect

Getting tickets (and why you should book ahead)

Tram tickets are sold for timed departures, and on winter weekends, holidays, and snow days the prime midday slots sell out days in advance. Adults run roughly $30–$36 round trip, with discounts for children, seniors, and military. Buy online before you go — the walk-up line is real, and the standby wait for a sold-out slot can stretch past two hours on busy days.

Two ways to save: the **Ride 'n' Dine** package bundles a late-afternoon tram with dinner at Pines Cafe, and annual passes exist for locals. If your plans are flexible, weekday mornings have the shortest lines and the clearest views before afternoon haze builds.

The temperature drop is the whole point

Mountain Station sits in an alpine forest of Jeffrey pines and white fir. When it's 105°F in downtown Palm Springs, it's typically in the low 70s at the top — in winter, expect snow. The rule of thumb: subtract 30–40°F from the valley temperature, then dress for that. People show up in flip-flops in January and regret it within minutes.

• **Summer:** a light layer for the air-conditioned car and shaded forest trails
• **Winter:** real jacket, closed-toe shoes, and gloves if you plan to play in the snow
• **Always:** sunscreen and water — the sun at 8,500 feet is no joke

What to do at the top

**First-timers (1–2 hours):** walk the observation decks, watch the short theater film on the tram's construction, and take the paved Desert View Trail loop (1.5 miles, five notched viewpoints over the valley).

**Hikers (half to full day):** Mountain Station is the gateway to Mount San Jacinto State Park's 50+ miles of trails. The signature objective is **San Jacinto Peak** (10,834 ft) — about 11 miles round trip from the tram with 2,300 feet of climbing. Get a free wilderness permit at the ranger station in Long Valley before heading out. Shorter wins include Round Valley (2 miles) and the Long Valley Discovery Trail.

**Dining:** Peaks Restaurant does sit-down lunch and dinner with valley views (reserve ahead for sunset); Pines Cafe is the casual cafeteria option. There's also a full bar — the "tramtail" on the last car down is a local tradition.

Snow season

The first real snowfall (usually November–December) transforms the top into the valley's winter playground — snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and old-fashioned sledding, all an hour from the golf courses. Snow conditions are posted on the tram's site; on big snow weekends, treat it like a powder day and book the earliest departure you can get.

Practical details

• **Location:** 1 Tram Way, Palm Springs — about 10 minutes from downtown, off Highway 111
• **Parking:** $12-ish per car in the valley station lots; free shuttle from the overflow lot
• **Hours:** first car up typically 10am weekdays, 8am weekends; last car down around 9pm — check the schedule, it shifts seasonally
• **The ride:** the floor of the car rotates slowly during the 10-minute ascent, so everyone gets the view; if you're prone to motion sickness, stand near the center
• **Altitude:** 8,516 feet is high enough to feel it. Take it easy the first 20 minutes, especially with kids and anyone with heart or lung conditions