If you’re looking for things to do in Palm Springs, don’t skip the Painted Canyons! Located in the Mecca Hills about an hour’s drive from Palm Springs, Painted Canyon is a stunning sightseeing spot that all visitors should take the time to visit during their vacation. Find out more details about Painted Canyon below!
Painted Canyon: An Iconic Natural Landmark in Palm Springs
Painted Canyon is renowned for its brilliant natural rock formations that display colors that look as if they had been painted onto the rock itself. Shades of green, gray, orange, cream, pink, red, and brown can all be seen throughout the Painted Canyon, documenting the various types of rock and sediments that have settled in the Earth’s crust over millions of years.
Throughout Painted Canyon, there is a diverse range of wildlife and plant life, including smoke trees, palo verde trees, bighorn sheep, spotted bats, and desert tortoises. Within Painted Canyon, you can go on a short, scenic tour by car, a nature hike, or a walk. The canyon’s dynamic colors make it a prime choice for taking pictures.
One of Painted Canyon’s most famous trails is the Ladder Canyon Hiking Trail. On this trail, hikers are led through spectacularly colored mineral deposits that give you views of the Salton Sea, a shallow saline lake located on the San Andreas Fault. The trail is named for the unique ladders that have been placed along the slot canyon walls so that hikers can climb up waterfalls while they’re dry.
Palm Springs visitors can reach Mecca Hills and Painted Canyon by taking the I-10 past Indio, heading east for several miles. The 86 South exit toward Brawley will take you 10 miles, after which you’ll turn left onto 62nd Ave. Drive until you reach Johnson Street, then turn right. Drive until you reach 66th Ave., or Box Canyon Rd., then turn left. Follow this road for 5 miles, which will take you past citrus and grape ranches and across the All-American Canal. Keep an eye out for the green sign on the right labeled Painted Canyon.
Arrived Now – Your Palm Springs Vacation Experts
Breathtaking sights like Painted Canyon, the imposing figures of modernist architecture in the desert, fun and fabulous events like Modernism Week and Palm Springs Pride-it’s all waiting for you here in Palm Springs. Get started on planning the vacation of a lifetime by calling or emailing our team of reservation specialists to ask about reserving your vacation rental home through us today!
By Bureau of Land Management – Mecca Hills Wilderness, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42090676
