Nature & Wildlife in Palm Springs

Experience Palm Springs' wilder side with admission to The Living Desert, a zoo and botanical garden that showcase desert plants and wildlife from around the world. Explore the 1200-acre (486-ha) property on hiking trails and extensive tram lines that cross ecosystems from Africa, the Americas and the Australian Outback. Watch for the park's 450 animals as you learn how they adapt to life in earth's most arid places, and enjoy live shows, animal feedings and family-friendly activities aimed at education and conservation.

Explore the uncanny landscape of Joshua Tree National Park with a 4.5-hour van tour from Palm Desert, near Palm Springs. Enjoy the comfort of an air-conditioned van or SUV as you navigate soaring granite formations and groves of the park's famously spiky trees, and capture unforgettable images of terrain that spans the Colorado and Mojave deserts. Trace a gentle trail into the rocks at Hidden Valley and Keys View, watch for the park's reclusive wildlife, and experience the unique beauty of one America's most remarkable national parks.