Summit of San Jacinto Peak on Cactus to Clouds
Cactus to Clouds Day Hike Guide

Cactus to Clouds Day Hike Guide

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Cactus to Clouds is located just outside of Palm Springs, California and is considered to be one of the hardest day hikes in the United States. The hike starts in Palm Springs, CA works up to San Jacinto Peak which is over 10,800ft and then back down. Most hikers will take the Palm Springs Tram back down to the dessert floor which saves about 9 miles of hiking on the way down. This trail takes hikers through several ecosystems and even shares some of the miles on the Pacific Coast Trail. It truly is a gem of a hike and should be on the bucket list of those who are passionate about hiking.

Cactus to Clouds Start of the Hike
Miles and thousands of feet of elevation ahead…

Cactus to Clouds Quick Facts

Cactus to Clouds Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 Stars)

Virtual Trail Guide: Cactus to Clouds Day Hike

Distance: 20.7 Miles 

Elevation Start: 465ft 

High Point: 10,834ft (San Jacinto Peak)

Total Elevation Gain: 11,000ft

Estimated Time to Complete: 12-20+ Hours

Difficulty: Strenuous What does this mean?

Class: Class 2– What does this mean?

Season: October, November, March, April, May (You can hike outside of these months but expect snow in the Winter conditions or very hot temperatures)

Weather: Planning weather is tough for this one, its smart to look up weather for San Jacinto Peak and Palm Springs so you get an idea of what it will be like up high and down low. 

Crowds: Low (Crowds are higher around the Tram)

Climbing through the dessert on Cactus to Clouds

Directions to Cactus to Clouds

Trailhead: MuseumTrailhead

Getting Here: The Museum trailhead is located on the west side of Palm Springs. You can enter “Cactus to Clouds Trailhead” into your favorite navigational device. Although the hike starts here, you can’t park here. More on that below. If you plan on parking a car at the end, you would simply navigate to the Palm Springs Tram and park a car there (more on that below). 

Parking: Parking for Cactus to Clouds starts right near the Palm Springs Art Museum. There are lots for the museum, but these do not allow hikers to park as the hours are limited. For free parking, you would look for spots along North Belarado Road (right near the museum). Spots are somewhat limited so be sure to plan accordingly. This is where I parked my rental while hiking in April of 2026 and had no issues while being gone for 12 hours. Be sure to read parking restrictions as street parking can change. There are no restrooms at the Museum trailhead. 

If Shuttling: The best bet if you plan on shuttling cars would be to leave one at the Palm Springs Tram (there is more parking here). You do need to let security know and pay $15. Drive back to the Art Museum – about 20 minutes, to start your hike.  

If Not Shuttling: If you are hiking solo or do not plan on shuttling, you have two options: Start at the Art Museum and take an uber/taxi back or park at the Tram and take an uber/taxi to the start. The cheaper option would be to park for free at the start and take an uber back. This avoids the Tram parking fee. 

Either way, expect to spend about $35 on a rideshare. There is some cell services and WiFi at the Tram so getting a ride should be no problem. I was able to find a ride in about 5 minutes finishing around 8PM.

Tram: If taking the tram down, there is a $17 fee and you can walk in and buy a ticket after your hike. Be sure to NOT MISS the last tram down (generally 9:30pm), view the schedule here.

Permits/Fee: To hike Cactus to Clouds there is no fee. However, you will likely end up paying for a tram ride down which is $17 and potentially a ride back into town ($35 or so).

In the high alpine on Cactus to Clouds hike

Summary

Dogs: Dogs are not allowed on Cactus to Clouds (the initial miles of trails do not allow dogs). Frankly, bringing a dog on this hike is really not a good or responsible idea. 

Camping: Cactus to Clouds has a few options for camping: 

  1. Along the trail – generally speaking the best spots are after 5-6 miles in or after 9 miles in. You can read more about camping here.
  2. There is a small cabin just below the summit that is free / first come serve and has some bunk beds. I show this in my full video guide but information online is really hard to come by. 

Make it a Loop: Most hikers who attempt Cactus to Clouds make it a one way hike: tagging the summit of San Jacinto Peak then hiking about 6 miles back down to the Tram. However, if you have more energy you could easily hike around the State Park. View more hiking trails here. Feeling really energetic? Hike your way up to Canada or down to Mexico on the PCT! 

Food & Water: I generally do not have a separate section for food and water on my hikes because I feel that it’s fairly obvious. However, for Cactus to Clouds I wanted to include information. Water is non-existent until you are about 10.5 miles in and check in with the State Park Rangers. Here, there are plumbing restrooms and a free hose you can use to fill up all your water bottles or bladders. After this point, there is sometimes a creek that runs for the next 2 miles or so but be sure to filter this.

Food: You are on your own for food unless you want to hike up to the Tram building and refuel 10 or so miles in. This does add about a third of a mile of additional hiking but is certainly an option if you need or want a real meal or some snacks. 

Emergency Food/Water: There are two emergency food/water stations before entering San Jacinto State Park. One is at about 3 miles into the hike and another about 6 miles. Please ONLY USE THESE if you are in really bad shape or an emergency situation. In this case, DO NOT CONTINUE your hike. 

Hike Tip(s): Fuel Properly + Have a GPX File

Even if you are an experienced hiker in good shape, Cactus to Clouds is a very hard hike. Be sure to fuel properly (bring lots of calories and hydration) and try to add calories or water into your system every 30-45 minutes. This will significantly help you maintain a steady pace but also keep you going for the whole day. Do not attempt this hike unless you are very experienced, prepared and in good shape. Cactus to Clouds has caused SEVERAL rescues and even some deaths (about one per year).

Having a .gpx file will help you the entire day but especially the first 7-8 miles when the trail can be confusing. There are several trail junctions and social trails that can be easy to find and get lost. I have a really good sense of direction and plenty of experience route finding and was referencing my map for the first 5+ hours of this hike. Download my gpx file below. 

Trail X Factors: Weather + Elevation

This hike can get really hot and really cold, often on the same day. Preparing yourself for hours in the sun but also hours in the cold is vital. Be sure to plan your day around the weather and more importantly pick a good weather day. 

Any time the trail gains over 10,000ft of elevation in a single day, this is going to really test your legs and lungs. Take your time and most important, find a pace that you can sustain for 10+ hours. Cactus to Clouds is the definition of “this is a marathon not a sprint.” 

Best Views: Cactus to Clouds really delivers on views almost the entire time. The only section of this hike that was “boring” was a few miles in the trees after leaving the Tram area. Besides that, views are unique and so different almost each hour you are traveling the trail. Its so unique, in my experience, to stand on a summit of a mountain and be able to look 9,000+ ft down to the start. This almost never happens on hikes, at least here in the US. Be sure to soak it all in!

Views from the Summit of San Jacinto Peak

Gear Needed

Cactus to Clouds Hike Route

Download GPX