ATTRACTIONS & ADVENTURES > Featured - Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

10 things you need to know about Palm Springs' iconic sky ride

The Palm Springs Aerial Tram on its way to Mt. San Jacinto State Park, Saturday, August 2, 2008. (Richard Lui, The Desert Sun)

1. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway rises to 8,600 feet.

2. The air is thinner at the top of the tram and the temperature is about 30 degrees cooler than on the desert floor.

3. Trails at the top of the tram wind through the Mount San Jacinto State Park and state wilderness areas - even connecting to Idyllwild.

4. When hiking, be sure to bring essentials like water, proper clothing/footwear, cell phone - and be sure to practice safety measures, like keeping your party together.

5. Locals get a deal. The Summer Pass, $60 for an adult and $30 for a child, allows unlimited access to the cool, pine-fringed trails from May 1 to Aug. 31, when temperatures on the desert floor top 100 degrees.

6. On a clear day, you can see the Salton Sea.

7. The tram has been featured in a number of movie and television scenes, including a classic “Mission: Impossible” episode and a memorable episode of “General Hospital,” in which the character Robert Scorpio fights a foe on the tram.

8. The Coachella Valley measures the coming of winter with a contest to guess the date of the first snowfall at the top of the tram.

9. The holiday season is marked with a tree-lighting by one of the area's celebrity residents. The lit tree, visible from the valley floor, serves as a beacon for the holiday.

10. You can check out the weather and views at the top of the tram anytime online at www.pstramway.com.

Did you know?

The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway cars are the largest rotating tram cars in the world.

What's at the top of the Tram?

1. The Mountain Station with a gift shop, restrooms, wilderness/hiking office, Peaks Fine Dining Restaurant, Pines Casual Dining Restaurant and Lookout Lounge bar

2. Snowshoe and cross-country ski rentals: sleds for purchase

3. 54 miles of trails, from a ¾-mile loop to several strenuous hikes. Primitive campsites available with advance reservation and a wilderness permit.

4. Free guided nature walks and souvenir photographs

5. A natural history exhibit and a 22-minute documentary on the building of the tram

If you go

What: Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

Where: 1 Tramway Road, Palm Springs

Hours: Cars leave the Valley Station every half hour, beginning at 10 a.m. Cars leave the Valley Station every half hour, beginning at 8 a.m. on weekends and holidays

Beginning on Labor Day weekend, the last car up leaves at 8 p.m., with the last car down at 9:45 p.m.

Beginning on Memorial Day weekend, the last car up leaves at 9 p.m., with the last car down at 10:30 p.m.

Cost: Adults $22.25, Children (3-12) $15.25, Seniors (60+) $20.25, Children under 3 free

Note: The tram is closed for about two weeks every September for annual maintenance.

Info: (760) 325-1391, www.pstramway.com

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