South Lykken Trailhead — Attraction in Palm Springs

Trail open for anytime of day. Trail is marked strenerous. We did it spontaneously, but only fifty percent of it due to wrong hiking shoes.I brought Miami style hikers... 😂 Bring plenty of water and go when sun is not at its peak. Unlike Andreas, this trail does not have a variety of views and no public bathrooms. It is definitely for a good workout. I would go to another place for the views. Go early since a tour bus showed up as we were leaving with young tourists ready to attack the mountain and the trail is not very wide. The bus showed up at 730am on a weekend... 😆 Everyone on trail was extremely friendly for an early in the morning hike. There are no park staff, no public restrooms, or man made places to sit. This is hiking on your own at your risk. No loops. IMHO as a non-geologist, it is straight up and down a pile of sandy rocks that overlook similar colored rocks and an outer housing development. Go to nearby Indian...

1st time visit

Did dry run to see the location, topography and elevation gain of the trail

It is favorable compared to North Lykken trail which I also visited

(I was not impressed by that part of the trail)

The trailhead is located off South Palm Canyon Drive

Parking is available on the street

The trail is rated as Moderate to Strenuous

While it is easily accessible and close to downtown Palm Springs it is best to start on this trail very early in the morning (6 a.m.) or later in the afternoon (5 p.m)

In order to avoid the heat

There is no shade Water is highly recommended Appropriate clothing for hiking Hiking poles

Otherwise, the best time of the year to hike South Lykken Trail would be Spring or Winter

This is...

This is the perfect trail to take if you want to get a quick little workout in. The broad sandy path starts out on level ground. In a very short time you will reach the base of the hill at which point the trail becomes more rocky and challenging. Take your time walking the switchbacks to the top, especially on a hot summer day. Once you reach the top all of your sweating will be worth it when you see the views. There is even a picnic table for you to sit at and have a little snack. The best part is that the trek back is all downhill! Note: As with all desert hikes please be sure to bring a lot of...