Explore the Beauty of Indian Canyons’ Coffman Trail in Palm Springs

Coffman appears front and center (head turned to the right) for the first trail ride of the Desert Riders, the group he founded in 1930 that ultimately named the trail in his honor.
PHOTO COURTESY W.A WOODS/F. THOMAS KIELEY III COLLECTION, PALM SPRINGS HISTORICAL SOCIETY

It’s 8 a.m., and the glow on the chollas signals we’re among the first to enter the Indian Canyons. My partner Edgar and I have timed our mid-May hike to finish before the temperature rises even close to its afternoon highs. The new-to-us Coffman Trail, with its 400-foot elevation gain, promises a moderate challenge, and we want to keep it that way.

At this time of the year, the green of springtime still lingers on the landscape, but little snow remains on the surrounding San Jacinto Mountains, and the brittlebush is, well, brittle again. We’re wearing wide-brimmed hats and light, long-sleeve hiking shirts and carrying more water than we think we’ll need.

We park in the Murray Canyon lot and preview our route on the map, choosing to follow the trail clockwise for a workout on the way up and the rewarding palm oasis on the descent.

California’s wet winter filled the native California fan palm grove oasis along the Murray Canyon Trail with a cool, refreshing stream.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEVEN BILLER

On its own, the Coffman Trail is a 1.25 -mile, out-and-back hike with an exhilarating climb to the peak and stellar views of the Indian Canyons and the San Jacinto and Santa Rosa mountains. Like many visitors, however, we’ll connect to the popular Murray Canyon Trail to cool off in the oasis, making the hike a 2.74-mile loop.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

First, it’s worth noting that the Coffman Trail is named for O. Earl Coffman, who created the Mount San Jacinto Winter Park Authority, served as its first chairman, and was integral to the building of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. With his mother, the turn-of-the-century Palm Springs pioneer Nellie Coffman, and his brother, he owned The Desert Inn, a sanatorium for people suffering from tuberculosis and respiratory conditions that they transformed into a world-class resort with a 35-acre garden. They welcomed guests from around the world from 1909 through the 1950s. He also started Los Vaqueros del Desierto and, most importantly, founded the Desert Riders, the group responsible for establishing most of the riding trails in the area based on existing Cahuilla routes and for naming the Coffman Trail in his honor.

“Every part of these deciduous trees and shrubs were useful to the Cahuilla.”
Lowell Bean and Katherine Siva Sauvel (Saubel)

The well-marked, easy-to-follow trail begins on a wide, sandy path that slightly gains in elevation until splintering left, or southwest, onto a narrower route. From here, among a variety of cactuses and scrub brush, we could see a large group of riders on horseback at the summit, where we are headed. The horseshoe impressions in the sand remind us to watch our step for droppings along the way.

As we steadily hike uphill, we spot a variety of desert flora, including cholla and barrel cactus, which were a food source for the ancient Cahuilla people. The Tribe has a deep connection to the land, its members and ancestors having lived in harmony with the natural environment for centuries. Almost everything in our path is useful to them. Mesquite trees, for example, were a primary food source, according to the book Temalpakh: Cahuilla Indian Knowledge and Usage of Plants. “Every part of these deciduous trees and shrubs were useful to the Cahuilla: the trunk, leaves, limbs, thorns, roots, bark, sap, and the pod with its nutrition beans,” according to authors Lowell Bean and Katherine Siva Saubel. We also see desert willow, a less significant food source.

O. Earl Coffman in 1942.
PHOTO COURTESY W.A WOODS/F. THOMAS KIELEY III COLLECTION, PALM SPRINGS HISTORICAL SOCIETY

In addition to native plants, we encounter an array of critters, including a chuckwalla (a hunky but harmless lizard) sunning on a boulder. From May to October, hikers should be aware of the potential for rattlesnakes. The area is also home to endangered Peninsular bighorn sheep.

Near the top, we see a sliver of shade along a jutting rock formation — a perfect place to rest, recharge, and listen to the water and breeze whooshing through the oasis below.

Back on the Coffman Trail, we begin a speedy descent to the Murray Canyon Trail, where we find the long, lush grove of native California fan palms and the refreshing water that flows in the winter and spring. Thanks to California’s wet winter, the water is knee deep at some points where the trail crosses the stream. On our first crossing, we balance on a log and stay dry; after that, we plunge in wearing our shoes and socks.

From here, hikers often trek 1.5 miles to the Seven Sisters with its 15-foot waterfall. However, with the mercury climbing, we play it safe, reconnecting to the Coffman Trail and returning to the parking area.

Where the Coffman and Murray Canyon trails connect, some hikers continue to the glorious Seven Sisters Falls.
PHOTO BY STEVEN BILLER

After descending Coffman Trail, a flat path leads straight toward the oasis along the wildly popular Murray Canyon Trail.
PHOTO BY STEVEN BILLER

Coffman Trail, built with contributions from more than 100 of its namesake’s friends, was dedicated in 1967.
PHOTO COURTESY W.A WOODS/F. THOMAS KIELEY III COLLECTION, PALM SPRINGS HISTORICAL SOCIETY

IF YOU GO

The Indian Canyons are open daily Oct. 1 through July 4, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. During the summer, July 5 to Sept. 30, days are reduced to Friday, Saturday, and Sunday only. Wear sunscreen, light clothes, and a hat, and carry plenty of water and snacks.