About Hermit Hiking Tours

The Coachella Valley and its surrounding desert and mountain areas are awash in natural beauty. The rugged mountain peaks, broad alluvial fans, secluded canyons, and palm-lined streams that surround the valley await your discovery.

Hermit Hiking Tours offers a wide range of guided hikes that accommodate hikers of all ability levels. We provide a quality outdoor experience for hikers with little or no trail experience all the way up to the seasoned adventurer.

In addition to showing you the Palm Springs area in its natural form, our guides will share interesting facts and highlight the area's historical and natural significance. We can also customize a hiking tour for an individual or small group
adventure outing.

Jeff Brennan

Jeff is the founder of Hermit Hiking Tours. He has over 20 years' outdoor experience in the areas of backpacking, hiking, and mountain biking. An avid hiker, Jeff has logged hundreds of trail hours in locations such as the Sierra Nevada, Death Valley, Anza Borrego Desert State Park, Joshua Tree National Park, and the many miles of trails within the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument.

He has extensive knowledge of the many mountain and desert hiking trails that surround the Coachella Valley. Jeff is also a fitness professional, serving as both a fitness trainer and physical education specialist for the past 20 years. Jeff's main goal is to create a quality outdoor experience by providing an informative, appropriately challenging, and safe hiking tour for his clients.

Craig Toms

One of four brothers, Craig Toms grew up in the Pacific Northwest, hiking the Cascades, camping, skiing and fishing. As a student at UC Santa Barbara he majored in Environmental Sciences, later commencing a 30 year career in local government and aviation. He finished up recently, having served as Deputy Director and Interim Aviation Director at Palm Springs International Airport. He has lived with his wife and daughter in the Coachella Valley for 28 years. Craig is a longtime hiker, in and around the Coachella Valley, Sedona, Flagstaff area and Santa Barbara. Although having numerous diverse interests, he started out as a naturalist and plans to finish as one. Perhaps best of all, hiking and Coachella Valley natural history are passions he really enjoys sharing with others, most especially with visitors.

Elize Van Zandt

Elize has lived and worked in this desert for 20 years. She came here from San Francisco, where she worked on Alcatraz Island as a park ranger/naturalist. In December, 1992, she transferred to Joshua Tree National Park to work as the Cottonwood district naturalist until her retirement in 2005. After retiring, Elize chose to continue to live in Indio, where she had bought a condo. She found she likes to be warm. After retirement she has kept busy by volunteering at the Living Desert and at Mt. San Jacinto State Park, as well as working as a substitute teacher a few days a week. In her spare time she likes to hike, photograph, write, and travel.

Suzanne Jarvinen

Suzanne is an avid hiker and native plant enthusiast. She has been leading hikes and nature walks for over 10 years in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado as well as the rugged terrain of the Coachella Valley. She is a volunteer naturalist for the Santa Rosa San Jacinto National Monument, Coachella Valley Preserve and in Colorado the Garden of the Gods. Suzanne has been coming to the Coachella Valley since the 1980s, and now makes it her home.

Jane Udall

Jane has been hiking in the Coachella Valley area for a decade and has an extensive knowledge of hiking trails in the area. She loves to share information about the desert with visitors and fellow hikers. She is a certified desert naturalist, past president of a local hiking club, and a happy transplant from Oregon. When not hiking she's backpacking, running, or biking. (Or eating!!)

Tours

Hermit Hiking Tours offers guided hiking tours in the Palm Springs resort area and surrounding desert and mountain areas. Our hiking tours combine outdoor exercise, fantastic natural scenery, and an educational experience into one tour package. Tours range from easy interpretive nature walks to higher mileage hikes with challenging terrain and amazing vistas. We can customize any hiking tour.

In addition to providing hiking tours for individuals, couples, and small groups,
Hermit Hiking Tours conducts tours for large groups. A hiking tour is a great activity for a
corporate retreat or large group outdoor activity. Please contact us for a group tour
proposal for your large group.

 

What should you bring? Hiking boots, running shoes, or tennis shoes are appropriate footwear
for our tours. Sun protection in the form of sun block, sunglasses, and wide brimmed hat are highly recommended. Winter desert mornings do start off chilly so a light jacket will be useful, especially on our morning tours.

 

Tour Options

SAN ANDREAS EXPLORATION HIKING TOUR

Take a guided hike along the boundary of two tectonic plates while experiencing the palm woodland and desert wetland habitats. Take an easy interpretive nature walk through a palm grove or crank it up a notch with a higher mileage hike featuring spectacular views and secluded palm-filled canyons.

CANYON EXPLORATION HIKING TOUR

A true oasis hiking experience, this tour takes you on a guided hike beneath the towering east escarpment of the San Jacinto Mountains. Your guided trek will take you along streams and beneath hundreds of towering California Fan Palms.

Looking for more adventure or want to see more of the area? Ask about a customized tour. We can put together a hiking tour that will fit your schedule as well as your fitness level.

NATURE PRESERVE HIKING TOUR

Discover lush wetlands, along with flora and fauna from both the Colorado and Mojave Deserts. Explore a riparian habitat in a rugged canyon carved out by a year round stream on the edge of a desert. This tour showcases an important wildlife corridor between the San Jacinto and San Bernardino Mountains.

HIGH COUNTRY ADVENTURE TOUR (May through October.)

Climb high above the desert aboard the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway to a pristine mountain wilderness. Take in the view from over 8,500 feet above sea level. Your guided hike leads you into the San Jacinto State Wilderness. Guided hiking options for this tour include shorter, interpretive nature walks, a moderate 5 mile loop hike, and customized longer treks through the wilderness area. This $129 per person package includes roundtrip transportation and tramway fare, all wilderness permits, snacks, hip pack, and water.

WILDLIFE AND BOTANICAL PARK HIKING TOUR

Take a guided hike across a bajada, trek up a boulder strewn canyon, and rise above the valley on a wilderness trail. Afterwards, take in the sites and sounds of The Living Desert. Tour price ranges from $119 to $139 per person and includes park admission, guided hike, water, snacks, and gear to use on your hike. 2 guest minimum. Call or email for more details.

Contact Information

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