Home › California › Thousand Palms › Willis Palm Trailhead
Willis Palm Trailhead
4.3 ★★★★☆ 73 Google reviews · Running trail in Thousand Palms, California · Open 24 hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Not reported
- Loop distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Open 24 hours
Confirmed from Willis Palm Trailhead's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Hiking area featuring an oasis with a cluster of palm trees amid a desert landscape.
What runners say about Willis Palm Trailhead
“It's beautiful and relaxing, outlining a sloping range of steep hills lined with old palm trees flourishing in the desert.”
“This was an easy hike with reasonably well marked trails.”
“Great place for a relatively easy hike to and through a palm tree oasis.”
Really cool hike to the desert oasis of Palm trees here in the beautiful Coachella Valley of our beloved Colorado desert. I could see across the entire valley on a what was a clear spring day in April just before a major sandstorm hit (gusts >50 mph).
Interesting place to walk. Not as cool as the 1000 palms oasis just up the road. A bunch of the palm trees have burned and look cool. CAUTION: When we were there a car had just been broken into, so make sure not to leave any valuables in the car and nothing in plain sight.
I'm always excited when there's a little more different scenery on the trail. Well, for that reason, I might come to the desert or travel here. It's 10 minutes away from the RV resort where I'm staying, and it's interesting to see the palm tree colony, so I visited. Iit would have been better if there was a pond.
This was an easy hike with reasonably well marked trails. I went early in the morning so it was not too hot, but I bet it could get really hot in the afternoon. I meant several interesting people while walking and talking. Today was really clear and so the views across Palms Springs and Thousand Palms where very nice.
Trail conditions & character
“The full loop trail hiking distance is about three miles from and back to the parking lot off Thousand Palms Canyon Road.”
“It's beautiful and relaxing, outlining a sloping range of steep hills lined with old palm trees flourishing in the desert.”
“The loop for the most part is relatively easy albeit with the full sun on you it can be harsh so plan accordingly.”
“The Terrain was mostly flat, and the palm trees were worth checking out.”
“It's beautiful and relaxing, outlining a sloping range of steep hills lined with old palm trees flourishing in the desert.”
“This was an easy hike with reasonably well marked trails.”
Plan your run at Willis Palm Trailhead
The practical stuff
- AccessOpen 24 hours — no gate to beat, so a 5am or a 10pm run both work
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
Hours
| Monday | Open 24 hours |
| Tuesday | Open 24 hours |
| Wednesday | Open 24 hours |
| Thursday | Open 24 hours |
| Friday | Open 24 hours |
| Saturday | Open 24 hours |
| Sunday | Open 24 hours |
Running trails near Thousand Palms
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Coachella Valley Preserve - Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,941 reviews
Nature reserve around a palm-filled oasis offering picnics & hikes in a desert wilderness setting.
Pushawalla Palms Trailhead
4.7 ★★★★★ 109 reviews
Hiking area in the desert featuring scenic views of a canyon and ridges, plus an oasis.
Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve
4.5 ★★★★★ 216 reviews
Preserved oasis in the desert featuring a natural spring, walking trails, and abundant palm trees.
City of Palm Desert Joe Mann Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 158 reviews
Small community park with basketball & volleyball courts, plus picnic areas & a playground.
City of Palm Desert Magnesia Falls Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 86 reviews
Green space featuring a playground, plus soccer and baseball fields.
Adams Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 117 reviews
Clean 2-playground park featuring a jogging trail, slides, swings, and volleyball court.