Explore the geology around California’s legendary San Andreas fault during a Jeep tour from Palm Desert. See a desert oasis fed by an underground spring as your naturalist guide describes how the Native American Cahuilla tribe used the desert's plants for food, medicine, and shelter. Marvel at steep-walled canyons and tall twisted rock mountains, and learn about the plant and animal life of the area. Choose from a morning or afternoon tour that includes light snacks, and bottled water.

Small-group open-air Jeep tour to the San Andreas Fault, from Palm Desert
Walk around a desert oasis fed by underground water sources
Hear about geology and California's earthquakes
Learn about the Native American Cahuilla tribe and early pioneer settlers
Travel with an expert naturalist guide
Small-group tour ensures a more personalized experience

What's Included

Naturalist guided open-air Jeep eco-tour
Granola snacks
Bottled water
Land Use Fees

Gratuities
Food and drink (unless otherwise specified)
Hotel Transfers

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Red Jeep Tours - San Andreas Fault Tour Departure Location at Metate Ranch
38635 Monroe St, Indio, CA 92203, USA
Meet your Jeep and Guide in the dirt parking lot. NOTE: Once you turn onto the dirt road, you will only go about 100 feet before you turn left into a big dirt parking lot. If you get to the horse corals, you've gone too far. Please turn around and go back to the parking lot.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Your guide explains the ecology of this desert environment and takes you to see an underground creek that has been forced up to the surface by the fault lines, creating a green oasis that supports a range of plant and animal life.

Then go to a recreated Native American site that illustrates how the native Cahuilla people managed to live in this harsh climate. See homes, a sweat lodge, and artifacts, and hear details about the survival skills needed for living in the desert.

Next up, get a close look at the San Andreas fault on an easy walk into a slot canyon. Your guide shows you areas of the rock that reveal the region's unique geology and discusses the impact of the collision of the Pacific and North American plates.

At the end of your tour, your guide returns you to the original departure point.

San Andreas Fault

3 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 1 day of travel. In this case confirmation will be received as soon as possible, subject to availability
A minimum of 2 guests per booking is required
Not wheelchair accessible
Closed-toe shoes, a hat and sunscreen are strongly advised
As desert temperatures may vary, dressing in layers would be advised

Please call the reservation's desk a day or two before your tour to confirm your pickup time and location. Failure to call, however, will NOT result in cancellation of the tour.
Service animals allowed
Most travelers can participate
Guests with neck or back problems or pregnant women in their 2nd or 3rd trimester should consult with their doctor before taking a Jeep Tour.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 14 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Armando_M

Ray is the best guide ever! He’s so passionate and knowledgeable! We truly enjoyed our experience! Would recommend to anyone, but if you can, ask for Ray!

Reviews

5.0

592 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

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Showing 1-10 of 592 reviews

Great tour

Douglas_R, Apr 2024

Amazing tour. Highly recommended. Had two boys (12 and 15) that loved it. Good mix of things to see and the time flew by.

Tetonic Take Aways with Landy

Tricia_S, Mar 2024

What a great tour with Landy! He provided so much information on the area. From the tectonic plates, shifting, the local Indian tribe, botantics & wildlife, growing up in Palms Springs. The views were spectacular. He was born to be a guide. I highly recommend this tour.

Great morning trip

Paige_L, Mar 2024

Such a great day with Timo! Learned so much about the California Fan Palms, Indians and fault. The drive into the faults were amazing! Views were breathtaking! Highly recommend

Fantastic Experience!

Elizabeth_P, Mar 2024

Landry was a wonderful guide. He knew the perfect picture spots and his knowledge of the wildflowers, geology and history of the San Andrea’s Fault was impeccable. Amble water was provided to keep everyone hydrated too! Thanks for a great experience.

Poor Experience on San Andreas Fault Trip

Ira_F, Mar 2024

This trip was extremely disappointing. Our guide (Jim) was not very knowledgeable and made a series of embarrassing and inappropriate comments about use if drugs and alcohol (especially since we were there with our nine year old. The trip is far too long —everything after the first hour was a waste of time and the trip ought to be shortened to one hour, not three.

Great immersion into the Desert World and the San Andreas fault.

Herbert_A, Mar 2024

A great way to experience the desert up close and personal. Our driver/ guide Cal was personable and competent in every way.

Total desert immersion!

Brian_P, Mar 2024

The oasis and the slot canyons. Jim was a great guide giving us all sorts of information. Go in the cooler months. It was perfect in March.

Outstanding

Eduardo_B, Mar 2024

Darrell was a superb guide, very knowledgeable, professional and funny. We learnt a lot in this tour. I highly recommend it.

The guide was very...

Gregg_D, Mar 2024

The guide was very friendly and knowledgeable. The Jeeps were well maintained and clean. Our tour was very educational.

PS Party of 5

Jill_R, Mar 2024

Charles was very passionate about this tour. Friendly and helpful! Would love to have had a bit more driving in jeep

A great afternoon on The Fault

Christine_L, Feb 2024

Our guide Ron was very personable and shared his vast knowledge of the areas we visited. We took the afternoon tour in late February it was warm, 82, but not uncomfortable . I’d suggest any later in the year go for the morning tour.

Majestic and immaculate

Juan_D, Feb 2024

Timo was an excellent tourguide! It was such a majestic experience to see the san andreas fault and the slot canyons that arose from its movements as well as discovering the Cahuilla culture that once resided in its midst. 100% recommended for a good escape from the bustle of the city. The quietness was just sacred and immaculate.

UNBELIEVABLE AMAZING

Khanh_N, Feb 2024

Amazing tour! Neil the tour guide was so knowledgeable, thoughtful, and funny! I would definitely go again!!!

Great Trip in the Desert!

Rich_P, Jan 2024

We had a wonderful, knowledgeable and courteous tour guide (Jennie). We learned a ton about geology, the desert, etc., wildflowers and paleontology. The jeeps are new, water was available and we had just the right number of stops to do some walking, restroom breaks and sightseeing. It was an outstanding trip - so glad we did this.

We had great group of...

Cynthia_C, Jan 2024

We had great group of people on our trip and a wonderfully enthusiastic tour guide (Michael). Walking through the slot canyons was our favorite part.

Faultless fun

Randall_H, Jan 2024

The guide was well verse and shared a wry sense of humor. The visit/background on the oasis and the indigenous peoples village was of interest. Short hikes were welcome additions to the jeep ride and spectacular views. Shout out to our guide Ray. He was great.

Couldn't be more pleased

Sue_P, Jan 2024

The tour and our guide Terri was amazing! She was very knowledgeable about the local history, plants and the seismic activity of the area. We thoroughly enjoyed the tour and she even gave us a great recommendation for lunch.

San Andreas fault tour

Gemma_L, Dec 2023

Our tour guide Ron was fantastic. His knowledge of history of the area and interesting stories made for an excellent tour. My family truly enjoyed it.

San Andreas jeep tour

Deborah_M, Dec 2023

Walking in the slot canyons,seeing the oasis, and the views were all great as t. Our guides were fun and very knowledgeable. Great tour

Interesting and unusual adventure

Elena_B, Dec 2023

A tour for adventure lovers. Take this tour if you want to drive through the desert on a track of recent flush flooding, hike through the very narrow canyon, hike uphill to see breathtaking views of the valley, want to learn about a 1000 years old metate (grinding rock) high uphill, and much more. Nothing strenuous or dangerous.

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