Palm Springs is in Riverside County, California, set in the Coachella Valley on the eastern edge of the Colorado Desert. It’s about 107 miles east of Los Angeles and sits at roughly 487 feet elevation, framed by the San Jacinto and Santa Rosa mountains.
The County and the Setting
Riverside County is the fourth-largest county in California by area, and Palm Springs is its largest city by land. The city also overlaps the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians reservation — much of the land under Palm Springs is held in trust by the tribe, which runs the spa resort and the aerial tramway.
Why It Matters for Visitors
Being in Riverside County puts Palm Springs within day-trip range of Joshua Tree National Park, the Salton Sea, and the wineries of Temecula. The county seat is Riverside, about two hours west; the desert cities of Palm Desert, Indian Wells, and La Quinta sit just down the valley.
Getting Around
Palm Springs International Airport handles direct flights from major hubs in season. On the ground, the city is gridded and easy to drive, with a downtown core of mid-century modern buildings, galleries, and restaurants. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway climbs from the desert floor to alpine forest at Mountain Station.
Good to Know
Palm Springs peaks as a winter destination — ‘snowbird’ season runs roughly November through April, when hotel prices are highest. Summer is intensely hot but cheap, and the mid-century modern home tours during Modernism Week (February) book out early.
