It’s An Epic Backcountry Adventure Touring The Painted Canyon In Southern California

For those of us who have spent most of our lives either in the city or near the coast, it's easy to forget (or never even know!) how much natural beauty and untouched wilderness there is to be found in the Southern California desert. It may not be the first place we look to when we want an outdoor adventure, but experiences like this Painted Canyon tour in Mecca, CA, may just change your whole outlook. Ready for a backcountry adventure like nothing you may have ever seen?

Your private or small group tour begins in one of Desert Adventures' iconic open-top red jeeps. With raised seats and nothing to block your views, you already know this is going to be a one-of-a-kind adventure.

The first part of the journey takes you through the often-colorful agricultural fields of the Coachella Valley. It may surprise you to know that this is one of the area's largest industries!

As you are taken up out of the Coachella Valley, you will pass the well-known Coachella Canal and get a pretty amazing glimpse of the infamous Salton Sea before venturing off the paved road and into the Mecca Hills Wilderness Area. Looking over this otherworldly landscape, you might find it hard to believe you are in Southern California.

Your guide will take you down into the mesmerizing badlands of Painted Canyon, where the second part of your adventure begins.

You will get a chance to see and marvel at the ancient geologic wonder that give this place its name. The rocky hills and canyon walls are "painted" by layers of oxidized mineral deposits, creating a strange and beautiful canvas with varying shades of brown, gray, green, pink, and blue.

After about an hour in the jeep, here is where you will exit the vehicle and set off between the towering rocks to explore Painted Canyon on foot on a guided hike.

You will be able to choose your own adventure now, from an easy walk through the canyon floor to more challenging treks known as the Indiana Jones Hike or the fairly ominous-sounding Hike of Death. There is little as fascinating as these narrow slot canyon passages - definitely an experience you won't soon forget.

Once arriving in the Canyon, the tour allows for up to two hours of on-foot adventuring, so you will get to do a good amount of exploring (and of course, picture-taking!)

Have you explored this part of the Coachella Valley? Are there other slot canyons you would recommend to fellow adventurers? We would love to hear from you! To book your own Painted Canyon tour in Mecca, CA, head over to the Red Jeep Tours website or visit the company's Facebook page. Looking to plan even more outdoor exploration in Southern California? Make sure to peruse more of our favorite outdoor adventures and nature activities. And if you do a lot of hiking and exploring on your own, consider signing up for AllTrailsPlus for trail navigation, offline maps, over 200 guides, and tons more - we love it!