I like to hike as much as the next guy — I suppose. It is quite a different activity when you are in blistering heat and have not been blessed with an adequate amount of melanin. That said, I would say consider hiking throughout the band of canyons (Palm, Tahquitz, Murray, Andreas, et al.), nestled in the outskirts of Palm Springs, during the cooler months.

We experienced the Palm Canyon during the month of July (we really need to stay out of the desert in the summer months, there’s a reason these resorts drop their rates then). In hindsight, the Tahquitz Canyon probably would have been a better pick with its refreshing 60′ waterfall. For those of you who are avid hikers and/or very outdoor-sie types, you will really enjoy this any time of the year.

I think part of the problem for us was we did not take the guided tour (general admission $8 + $2/3 bucks for the hour long guided tour), I think our experience would have been very different. As far as the level of difficulty (hiking) or grading - I would say it is easy, so you could probably stand to bring a toddler who is old enough to have a good sense of balance. In general it is a nice option to get the kids away from the glitz of Palm Springs and enjoy the surrounding flora and fauna.

Related Links:
Head of Palm Canyon, Palms Springs, CA | VR Panorama
PalmSprings.Com
Meta-DAD Review | Parentography
AmericaSouthwest.Com
Palm Canyon on Google Maps