HikING WITH DOGS

HIKING WITH YOUR DOG IN THE ANZA-BORREGO DESERT

 Hikers are drawn to the Anza-Borrego Desert because of the varied terrain, mild winter weather, and numerous hiking opportunities. Some hikers like to include their dogs on their adventures, as do some people who like to walk their dogs away from traffic of paved roads, and people who run with their dogs.

However, there are a number of dangers in the desert for people as well as for their dogs, including heat stress and sunburn, dehydration from lack of water, cactus spines, and desert inhabitants such as coyotes, mountain lions, and rattlesnakes. Hot rocks or sand can burn a dog’s paw pads. So, be careful about bringing your dog with you on your adventure!

You can take your dog in the desert with certain restrictions:

  1. All dogs must be on a leash at all times and the leash must be 6 feet or shorter – NO expandable leashes.
  2. dogs are allowed only on dirt roads that are open to vehicle traffic (no cross-country travel, travel on designated hiking trails, or travel on dirt roads that have been abandoned or closed to vehicle traffic).

There are many dirt roads in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park where people can walk their dogs. 

Listed below are five such roads close to Borrego Springs.  All begin from a paved road and are considered “fairly easy” in difficulty level, except for Thimble Trail which is considered moderate. These are a few of the many options for walking with dogs in Anza-Borrego Desert.

  1. Thimble Trail Park at Mile 31.9 on the south side of S22 (12.4 miles east of The Circle). Walk south on Thimble Trail for 2.0 miles to Short Wash. Turn around and retrace your route to the vehicle.
  2. Palo Verde Wash Park at Mile 32.9 on the south side of S22 (13.7 miles east of The Circle). Walk southeast on the jeep road for 2.4 miles to where the road intersects with Short Wash. Turn around and retrace your route to the vehicle.
  3. Pinyon Wash From Tamarisk Grove, drive east on Hwy 78 for 3.9 miles and park on the right/south side of Hwy 78. Walk south on the jeep road for 1.6 miles to where the road splits with Nolina Wash. Turn around and retrace your route to the vehicle.
  4. Lizard Wash From Tamarisk Grove, drive west on Hwy 78 for 0.9 mile and park on the left/south side of the road so as to not block the jeep road. Walk southeast on the jeep road for 1.5 miles to the end of the road. Turn around and retrace your route to the vehicle.
  5. Grapevine Canyon Jeep Road From Tamarisk Grove, drive west on Hwy 78 for 2.6 miles and turn right/north on the jeep road and park. Follow the jeep road towards the northwest for 2.0 miles to where Yaqui Camp Jeep Road intersects. Turn around and retrace your route to the vehicle.

(source: author Robin Halford)