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All of the spots listed here will give you a chance to explore the desert away from the sights and sounds of the highway, they are all easy to reach, and suitable for a short stroll, or a more extended hike if that is what you are looking for. Also see Around Town for more things to do in and around Borrego Springs.
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Coachwhip Canyon |
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Book References: Hiking in Anza-Borrego Desert Volume 1, Pgs. 23-24 Anza-Borrego Desert Region, Pg. 119 |
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Coachwhip Canyon offers a great way to immerse yourself in the
Borrego Badlands in a place where you don't need
four-wheel-drive. The main attractions here are the scenic
walls of the canyon, reddish-yellow sandstone sculpted and
pockmarked with holes from the eroding effects of wind and
water. Kids will love climbing on the rounded rocks. In
springtime this is also a good place to see desert wildflowers.
You have several options for your exploration: You can park just
off of the highway and explore on foot; you can drive along the
dirt road and stop at interesting places; or you can take the
road to its end and hike further into the forks of the canyon
from there. How to Get There From Christmas Circle take Palm Canyon Drive (S-22) east for 15.2 miles; the entrance to the canyon will be on the north side of the road, across from the entrance to Arroyo Salado. The dirt road into the canyon is generally firm enough that 4WD is not needed, although there are some rocks to maneuver around and high clearance is advised. The road forks after about 1/2 mile, the left fork leads to an area of deeply eroded rocks and the right fork ends in a place with steep canyon walls on all sides. Walking along the roadway is flat and easy, and there is plenty to see. Or you can take the road to either end of the forks and hike from there. |
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Narrows Earth Trail |
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Book References: Weekender's Guide, Pg. 20 Anza-Borrego Desert Region, Pg. 155 |
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The
Narrows Earth Trail is an easy loop trail on a
geological theme, with 500 million year old rocks and the
clearly visible line of an earthquake fault. The trail is just
1/2 mile in length. During highway construction in the 1930s,
explosives were stored near the point where the trail begins,
giving the wash the name of Powder Dump Wash. At the high point
of the trail, you can explore a nameless narrow canyon with dry
waterfalls and steep walls. If you happen to be here when the
Chuparosa is in bloom, keep an eye out for an unusual
variation—yellow flowers instead of the normal bright red. How to Get There From Christmas Circle go south on Borrego Springs Road, County Road (S-3), for about four miles to the fork in the road that is near La Casa del Zorro Resort. Bear to the right on S-3 and go up the hill and over Yaqui Pass down toward Tamarisk Grove. Just past Tamarisk Grove Campground, turn left onto Highway 78, go 4.7 miles to the trailhead on the south (right) side of Highway 78. Note: This area is included in the Yaqui Pass Triangle driving tour, described on the Car Trips page. A free brochure is available for that self-guided auto tour at the ABDNHA Desert Nature Center Store, 652 Palm Canyon Drive in Borrego Springs, next to Carlee’s restaurant, just west of Christmas Circle. |
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Little Surprise Canyon |
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Book References: Hiking in Anza-Borrego Desert Volume 1, Pg. 43 Anza-Borrego Desert Region, Pg. 70 |
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Little
Surprise Canyon is a favorite spot that local people go
to see desert wildflowers in springtime as well as a nice
variety of native desert vegetation, along with lizards and
other desert wildlife. It is an easy walk, you can just go as
far as you want and then turn around and head back. After about
0.1 mile the canyon forks, stay to the right. After another 0.4
mile you will come to a dry and rocky waterfall. A short
distance after that the trail gets narrow, and this is a good
place to turn around. The view of Indianhead Peak on the way out
is spectacular. Bring your camera! How to Get There From Christmas Circle go west on Palm Canyon Drive (S-22) for 1.3 miles. Turn left on to Montezuma Valley Road (S-22) and go for 0.8 mile, then park in the big Hellhole Canyon parking lot. Walk toward the restrooms and head south into the canyon, which runs parallel to the road. This is an easy trail. |
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Hellhole Canyon Overlook |
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Book References: Hiking in Anza-Borrego Desert Volume 1, Pg. 50 Anza-Borrego Desert Region, Pgs. 60-61 |
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Hellhole Canyon Overlook hike is a fairly easy hike of about two miles
in length. The route follows along an area that has something
not found on most trails in Anza-Borrego: a seeping spring that
brings some life-giving water to the desert landscape. There are
also nice views to the east of Borrego Springs and all the way
to the Salton Sea. How to Get There From Christmas Circle, drive west on Palm Canyon Drive (S-22) for 1.3 miles. Turn left, south, onto Montezuma Valley Road (S-22) and drive up the mountain to mile 9.2. Turn right at the sign for Culp Valley onto the dirt road, go 0.2 miles and turn left, and then another 0.2 miles to the Pena Spring parking lot at the road's end. The road is generally passable to 2-wheel-drive vehicles, but high clearance is advised. Walk past the north end of the parking area and turn right, into the small wash running down the hill. Continue downhill for 0.7 mile to a boulder outcrop that overlooks the Borrego Valley. Return the way you came. From this same parking area, there is also a 0.8-mile, round-trip trail to the origin of Pena Spring. |
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Borrego Springs Downtown History Walking Tour |
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Book References: Brochure available from the ABDNHA Desert Nature Center, 652 Palm Canyon Drive, just west of Christmas Circle |
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In the 1930s, Borrego Springs was promoted as
an area with limitless water and lots of sunshine, a virtual
paradise for farmers to grow crops of many varieties. Beginning
in the post WWII mid-1940s, real estate development of the
residential areas and downtown business area provided Borrego
Springs with its own variety of the mid-century modern
architecture and interesting history. Many of the buildings and
landmarks you see today in downtown Borrego Springs have served
a number of different purposes over the years. How to Get There The Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association (ABDNHA) has developed a one-mile walking guide to downtown Borrego Springs that points out many of these locations and tells about our own, unique local history. You can spend part of a morning or afternoon exploring them, stopping along the way for coffee, lunch, ice cream, or fudge, and shopping—all locally owned shops and restaurants. Pick up a copy of the brochure from the ABDNHA Desert Nature Center Store at 652 Palm Canyon Drive in Borrego Springs, next to Carlee’s restaurant, just west of Christmas Circle. |
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Visitor Center to Campground Trail |
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Book References: Weekender's Guide, Pg. 5 Anza-Borrego Desert Region, Pg. 68 |
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Visitor Center to Campground Trail is an
excellent paved pathway, across a section of flat desert between
the State Park Visitor Center and the Borrego Palm Canyon
Campground. It is perfect for anyone with mobility issues or
with little children, and it is in a beautiful location, with
sweeping views to the top of Indianhead Peak, the most
distinguishable landmark on the skyline. Interpretive signs
along the trail explain the plants and animals of the desert. Around the Visitor Center there are other pathways, more interpretive signs, and a pupfish pond where you can see these tiny native fish of the desert. How to Get There From Christmas Circle, just take Palm Canyon Drive straight west for approximately 3.5 miles. The western extension of Palm Canyon Drive takes you directly to the State Park Visitor Center. |
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Learn more about this topic With books, maps, and guides from the ABDNHA Desert Nature Center Store 652 Palm Canyon Drive, Borrego Springs, CA 92004 Visit us in person or shop online. Select "Pickup" as your shipping method and pick up your items when you arrive with no shipping fees. |
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