Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in southern California is a favorite of locals and visitors alike. It offers desert scenery (understandable, given the park’s name!) as well as some fun and interesting hiking experiences. While the area is popular, it’s not too hard to get off the beaten path and find a little desert solitude.
In this post, I’ll detail 1, 3, and 7 day itineraries for day hiking in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Enjoy – and mix it up any way you want!
Hiking Itinerary for 1 Day in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Pay $10 day-use fee.
If you have 4×4:
Start by driving toward Ocotillo Wells. Drive the Fish Creek Road to Wind Caves (2 miles out & back). Take the trail and enjoy the caves & views.
Drive 1-2 hours (depending on road conditions) to Borrego Springs. Hike the Borrego Palm Canyon Trail (3 miles out & back, plus more if you explore) to see a desert palm grove and small waterfalls on the creek. Don’t worry about spending too much time; this is one of the best trails IMO, so if you don’t have time for everything later, know you’ve enjoyed yourself.
Drive about an hour out to Fonts Point (4 mile 4×4 road) – described to be some to be the best view in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Try to aim for about an hour before sunset.
If you have a low-clearance vehicle:
Hike the Borrego Palm Canyon Trail (3 miles out & back, plus more if you explore) to see a desert palm grove and small waterfalls on the creek. Don’t worry about spending too much time; this is one of the best trails IMO, so if you don’t have time for everything later, know you’ve enjoyed yourself.
Drive 30-45 minutes to The Slot. Hike The Slot (0.8-2.2 miles out & back). As the name suggests, this is a slot canyon with not-too-tight narrows.
Drive about an hour down to Blair Valley. Hike either Ghost Mountain (Marshal South Homestead) (1.3 miles out & back to the ruins of a homesteader’s cabin) or Rainbow Canyon (2.2 miles; a more adventurous hike up a canyon).
Hiking Itinerary for 3 Days in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Day 1
Pay $10 day-use fee.
If you have 4×4:
Hike the Borrego Palm Canyon Trail (3 miles out & back, plus more if you explore) to see a desert palm grove and small waterfalls on the creek. While you’re in the area, check at the visitor center to see if Maidenhair Falls is flowing (or you can call the visitor center ahead of time).
Drive 30-ish minutes and then take the 4×4 road up to Calcite Mine. Take the short trail to views from the mine area. You can also explore slot canyons along the road.
Drive 30-60 minutes out to Fonts Point (4 mile 4×4 road) – described to be some to be the best view in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Try to aim for about an hour before sunset.
If you have a low-clearance vehicle:
Hike The Slot (0.8-2.2 miles out & back). As the name suggests, this is a slot canyon with not-too-tight narrows.
Drive 30-45 minutes to Borrego Springs. Hike the Borrego Palm Canyon Trail (3 miles out & back, plus more if you explore) to see a desert palm grove and small waterfalls on the creek. While you’re in the area, check at the visitor center to see if Maidenhair Falls is flowing (or you can call the visitor center ahead of time).
Drive 30-ish minutes to Truckhaven Rocks (1+ miles out & back). There is no trail, but you can follow the wash to unique rocks which can be scrambled and explored.
Stay near Borrego Springs or Tamarisk Grove Campground.
Day 2
Pay the $10 day-use fee.
Begin at the Hellhole Canyon Trailhead and hike up to Maidenhair Falls (6 miles out & back). A trail goes partway up the canyon, complete with palm groves and a 20ft. seasonal waterfall.
Alternate:
If the rangers tell you that Maidenhair Falls isn’t flowing, you can hike the Mortero Palms to Goat Canyon Trestle Trail (6.0 miles out & back; 4×4 required; no day-use fee required) or to the Palm Bowl by parking at Mountain Palm Springs Campground (2-ish miles out & back) (day-use fee required) and then drive about an hour up to Blair Valley. Hike either Ghost Mountain (Marshal South Homestead) (1.3 miles out & back to the ruins of a homesteader’s cabin) or Rainbow Canyon (2.2 miles; a more adventurous hike up a canyon) (day-use fee is not required).
Stay in Borrego Springs, Tamarisk Grove Campground, Ocotillo Wells, or Fish Creek.
Day 3
No need for a day-use fee today!
If you have 4×4:
Drive the Fish Creek Road to Wind Caves (2 miles out & back). Take the trail and enjoy the caves & views.
Retrace your tire tracks back down to the Split Mountain Road and take the Elephant Knees route/trail (4.2 mile loop).
If you have a low-clearance vehicle:
Hike the Viewpoint via Canyon Sin Nombre route/trail (7.4 miles out & back; located south of Bow Willow Campground). You’ll be treated to never-ending slot canyons and a nice view of the surrounding area.
Hiking Itinerary for 7 Days in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Day 1
Pay the $10 day-use fee.
Hike The Slot (0.8-2.2 miles out & back). As the name suggests, this is a slot canyon with not-too-tight narrows.
Drive 30-45 minutes to Borrego Springs. Hike the Borrego Palm Canyon Trail (3 miles out & back, plus more if you explore) to see a desert palm grove and small waterfalls on the creek. While you’re in the area, check at the visitor center to see if Maidenhair Falls is flowing (or you can call the visitor center ahead of time).
Drive 30-ish minutes to Truckhaven Rocks (1+ miles out & back). There is no trail, but you can follow the wash to unique rocks which can be scrambled and explored.
Stay near Borrego Springs or Arroyo Salado.
Day 2
No need for a day-use fee!
If you have 4×4:
Drive out to Fonts Point (4 mile 4×4 road) – described to be some to be the best view in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. If you can arrive within an hour of sunrise, the views will be even more spectacular. Take the Font’s Point Route (11.8 mile loop) to and through the badlands and washes near the point.
If you have a low-clearance vehicle:
Hike out to Fonts Point (4 mile each way 4×4 road) – described to be some to be the best view in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
Stay near Borrego Springs or Tamarisk Grove Campground.
Day 3
Pay the $10 day-use fee.
Begin at the Hellhole Canyon Trailhead and hike up to Maidenhair Falls (6 miles out & back). A trail goes partway up the canyon, complete with palm groves and a 20ft. seasonal waterfall.
Stay in Borrego Springs, Tamarisk Grove Campground, Ocotillo Wells, or Fish Creek.
Day 4
No need for a day-use fee today!
If you have 4×4:
Drive the Fish Creek Road to Wind Caves (2 miles out & back). Take the trail and enjoy the caves & views.
Retrace your tire tracks back down to the Split Mountain Road and take the Elephant Knees route/trail (4.2 mile loop).
If you have a low-clearance vehicle:
Park near the end of the pavement and hike the Split Mountain Road and take the Elephant Knees route/trail (4.2 mile loop; add about 4 miles out & back for hiking the road for a total of 8.2 miles).
Stay in Blair Valley or Tamarisk Grove. (Borrego Springs is also an option.)
Day 5
No need for a day-use fee today!
Drive to Blair Valley. Hike to Ghost Mountain (Marshal South Homestead) (1.3 miles out & back to the ruins of a homesteader’s cabin) and Rainbow Canyon (2.2 miles; amore adventurous hike up a canyon). If you’re aching for more hiking, check out the Pictograph Trail down Smuggler’s Canyon (more info here). Or skip all of the above and hike to Whale Peak (10-11 miles) up Smugglers Canyon to take an off-trail scramble up a mountain to views of the surrounding area.
Stay in Borrego Springs or Tamarisk Grove Campground.
Day 6
Pay the $10 day-use fee.
If you have 4×4:
Take the 4×4 road up to Calcite Mine. Hike the short trail to views from the mine area. You can also explore slot canyons along the road.
Drive 1.5 hours down to the Palm Bowl Trailhead at Mountain Palm Springs Campground (2+ miles out & back). Hike up a desert canyon to several palm oases and options to climb high on the hillside for great views.
Drive and hike the Viewpoint via Canyon Sin Nombre route/trail (2.8 miles out & back; drive the rough 4×4 road 2.3 miles each way up to the slot canyons). You’ll be treated to never-ending slot canyons and a nice view of the surrounding area.
If you have a low-clearance vehicle:
Hike up the road to the Calcite Mine, enjoying the numerous slot canyons along the way (approximately a 4 mile out & back or loop).
Drive 1.5 hours down to the Palm Bowl Trailhead at Mountain Palm Springs Campground (2+ miles out & back). Hike up a desert canyon to several palm oases and options to climb high on the hillside for great views.
Stay at Mountain Palm Springs or Bow Willow Campground (if you want lodging instead of camping, Borrego Springs is a fair drive but doable.)
Day 7
No day-use fee required today!
If you have 4×4:
Hike the Mortero Palms to Goat Canyon Trestle Trail (6.0 miles out & back) to good views and an overlook of the tallest wooden trestle in the US.
If you have a low-clearance vehicle:
Hike the Viewpoint via Canyon Sin Nombre route/trail (7.4 miles out & back; located south of Bow Willow Campground). You’ll be treated to never-ending slot canyons and a nice view of the surrounding area.
Good to Know
The areas that currently require a day-use fee are Borrego Palm Canyon, Horse Camp, and Tamarisk Grove Campgrounds; Visitor Center Parking Area; Hellhole Canyon Parking Area; and Sheep Canyon, Mountain Palm Springs, and Bow Willow Primitive Camps. The fee is currently $10. As the areas requiring a fee change from time to time, be prepared to pay the fee (or not!) as the situation requires.
Many dirt roads in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park allow free dispersed camping. Leave no trace, follow all rules and regulations, and never, ever camp in a place with signs prohibiting camping.
Summer in the park is extremely hot! I don’t recommend any of these hikes between May and September.
Did I miss any of the best hikes in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park? I’d love to hear about them in the comments!
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