Anza-Borrego Desert Park, CA

We left Desert Hot Springs and went south along the west side of the Salton Sea to Borrego Springs. A mile and a half outside of town is the entrance to the Palm Canyon Campground in Anza-Borrego Desert Park. The park is located on the western side of the Colorado Desert and is California’s largest state park, about the size of Rhode Island.

Biking is limited but there is plenty of hiking to be had. We started by heading down Coyote Canyon to hike the Desert Garden. Be assured that there is no garden to tour along this trail.

The Ranger at the Park Visitor Center suggested we try Little Surprise Canyon, a short ride from the Park.

Whenever we travel we encourage friends and family to meet up with us. It is rare that anyone ever takes us up on the offer. This trip Shelly’s cousin Marlene and her husband Lee met up with us for a weekend of desert fun.

On their first day in camp we hiked the Outlook Trail.

The Palm Canyon hike is very popular. You hike one and a half miles up the canyon to a palm oasis. In years past you were allowed into the Palm oasis but since it burned three years ago that is not allowed. The trail has been rerouted to a view point above the oasis.

The canyon is home to a herd of Peninsular Big Horn Sheep. Everyone hiking the canyon hopes to get a glimpse of them. As we hiked into the canyon we saw three sheep silhouetted high on a ridge. They were too far away to get a decent photo. Descending the trail we chose an alternate trail but soon lost our way. After scrambling over boulders we found ourselves in a small meadow face to face with this guy.

Marlene and Lee left for home after two days of camping with us. Before they left we checked out Galleta Meadows Estate. The Estate consists of privately owned plots of land with metal sculptures scattered throughout the properties. The sculptures were created but Ricardo Breceda. The work was commissioned by Dennis Avery, the owner of Galleta Meadows.

Tamarisk Campground is a small primitive camp just over Yaqui pass. We didn’t camp there but drove over one morning to hike the cactus loop trail.

Our drive home took us back through Yaqui Pass. As we neared the summit we stopped to hike the William Kenyon Overlook Trail for an expansive view of the San Filipe Wash.

On our last day in the park we connected with Paul and Susanne who were staying in a park near us. We arranged to meet at the entrance to Blair Valley for some hiking.

We finished the hike and decided to try one more short hike before parting ways.

The trail gets its name from the numerous morteros along the trail. Mortero is Spanish for mortar . These “bedrock holes” were created by the Kumeyaay people who lived here a thousand years ago. Think of the morteros as stone food processors.

We’ve had a wonderful time here in Southern California but it’s time to move on. Arizona and the Sonoran Desert beckons. But one more look at Palm Canyon as you descend along the Alternative Trail.