Plants & Animals
The chapters listed below showcases trips and destinations in Anza-Borrego involving plants & animals.
Blair Valley
The Blair Valley area is a collection of two small valleys with several attractions to see. Our trip will take you on a loop road through these valleys and to those attractions. One of the biggest draws in this area is the hike to Ghost Mountain to see the ruins of the Marshall Smith home. […]
Borrego Mountain Loop
This is our preferred route through the Borrego Mountain region because it includes several attractions in this part of Anza-Borrego. Those attractions are “The Slot”, Hawk Canyon, Buttes Pass, Buttes Canyon, Hills of the Moon Wash, San Felipe Wash, Blowsand Canyon and the Goat Trail.You can easily spend a whole day on this route by […]
Cactus Loop Trail
If you’re interested in seeing most of the cacti species found in Anza-Borrego in one place, then the Cactus Loop Trail is for you. This short, easy hike is located about ten miles south of Borrego Springs and is full of not only cacti but agaves, ocotillos and more. Easy to find trail Many varieties […]
Desert Oasis Trip
The classic “oasis with palm trees” scene is what many people envision when they hear the word “desert”. True oases are rare but on this road trip in the northern section of Anza-Borrego, you’ll find two of them. And the Pumpkin Patch is very close by so you can easily add it to the end […]
Elephant Tree Trail
This short hike will take you to some of the elephant trees of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Elephant trees are so rare that for many years, skeptics refused to acknowledge their existence. It wasn’t until 1937 that this species was confirmed growing in the Anza-Borrego Desert Park region.
Hellhole Canyon Hike to Maidenhair Falls
This fantastic desert hike is located not too far from Borrego Springs and takes you to not one but two amazing waterfalls. After hiking through some classic desert landscapes and a wild grove of native California fan palms you’ll come to a rare desert sight – waterfalls.
Henderson Canyon Road
When the wildflowers are blooming in Anza-Borrego, a drive along Henderson Canyon Road is one of the best places to see them. Just north of Borrego Springs, Henderson Canyon Road is a paved road that provides easy access to several fields of wildflowers that almost always have flowers during the blooming months. It also passes […]
Mountain Palm Springs
The Mountain Palm Springs loop trail offers a great hike that takes you through rocky terrain with stunning desert and canyon scenery while visiting several wild groves of California fan palm trees. Mountain Palm Springs is not just one grove, but a series of groves, each having its own individual name: Pygmy, Southwest, Palm Bowl, […]
Mud Palisades of Olla Wash
The deeply eroded cliff faces of the aptly named Mud Palisades look like a delicately designed cathedral in the desert. The Mud Palisades are located at the end of Olla Wash. Here, Mother Nature must have had just the right type of mudstone material combined with just the right steepness of the slope to allow […]
Visitor Center
When you visit Anza-Borrego Desert State Park for the first time, your first stop should be their Visitor Center. It is your one-stop, best source, for anything Anza-Borrego. Inside the Center is an interesting array of exhibits showcasing the flora, fauna, history and environment of the desert of Anza-Borrego as well as a theater, a […]