Cactus Loop Trail

If you’re a plant lover, this short hike gives you a lot of return for little effort.  The well-drained soil and the angle of the slopes here make it an ideal place for a variety of desert plants including many different types of cacti. 

For example, you’ll find two types of cholla, ocotillos, agaves, beavertail, hedgehog, and barrel cactus plus a few more.  There are also wildflowers and blooming bushes here during the right time of year. 

Not far from the Cactus Loop Trail are other places to see varieties of cacti and desert plants in general.  From the junction of Highways S3 and 78, go west on Hwy 78.  In about 3.5 miles you’ll be in a canyon that has an abundant variety of plants growing on its slopes.  It is difficult to stop safely along this stretch of highway to get a close look at the plants but it is still enjoyable.

To see another nearby place of dense desert vegetation, go east from the junction of Highways S3 and 78 for about 8 miles and look for the spot on the map marked Cactus Garden.

The trailhead for the Cactus Loop hike is located along Hwy S3 directly across from the entrance to the Tamarask Grove Campground.  The entire driving route is on pavement so no special vehicle is required.

From Christmas Circle, reset your odometer and go south on Hwy S3 (Borrego Springs Rd).  The road will slowly turn to the east and pass by several of the Galleta Meadows sculptures.  At 5.1 miles, Hwy S3 makes a slight right onto Yaqui Pass Rd.

Continue on Hwy S3 over Yaqui Pass and at 11.7 miles you’ll see the entrance to the Tamarask Grove Campground on the left with its many large trees.  Pull off the road here and park or park across the street in the shade of the trees near the campground.  Look on the right (north) side of Hwy S3 for the small sign marking the start of the trailhead.

See directions to Henderson Canyon Road on Google Maps

This easy loop trail has a round-trip distance of 0.6 miles with a 200 foot elevation gain.  It is well maintained by the Park and easy to follow. 

The trail starts right at Hwy S3 and heads up a small wash where you’ll immediately see a variety of cacti.  Be sure to look closely at the ground for the smaller cacti.  They are literally growing all over the place.

After a short distance, the trail begins climbing up and out of the wash to the right (east) side of the ravine.  The trail is well defined and in places there are steps dug into the trail to help you on the steeper portions.  As you walk in this steeper terrain, you’ll see some different cacti that prefer growing in these sloped areas rather than in the flat washes.   

All along this trail, be sure to stop and look back from time to time.  There are beautiful views behind you. 

The trail reaches a high point and then begins to descend into the ravine and wash to the east.  It eventually takes you back to the road and deposits you a few hundred feet east of where you started.

Cacti thrive in well-drained soil and lots of sunshine which is why there are so many different species of it growing here.  The southern facing slopes provide more sun than the bottom of a wash and the water drains quicker on a slope.  Just by looking around you can see how well the plants like it here.

And because there are such a variety of plants here, this is a good hike to take at different times of the year since the plants bloom at different times.