Anza-Borrego Central: Driving and Hiking Trails

Photo of the California Riding & Hiking Trail as it descends into Plum Canyon
The California Riding & Hiking Trail in Plum Canyon

With a highway legal 4-wheel drive vehicle, you can get off the highway on the jeep trail along Arroyo Salado, Palo Verde Wash, and Fish Creek. In late spring, when the Desert Agave are in bloom, drives to Blair Valley and Oriflamme Canyon are popular. The off-highway crowd knows the Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area.

There is good hiking in the moutains of Anza-Borrego Cental, especially in and around Pinyon Mountain Valley. The Pacific Crest Trail dips into Anza-Borrego at Rodriguez Canyon and then exits with a long hike that twists in and around canyons before exiting south of Warner Springs. Parts of the old California Riding and Hiking Trail continue to be maintained in central Anza-Borrego. Grapevine Canyon and Pinyon Ridge offer good hiking opportunities.

Along Highway 78 offers many hiking and camping opportunities. For camping, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park offers the Tamarisk Grove Campground at County Road S-3. There is a fee here and reservations are required. To the west is an ABDSP campground at Yaqui Well, and to the north on S-3 is the ABDSP Yaqui Pass Campground which is better suited to campers than to tent campers.

Popular hiking destinations (with optional camping) along Highway 78 include Plum Canyon, Mine Wash, Pinyon Wash, Nude Wash (see Halford), and the West Bute of Borrego Moutain which includes Hawk Canyon and Slot Canyon (also described by Halford).

Anza-Borrego Central: Driving and Hiking Trails

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