Outdoors · 8 min · January 19, 2026
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park covers 650,000 acres — California's largest state park. Most visitors see one or two trails. Here are five worth exploring.
Borrego Palm Canyon (3 miles round-trip): the classic. A flat sandy wash leads into a hidden palm grove fed by a year-round spring. Best in the morning before the canyon walls heat up.
Slot Canyon (2 miles round-trip): a narrow, twisting passage carved through soft mudstone. Some sections require ducking under a chockstone or scrambling down a six-foot drop. Skip after rain.
The Wind Caves (1 mile round-trip): a short scramble up to a cluster of sandstone caves overlooking the Carrizo Badlands. Sunset here is something else.
Mountain Palm Springs (2.5 miles): a loop through six separate palm groves, each one a small tropical surprise in the middle of bone-dry desert.
Calcite Mine (4 miles round-trip): a steep, exposed scramble to an old WWII-era mining site. Crystals everywhere, and views straight down to the Salton Sea.
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Moonlight Oasis is a 3-bedroom dark-sky residence in Borrego Springs. Sleeps 13.
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