A DESERT CAMPING GUIDE FOR ANZA BORREGO DESERT STATE PARK

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1 A DESERT CAMPING GUIDE FOR ANZA BORREGO DESERT STATE PARK With over 500,000 acres of beautiful terrain, Anza Borrego Desert State Park offers endless opportunities for Boy Scout Troops, Venture Crews and Varsity Teams searching for remote and rugged destinations for scout adventures. This guide is intended for Boy Scout Troops, Venture and Varsity Scouts. It is not intended for Cub Scout Packs. Only the two specific group campsites listed in this guide are approved by the Orange County Council Camping Guide for Cub Scout packs. When I ask other scout leaders where they go desert camping, they usually say Joshua Tree. When I ask if they have camped at Anza Borrego, they usually tell me they have heard about Anza Borrego, but don t know where to camp in Borrego. I have camped, hiked and backpacked in Anza Borrego since I was a tenderfoot scout many years ago. I am still finding and exploring new places. My hope is this guide will show you a few new places to camp, hike backpack and explore. Questions, Comments, Changes Contact Ren Higgins at or rshiggins@cox.net Anza Borrego Guide

2 Table of Contents Contact Anza Borrego State Park, Driving Directions, Map to Borrego...3 General Information...4 CAR CAMPING SITES Culp Valley Primitive : Hwy S22 near Mile Marker Blair Valley: Hwy S2 near Mile Marker 23, 6 miles south of junction HWY Mountain Palm Springs: Hwy S2, Mile Marker 47, 28 miles south of junction Hwy, Bow Willow Primitive Camp: Hwy S2 near Mile Marker BACKPACKING TRIPS Culp Valley, California Riding Hiking Trail...5 Borrego Springs, Maidenhair Falls...5 Coyote Canyon to Sheep Canyon, Cougar or Indian Canyon...6 & 7 Blair Valley Pictograph Trail to Smugglers Canyon...7 Blair Valley California Riding Hiking Trail, Box Canyon to Foot and Walker Pass...8 Mountain Palm Springs to Indian Valley...9 Bow Willow Canyon...10 Bow Willow to Rockhouse Canyon Loop...10 DAY HIKES Culp Valley - California Riding Hiking Trail...5 Culp Valley Pena Springs and Look Out Loop...5 Borrego Maidenhair Falls Trail...5 Borrego - Palm Canyon Nature Trail...5 Blair Valley Ghost Mountain...7 Blair Valley Morteros Trail...7 Blair Valley Pictograph Trail...7 Mountain Palm Springs Loop...8 Mountain Palm Springs - North Grove and Mary s Grove...8 Mountain Palm Springs to Indian Valley to Torote Canyon...9 Bow Willow to Mountain Palm Springs...9 Bow Willow Canyon...10 Bow Willow to Rockhouse Canyon Loop...10 Reference Topo Maps for campsites and hiking Anza Borrego Guide

3 Contact Anza Borrego State Park - (760) Download the Anza-Borrego Park Magazine from the website for more information on park rules, safety, trails, camps and maps. Directions to Anza Borrego I-5 South to Hwy 76 in Oceanside, then East on 76 to Hwy 79. Turn left, north on 79 for 4.5 miles. Turn right onto Hwy S2. Go 5 miles to the Junction of Hwy S2 & S22. Northern Borrego: Turn left on Hwy S22. This takes you to Borrego Springs and the Park Headquarters, Culp Valley, Sheep, Cougar and Indian Canyons. Southern Borrego: continue straight on Hwy S2 to reach Blair Valley, Mountain Springs and Bow Willow Camp. References to jeep roads and camp grounds are to the nearest mile markers on Hwy S2 and S22. Additional Maps - Pages are reference maps created from the TOPO map program. There is a map for each of the six different areas presented in this guide. The Latitude and Longitude is given to locate the primitive camp or trailhead for that area Anza Borrego Guide

4 Council Approved Camps for Cub Packs Group & Family Campsites with shower facilities, running water, and toilets: 1. Palm Canyon Campground, Borrego Springs. Make Reservations thru Reserve America Aqua Caliente County Park: Located on Hwy S2, 22 miles south of Junction of Hwy 78. It also has a swimming pool and a caravan area for groups. Contact San Diego County Parks: , Toll Free Open camping is allowed in most parts of the park. 1. In Anza Borrego, you do not have to camp in a campground, you can pick your own campsite. Use a pre-camped area! Do not clear vegetation to make a new campsite. 2. In a park about the size of Rhode Island, you have a lot of choices on where to camp, hike or backpack. While in Anza Borrego, you are bound to find a new place to explore. Spend time looking around for more unique places to hike or camp. Leave no Trace Camping: 1. The State Park requests that you practice Pack it in, Pack it out as well as follow all Leave No Trace Guidelines. 2. Park rules are posted on the website. You are responsible to know and follow them, as well as the Outdoor Code and all Guide to Safe Scouting Guidelines. 3. Fires are allowed if you bring a metal ground pan and your own wood. Trail Information 1. Obtain a current park map! If you are using the Topo Map Software Beware! Many of the jeep roads are not marked accurately or their routes have changed over the years. Many of the new trails in the park are not shown on the Topo program. 2. Park Maps can be obtained at the Visitors Center. Also, see the online park magazine. Important Cautions: 1. Conditions change from year to year. Contact the park ranger for current conditions and check out remote car camp areas in person before you go camping in the park. 2. The maps included with this guide are for reference and planning only. Obtain a current park map if you are hiking or backpacking in remote areas. 3. The desert can be a hostile and unforgiving environment. Make sure you have checked out the road and trail conditions in advance. Make sure your vehicle is in good condition. 4. Bring extra water, a shovel and an air pump. Bring 1 gallon of water per person per day. Everyone should wear a hat and sunscreen. Hot, dry conditions are possible at any time of year. Treat all water in the backcountry. 5. Be Prepared : Winter nights can quickly drop to below freezing temperatures! Day time temperatures can be in the high 80 s even in January! 6. Desert Safety Information- Scouter online website - California Parks Desert Safety tips website - Additional Reference Material Books Afoot and Afield in San Diego County, by; Jerry Schad Anza Borrego Desert Region, by; Lowell Lindsay Anza Borrego Guide

5 CULP VALLEY AREA Reference Map 1 - pg 11 Coordinates mark Culp Valley Camp off of Hwy S22. Long./Lat x Car Camping: Culp Valley Primitive Camp. Hwy S22 near mile marker 9. Take dirt road north off the highway, at.25 miles take the right fork to the camp ground. At 3,000ft, this is good a great area for early fall or late spring camping. Pit toilet, no water, several open camp areas. Left fork at.25 miles goes to trail parking & Pena Spring. Day Hikes Loop Hike: starting from camp hike northeast to the view area, then head west up the Riding Hiking Trail and you will find Pena Springs. Explore down the canyon and find a great view of Borrego Springs. Return to the spring, and take the Pena Spring road back to camp = 1.5 to 2 miles. Culp Valley to Borrego Springs: via the Riding Hiking Trail is 6 miles, a car shuttle is recommended. Start your hike from the camp and follow the Riding Hiking Trail down the mountain, ending at the parking area near the bottom of Montezuma grade (Maidenhair Falls Hike), or hike on to the Park Visitor Center and get picked up there. Jasper Trail Junction to Culp Valley, day hike: Start on S22 at mile marker 6.8 where the Jasper Trail crosses. Hike the 2.5 miles into Culp Valley. Meet the cars and camp. Backpacking: Start at the Jasper Trail crossing on S22. Backpack to Pena Springs and camp in the canyon below the spring. The spring has water year round. Continue the next day down to Borrego Springs on Riding Hiking Trail, total distance is about 8.5 miles downhill. Car shuttle required. Borrego Springs Reference Map 2 pg12 Coordinates mark Maidenhair Falls trailhead off of Hwy. S22. Long./Lat X Day Hike or Training Backpack Maidenhair Falls Parking: At the bottom of Montezuma Grade, Hwy S22 on the west side of the road. Pit toilet at trailhead, no water. The trails to Maidenhair Falls, for the California Riding Hiking Trail to Culp Valley and to the Park Headquarters and Visitors Center, start from here. Hike west from the parking area on the trail to Hellhole Canyon. Pass the Riding Hiking trail junction on your left and continue across the valley for about 1.5 miles. At this point you enter the mouth of Hellhole Canyon. The grade will get steeper and you should pass a mountain lion warning sign. If you are backpacking, the best places to stop and camp are here along the left side of the canyon, for the next ¼ mile. Beyond this the canyon narrows and gets steeper as the path winds between the palms and boulders. If water is not flowing, the falls may be had to find. Look for a wall of Maidenhair Ferns tucked between two large boulders screened by large sycamore trees. Explore farther up the canyon if you like. You can also start this hike from the Park Visitors Center. Day Hike - Palm Canyon Nature Trail A good day hike from the Palm Canyon campground is the nature trail to the palm groves. The loop trail is about 3.5 miles. If you are lucky, it is possible to see big horn sheep. Follow the well marked trail to the Palm grove. At 1 mile you cross the creek, there is a trail junction here. The left fork makes a loop hike for your return to camp Turn right, up canyon to reach the palm grove. The trail ends at the palm grove and waterfall. The adventurous hiker can scramble up the canyon through Anza Borrego Guide

6 the boulder field to explore the canyon above the palm grove, where more palm groves can be found. Allow plenty of time for an up canyon adventure, there is no real trail above the grove. SHEEP CANYON, COUGAR CANYON & INDIAN CANYON: Backpacking Reference Map 3 pg13 Coordinates mark parking at 2 nd crossing. Long./Lat X All 3 canyons are good areas for training and advanced backpacking trips. High clearance vehicles are recommended to reach the trailhead at 2 nd or 3 rd crossing. Water flows in the Sheep and Cougar Canyons year round. Sheep Canyon Trail Camp has pit toilets and is suitable for large groups. Cougar Canyon and Indian Canyon are great remote camping areas for smaller groups. Treat all water! Driving Directions to the Trailhead: When you reach Borrego Springs via the S22, turn right at the stop sign, (restroom facilities are available to the left at the Visitors Center). Continue east on S22, through the traffic circle. Drive for 1/2 mile on S22, turn left on DiGorgio Road and continue for 5 miles. The paved road will end as you enter Borrego State Park. Follow this dirt road for 5 miles until you reach 2 nd crossing. There is a small parking area on the left and a water gauging tower. Depending on the water flow, the stream crossing here can be challenging. If in doubt, park and start hiking here. If you chose to drive across the creek, continue another ½ mile and park near the historic markers. Sheep Canyon: If you begin your hike at 2 nd crossing, cross the creek and follow the road past the markers. You have to cross the creek again at 3 rd crossing. On the west side of the creek is a trail junction, and I highly recommend this loop trip. Follow the jeep road up the narrow canyon, across the pass and down the other side. A side hike takes you to a historical marker. The jeep road passes through a small valley followed by a gap. After the gap the hiking trail breaks off to the left. It is marked by white posts. If you miss the hiking trail junction, continue on to the jeep road junction. The left fork takes you to the Sheep Canyon trail camp, Cougar and Indian Canyons. Right before you reach Sheep Canyon you will find the junction to Cougar & Indian Canyons. If you are camping at Sheep Canyon, continue west into the mouth of the canyon. The camp areas are near the two stone outhouses to your left. A shade structure and camp area are located 200 yards further up the canyon. The creek in Sheep Canyon runs year round and tends to soak into the desert sand quickly. If there is a lot of water flowing, you will find it in the wash opposite the shade structure. If the flow is low, work your way up canyon to find where the water is flowing. To make the loop hike, return on the jeep trail back to the jeep road junction in Collins Valley. Here you will find a marked trail that continues east. When the trail reaches the far canyon wall in the wash, it turns south into the Lower Willows, then follows the canyon back to 3 rd crossing. The trail is cleared annually by equestrian groups and should be easy to follow, but may be damp in places. Distances: 2nd crossing to Sheep Canyon via the jeep road is 4 miles, and 2nd Crossing to Sheep Canyon thru Lower Willows is 5 miles. Cougar Canyon: At the junction before you reach Sheep Canyon Trail Camp take the left fork (south). The road ends quickly and is replaced with a wide footpath, stay on this and head south. After approximately ¾ mile you will be opposite the mouth of Cougar canyon. Make camp in any open area left of the trail. If you are small group, you may find some camp areas in the canyon Anza Borrego Guide

7 mouth. Water flows down to the mouth of the canyon. A good side hike is to scramble up the canyon and find the hidden palm groves. Indian Canyon: Follow the trail past Cougar Canyon going south another ¾ mile. The trail will bend south west into a narrow canyon where you will pass by the palm groves of Bennis Bowl. Because this specific trail can be brush choked and hard to follow there is limited camping. Water can be found farther up the canyon. The mine marked on the map can be found. You may want to get water in Cougar Canyon, make camp at the mouth of Indian Canyon and explore up the canyon without backpacks. BLAIR VALLEY Reference Map 4 - pg 14 Coordinates mark the restroom at Blair Valley entrance. Long./Lat X Just off of Hwy S-2, near mile marker 23, 6 miles south of Hwy 78 from Scissors Crossing. Blair Valley is a large valley with many places for car camping. No water is available. There are pit toilets at the valley entrance. The area is popular with weekend RV campers, resulting in many of the popular camp areas to be occupied by early Friday. There are 3 marked trails with interesting day hikes in the valley. The California Riding Hiking Trail passes thru Blair Valley providing a good training backpack or a day hike. For the more adventurous scouts the 5 mile drive into Little Blair Valley will provide a remote camp area. I recommend high clearance vehicles. Drive only on established roads and camp in previously camped in areas! Car Camping There is a good campsite on the left as you enter the valley, and a second camp area can be reached by turning right, and following the road for about 175 yards past the bathroom. A large pullout area is available for parking, with the camp area just beyond the posts. Further down the road against the low hill are 3 more large camp areas, and the Riding Hiking trail crosses near here. To reach additional camping: as you enter the valley, drive straight past the kiosk and follow the main jeep road to the three marked trailheads. Drive about 1.1 miles from the kiosk until you reach an area marked Group Camping. There is room for several troops to camp in this area. You will need to be self contained, there are no toilets, no water in this area! There are other camping areas scattered about Blair Valley, scout around. Hiking: Blair Valley Trailheads. See the road sign at the valley entrance for driving distances to the trailheads. These trailheads are marked with parking areas. Ghost Mountain Trail to Marshal South homestead is a 2 mile round trip. Ghost Mountain Trailhead; There is a cross country route to a jet crash site, the distance can be 2 to 3 miles depending on how far you explore. This is a good compass exercise for scouts! Send me an , and I ll send the directions. rshiggins@cox.net. Morteros Trail: ½ mile round trip has a Native American camp area with grinding holes. Pictograph Trail is a 2.5 miles round trip with areas to view Native American Pictographs. Backpacking Pictograph Trail to Smugglers Canyon Continue past the pictograph rock into Smugglers Canyon. Go left or right and find a place to make camp. This is a good training backpack. Anza Borrego Guide

8 Box Canyon to Blair Valley The Riding Hiking trail crosses hwy S2 near mile marker The trail goes east up the wash following the old stage route. In about 2 miles the trail reaches the jeep road at the south end of Blair Valley. The trail turns north and follows the jeep road, past the low hill where there are camp areas, then across the dry lake to the Foot and Walker Pass. The pass is about 4 miles from Box Canyon. The second day you can continue north over the Foot and Walker Pass. After crossing the pass, follow the jeep road northwest. You reach hwy S2 in about 1 mile. Blair Valley California Riding Hiking Trail From the entrance kiosk go.5 miles mile into the valley and you will cross the California Riding Hiking Trail. Foot and Walker Pass will be on your left. This is the old Butterfield Stage Route. MOUNTAIN PALM SPRINGS Reference Map 5 - pg 15 Coordinates mark the restroom in campsite. Long./Lat X Car Camping, Day Hiking, Backpacking, Mountain Palm Springs has pit toilets, no water. Hwy S2. Mile Marker 47, 28 miles south jct. Hwy 78. Camping There are caravan camping areas near the toilet. These are usually occupied by RV campers. Tent camping is available in the sandy wash beyond the restroom facilities. A better car camp area is in the closed parking area. To find the closed parking area, as you approach the day use parking area at the end of the road, you will see a blocked side road to the right, north. Park in the day hike area (where display is) and carry your gear up to the flat cleared areas on this low rise. You are a short walk from the toilet, separated from the RV campers and you have views of two palm groves from your camp. There is enough room here for a large troop and space to practice scout skills. Day Hikes: There are several options from your camp. Palms Loop Trail I suggest going clockwise. From the day use parking area where the display is, head west up a narrow canyon heading towards Pygmy Grove and continue west up the canyon until you reach Southwest Grove. This is an excellent opportunity to stop and explore the grove to witness the powerful effects of fire on vegetation. To continue the trail to Surprise Canyon, (the trail sign is missing). As you enter Southwest Grove, note 3 lone palms on the right. Just behind them at the base of the ridge are two palms close together. The trail to Surprise Canyon starts here. There is a short switchback that takes you near the lone elephant tree (a torote) and then heads north. After a mile the trail descends into Surprise Canyon and into Surprise Grove. For a longer Hike, go left up canyon to explore Palm Bowl Grove. To return to camp, hike down Surprise canyon following the trail through Surprise Grove until you reach the wash that will take you south to the parking area. Torte Bowl. Take the trail to Southwest Grove, and about halfway into the grove you will see a trail marker on the left side of the canyon. This is the trail to Bow Willow Primitive Camp and the side trail to Torote Bowl. Follow the trail to the marked junction, then on to the Torote Trees. It is a 2 mile round trip hike from Southwest Grove. The North Grove Hike to Mary s Grove does not follow an official trail. It takes you to a remote grove that is not often visited where you will have the opportunity to enjoy some rock scrambling and cross country navigation. Bring a map and compass or GPS. From the Day Use Parking kiosk Anza Borrego Guide

9 follow the wash/path north out of the parking area. Hike past the rock markers for the Surprise Canyon Trail and continue up the wash. You will soon reach North Grove. Allow time to stop and enjoy the scenery. To continue on to Mary s Grove, take the wash north, the right fork, thru North Grove. You will have to do some scrambling over rocks to get to Mary s Grove. After you find the grove, you can return the way you came, or plot a route across country into Surprise Canyon, then return to camp down Surprise Canyon from there. Surprise Canyon to Indian Canyon to Torote Canyon Start at the Day Use Parking and hike north up the wash on the trail to Surprise Canyon. A row of rocks in this wash that marks the Surprise Canyon Trail. Follow the trail left out of the wash, into Surprise Canyon and keep going on the trail through Surprise Grove and on up the canyon. When you are in site of Palm Bowl Grove, look right to see the steep side canyon entering from the north. On the east/right wall of the canyon, rock ducks mark a steep eroded trail that takes you up the canyon to the pass. When you reach the pass, the trail crosses to the west side of the pass and into Indian Gorge. The path is well defined and heads west, joining the Indian Valley Jeep Road. Take note of where the trail meets the jeep road, it is not well marked. To reach Torote Canyon, hike east, down Indian Gorge for about ½ mile, where Torote canyon opens to the north. Explore up the canyon as far as you like. Look for elephant trees (Torote) as you hike the canyon. Backpacking: Mountain Palm Springs to Indian Valley This is a good training backpack trail that takes you up Surprise Canyon and over the pass to Indian Gorge. Once in Indian Valley, follow the left canyon wall and hike as far as you like. There are many good areas to camp. You may not see anyone else back here. For a longer backpack, follow the jeep road west to the junction, take the right fork and hike up north fork Indian Valley. At the end of the road there are campsites. In a wet year, water flows out the canyon, but then quickly disappears into the desert sand. Unless you have verified the stream is running, do not depend on it for a water source. BOW WILLOW CAMP & BOW WILLOW CANYON AREA Reference Map 6 pg 16 Coordinates mark Bow Willow Camp. Long./Lat X The Bow Willow Primitive Camp is located off Hwy S2 about 30 miles south of Scissors Crossing. The 1.3 mile dirt road to camp is marked with a brown sign a few hundred feet before the turn. The camp has 16 family camp sites, allowing a maximum of 8 occupants, and a pit toilet and running water are available. The camp is popular on spring weekends and is first come first serve. Cost is $15.00 per night. I recommend this camp for patrol sized groups. For larger groups, see Mountain Palm Springs. Hikes - * There is no reliable water in this area other than Bow Willow Camp * Mountain Palm Springs Hike is an easy to moderate hike 2.6 miles to 6 miles long. Near Camp Site 1, walk west out the end of the road to locate the trail marker post. There is a 1.3 mile hike to the Southwest Grove at Mountain Palm Springs. The trail is fairly easy to follow. You can stretch this into a 5+ mile adventure by hiking the loop around the palm groves in the Mountain Palm Springs area, then returning to Bow willow Camp by this trail. There is also a spur trail marked Torote that takes you on a.5 mile side hike to a grove of elephant trees. Anza Borrego Guide

10 Bow Willow Canyon Backpack Hike is an easy 6 mile roundtrip that is great for training backpacks. Near Camp Site 1, walk out the end of the road and locate the trail post. Continue walking west past the trail post, up Bow Willow Canyon. At about a mile the canyon bends to the south, continue up canyon. The hiking is better on the left/east side. After about a mile the canyon slowly bends back to the west, keep hiking on the left, now the south side of the canyon. If you are day hiking when you reach the area where the canyon bottom narrows and you can see a few tall palms ahead, you have gone almost 3 miles. The canyon gets rougher if you chose to explore further on. For the backpackers, there is a long wide sandy shelf above the main wash in this area that is good for camping. Make camp and explore up canyon. Bow Willow to Rockhouse Canyon is a moderate to strenuous 8 mile hike that is not recommended for beginners! Hikers should be experienced and in good shape! This trip is a backpack or a day long hike. Hikers have several chances to utilize a compass, and/or a GPS and trail finding skills. Near Camp Site 1, locate the trail post near the end of the road. Hike up Bow Willow Canyon for approximately ½ mile. On your left a small canyon opens up, and an old fence post marks where the rough trail heads up canyon. The Canyon quickly narrows and bends left. Follow the narrowing wash up. You will pass a lone palm tree. Above here the trail involves some route finding and scrambling as you ascend the wash for the next ¼ mile. The canyon then flattens out into a slow climbing and winding sandy wash that heads south across the plateau. Look for the old Foot Trail markers along the way. Follow the wash/trail for about 1 ½ miles. At this point the trail will ascend the left bank of the wash up a steep 20 foot high slope. There are rock ducks marking the trail at the top and bottom of the bank. From here find and follow the faint, sometime elusive, trail south. It is marked by rock ducks and an occasional Foot Trail marker. The trail reaches the top of a narrow wash and quickly descends into Rockhouse Canyon. Some scrambling is required near the bottom of the canyon. The jeep road marked on the topo maps was washed out years ago. To hike to the Rockhouse turn right and hike up Rockhouse Canyon along the canyon wall. You may see an occasional rock duck. Hike up canyon thru the narrows and continue to where the canyon widens out. The cabin and reservoir are marked on the map. Continue southwest across the canyon and hike to the base of the ridge. If you find the old jeep road, it will take you to the Rockhouse. This was a cattleman s shack, back when cattle were grazed in this area. There are camping spots in the clear areas near the house, and to the left of the house is the old reservoir. To continue the hiking loop, hike due north from the Rockhouse, across the valley where a side canyon enters the main canyon. Ascend this wash up the canyon. About two thirds the way up the canyon, a rock duck trail can be found that will lead you to the pass. The trail descends into to Bow Willow Canyon dropping to the left. It is marked by occasional rock ducks. About half way down the trail gets vague. If you want to explore up Bow Willow Canyon, head straight for the main canyon. You can make camp here and explore up canyon more. If you camped at the Rockhouse and wish to return to your car, stay to the right side of the canyon as you walk towards Bow Willow Canyon. You may find some rock ducks marking a trail. Where you drop into the main wash, there should be a post marking a path down the steep bank. From here it is a 2.5 mile walk to your cars at the Bow Willow Primitive Camp. Map Symbols Flag is approximate location for Longitude/Latitude coordinates Triangles note possible trail camps. Circles, Squares, Diamonds note trail junctions or points mentioned in route description. Anza Borrego Guide

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