Hikes in California

What Elephant Trees Trail is to desert botany, Narrows Earth Trail is to desert geology. The pamphlet available at the start of this half-mile loop describes the geological features present in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. The desert is a great place to learn about geology. Sparse vegetation exposes the earth's rock skeleton, bringing the secrets of the land's formation to bear. ...Read more.

Simply named The Slot, this narrow siltstone canyon provides one of the most exciting hikes in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. This 0.8-mike trek is capped off with a passage beneath a gravity-defying rock span. This short hike has just 100 feet of elevation loss, but the memory will be much more profound. The Slot lacks a defined trail marker. From the parking area, look for footprints leading down into the ravine below. ...Read more.

The elephant tree is likely the most unique plant in the entire Anza-Borrego Desert, and only one such tree stands along this one-mile nature trail. Pick up a pamphlet at the start of this self-guided loop, and enjoy a brief lesson on elephant trees and other more common vegetation. This is a great trail for those interested in learning about plant life in the Anza-Borrego Desert. ...Read more.

A short hike to a fascinating destination overlooking the Carrizo Badlands begins on the far east side of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. This 1.25-mile round trip hike climbs 250 feet to a sandstone formation with wind-eroded pockets that insist on being explored. The hike begins with a quick ascent up the east side of Split Mountain Wash. Climb a series of rocky steps. ...Read more.

Wildflowers draw crowds of visitors to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Who wouldn't want to see the desert come alive with vibrant tapestries of colors? At peak bloom, which lasts just a couple of weeks, the desert floor transforms into a dazzling tableau with carpets of yellow, red, and purple. The bloom typically climaxes in early march, but the intensity and timing of the bloom varies each year. ...Read more.

There is absolutely no shortage of camping in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Four developed campgrounds with 175 total sites and eight primitive campgrounds with even more places to camp are located throughout the park. Primitive campgrounds are free, and sites at developed campgrounds range from fifteen to thirty-five dollars per night (and $80 for a group site at Borrego Palm Canyon Campground). ...Read more.

Sycamore Crest Trail is a wide dirt road on the north slope of Ontario Hill, which runs east to west between Shell Beach and Avila Beach. Beginning from Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort in Avila Valley, the trail climbs through a lush oak grove to reach a junction with Ontario Ridge Trail at a south-facing saddle with lofty ocean views. Sycamore Crest Trail serves as a 1. ...Read more.

Two parallel but varied trails explore the coast between Shell Beach and Avila Beach in San Luis Obispo County. Shell Beach Bluff Trail is an easy, wheelchair-friendly paved trail overlooking a picturesque cove. Ontario Ridge Trail is a rugged, sometimes-steep track crossing a 700-foot hill above the bluff. Put these two together for a 2.8-mile loop with 675 feet of elevation change and spectacular ocean views. ...Read more.

This half-mile round trip hike visits a small rock bridge at the end of a dramatic headland east of Avila Beach. The hike down Cave Landing to the natural tunnel sometimes called Pirate's Cave provides outstanding coastal views over the beach cities of San Luis Obispo County. This is a short, easy, and enjoyable trek with 100 feet of elevation change - a perfect excursion for anyone staying in Avila. ...Read more.

Two half-mile long fire roads cross the 62-acre Trebek Open Space, providing short hikes on the south face of the Hollywood Hills. Bantam Trail begins from Nichols Canyon Road and climbs to a ridge running down the east side of the park. Castair Trail begins from a trailhead lower down the ridge and drops into Nichols Canyon, coming to a dead-end above the road. ...Read more.