Palm Canyon hike | Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

Tuesday | 9 January 2007 | Borrego Springs, California: We have only been here 24 hours and I am all about Borrego Springs. What a beautiful part of Our Great Country! I wish we had visited this valley before - but goodness, there is just too much country to explore and I am only one woman.

The weather here is simply outstanding. Cool - nearly cold - at night and in the high 70's to low 80's during the day is the norm for January. We have had no wind and our awning lays still all day. This is a miracle in the California desert - known for terrible winds. Our campground is also outstanding - one of the nicest we have visited and our neighbors are friendly.

This morning was so warm (sorry to all my cold-clime readers!) we had coffee outside in the sun. Goodness, I just love this part about winter travel in the desert! (Especially when you remain under the duvet until hubby yells "coffee's ready".) We had a visitor this morning - a camper a few doors down. We often get people stopping by to ask us about our Datastorm satellite internet system. It is obvious - a big oval dish on the roof of the motorhome - with a brilliant blue light at night. Many RVer's want to know if it is worth the price. When we had our system installed, more than three years ago, the price was over five thousand dollars. Now it is hovering around three thousand. It is worth the price to us, but everyone is different. (It cracks me up when a guy with a million-plus dollar RV asks me if he should spend four grand on internet satellite.) Now, many RV parks have high-speed wifi. Usually there is a fee, but sometimes it is free (i.e. included in the price of a campsite). This park has wifi, at $4 for 24 hours or $35 per month. You share the wifi with a lot of other people. To us, there isn't a decision.

DT went for a run and then we packed up a few things and drove into Anza-Borrego Springs State Park to hike the Palm Canyon Trial. The Palm Canyon Trail sounds like an easy walk - it is only a 3-mile round-trip hike, but they suggest you need over 2 hours for the hike. We thought that seemed a little excessive, but we were gone nearly four hours! There is a lot to see and do up the canyon. The trail goes to the dead-end of a red-rock-lined canyon, where a palm oasis grows in the sand moistened by a spring bubbling up at a fault line. The canyon is home to over 200 Peninsular bighorn sheep and it is common to see the animals on this hike. We parked at the trail head, paying a $6 day-use fee and began the walk up the canyon.

The well-kept trail

 
The trail up to the oasis

The trail started easy enough - there is only a 600 foot elevation change to reach the oasis - but as we entered the canyon, we had to climb over large boulders and I had a little difficulty, but trudged on. It was a very interesting route through the canyon. We could see evidence of major flash-flooding and erosion. When it rains, it pours in the desert. Soon, we could see wet sand in the stream bed and a little while later, we could hear water trickling. Before these sounds, there was nothing. No sound. No wind. No birds. Just quiet. Very peaceful. It was also very, very warm hiking in the open desert without shade. We saw tall ocotillo, beavertail, and cholla cactus. The desert lavender was in bloom and the bees were busy on the purple flowers. The Cahuilla People once lived in Palm Canyon and there are many grinding stone holes in the boulders along the creek. We saw lizards, a few birds, heard a few frogs, and then we could see the oasis.

Our first glimpses of the oasis

The palms in the canyon are the rare California Fan Palm (Washingonia filifera). This palm is the only palm tree native to California. Sold in many garden shops, it is rare of find one in the wild. (See my post from the Thousand Palms Oasis outside of Palm Springs - same situation, just not in a canyon).

California Fan Palms


Palm Canyon Oasis

When we reached the oasis, it was about fifteen degrees cooler - very refreshing. There was a definite scent of sheep in the area, evidence of their presence - tracks and poop - and we began to see the sheep (Ovis canadensis cremnobates) in the rocky crags above the oasis. What gorgeous creatures! They don't seem to mind hikers since they are so far above the spring and just went about their business while we watched them from below. It is nearly impossible to find the sheep on the cliffs. They are exactly the same color as the rocks. The best way to find them is to stare at the rocks, and if one of the rocks begins to move - it is a sheep. The Peninsular Bighorn Sheep have white rears, so if they are headed away from you, sometimes it is possible to spot them this way. Hubby hiked on into the boulders above the oasis where he saw about ten more sheep. Our photos are not so good - DT's fabulous camera mysteriously died half-way into the hike, and my little pocket digital camera just isn't too good on distance shots. You will have to take this hike yourself to see the marvelous creatures living around the shaded spring.

The hike back to our car wasn't as much fun. Climbing down over boulders isn't my thing - being short and sight-impaired - but my driver helped and I made it down the scramble without injury (something I can't say about a ten-foot scramble a few days ago in Ventura!). This was a great hike and I really recommend it if you are ever in the area.

NOTES ON THIS HIKE: I would not recommend this hike in extreme heat and I would not recommend this hike for children under 8 years of age. The trail on the way back to the parking area was difficult - climbing/sliding down boulders. If you have a walking stick, bring it along for this hike. Wear sturdy shoes with non-slip soles. We had to cross the stream several times and came back with very dirty shoes. Wear a sunhat, use sunscreen and bring water and lip balm. Dogs are absolutely forbidden on this trail - the sheep are terrified of dogs and with only just 400 of the species left in the world, their protection is extremely critical. Leave your dog at home this time. If you can take this hike, do not miss the experience! Don't forget your camera!

Back at the RV Park - natural hot springs

We came back to our RV and headed promptly to the spa. The Springs at Borrego RV Resort has four hot tubs around the pool - each filled with natural hot spring water - and it was just what the doctor ordered to soothe our sore muscles.

Later, the doctor ordered margaritas at Pablitos Mexican Restaurant in town - where we enjoyed good drinks and mediocre food. The waitresses were friendly and understood my Spanish, which is always an amusing adventure in linguistics. The portions were stupendous - DT's carne asada arrived on a platter  sixteen-inches across. I asked for my #13 without rice and beans (in Spanish!), yet it still filled a large plate.

 
Carne Asada and a #13: cheese enchilada, beef taco and chile rellano

RV Park: The Springs at Borrego - RV Resort and Golf Course