These hiking poles are sturdy, and great to help keep your balance on short or longer hikes
The Slot or Slot Canyon Hike in Anza Borrego Desert State Park is one of few substantial slot canyons in California. This impressive slot canyon was created by flash floods. In some areas, the canyon walls reach as high as 40 ft, towering over a foot-wide canyon floor. The slot canyon section is about 0.5 miles long. This is one of those hikes that you don’t really expect to find in California. If you just want to experience the slot canyon and turn back, it is only 1-mile round trip. However, we recommend doing the whole loop, which is about 2.2 miles. This way, you can see the canyon from the top down before getting right in the middle of it.
Slot Canyon Hike trailhead –
Borrego Mountain Wash, Borrego Springs, CA 92004
Coordinates: 33°10’55.0″N 116°12’51.2″W
There is a decent-sized dirt parking lot right in front of the Slot Canyon hike trailhead.
Anza Borrego State Park charges a daily use fee of $10. You can pay the fee at the pay station located near the restrooms. It is cash only. Make sure you keep your payment stub. You can use this payment stub at other areas in the park on the same day. For more info on different locations, click here.
Vault toilet at the trailhead.
Leave your pet at home. They are not allowed on the trail!
Just the Slot: 1 mile R.T.
Full loop: 2.2 miles
301 ft
Easy to Moderate. The trail is simple, but there’s a lot of elevation gain.
It takes about 30 minutes to 2.5 hours, depending on if you just want to do the slot and how much time you want to spend there.
September through May. These months usually have cooler weather, which is perfect for hiking this trail. The slot canyon area is shaded, but the rest of the trail is in full sun with no shade. This trail can be busy during peak seasons. We recommend getting there early. The parking lot can get closed off when it is full.
It is a slot canyon, so watch out for flash floods. Don’t hike this if there is rain in the forecast. Also, make sure to bring A LOT of water. The desert sun can get very toasty, even in the winter.
You should be able to look up Slot Canyon hike in Anza Borrego in Google Maps or use the coordinates above. It is a little tricky to find.
From the parking, facing the canyon, the main trailhead for the Slot Canyon Hike is to the right. This is where you start if you want to get to the slot canyon quickly. The trail on the left follows the 4WD dirt road that runs along the side of the canyon before leading down to the canyon floor and, eventually, the slot canyon. Whatever routes you choose, make sure to wear good hiking shoes and take lots of water!
Every time we’re here, we usually start our hike toward the left side. We prefer doing the whole loop. Therefore, by going along the top of the canyon first, we can get the hotter part of the hike out of the way first and then enjoy the shaded canyon after.
The wide dirt trail is very easy to follow. It is mostly flat with a small climb about 0.4 miles in. We love the views from the top, looking down the canyon floor. The canyon walls resemble the columns of Greek ruins. If you look further down the canyon, you can also see some cool wind caves on the hillside. Along the side of the trail, there are many interesting desert plants with one of our favorites, the beautiful Ocotillo.
After about 0.9 miles, the Slot Canyon Hike comes to a sharp bend. There is a small sign that says “High Clearance Vehicles ONLY.” We turned right here to go down a very steep and sandy hill to get to the canyon floor below. At the bottom of this steep hill, the Slot Canyon trail met up with the Borrego Mountain Wash to the left. Here, you’ll need to turn right to make your way back through the canyon.
The Slot Canyon trail winds through big canyon walls before leading you into the slot canyon. It is such a unique experience weaving yourself through this narrow corridor, snaking your way between the massive rock walls. The canyon gets very tight in some spots. In these spots, we had to take off our backpack and go sideway. Don’t forget to look up. There are giant boulders that got stuck between the narrow canyon walls and a natural rock bridge halfway through the slot.
After the natural rock bridge, you’ll come up to the most challenging section of the hike. It is a short climb up a 3-foot ledge. It’s not that bad, but you might want to give the shorter folks a lift just in case. The last time we did this hike, this climb wasn’t here. After this short climb, the canyon opens up wider. The trail then curves under an overhang. The canyon also opens up. This is near the end of the Slot Canyon trail. Soon enough, we found a small sign pointing toward a small trail leading up the hill. From here, it is a short descent back to the parking.
The slot is an easy yet fun and unique hike in the Anza Borrego Desert State Park. There are many other things to do at this awesome park, such as exploring the Galleta Meadows of giant metal sculptures, hiking to these super cool Wind Caves, or watching the sunset from one of the best viewpoints in the park, Fonts Point. If you love slot canyons, check out Painted Canyon and Ladder hike near Palm Springs, or Annie’s Canyon in San Diego, or Buckskin Gulch in Utah. However, our favorite slot canyon is the awesome slot canyon in Page, AZ, where we could climb through it!
Happy Adventuring. Don’t forget to check out the related posts below for more inspiration on your upcoming adventures. While at it, follow us on Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel! We’ll love you forever!
These are the gear that we personally use and find helpful for this particular adventure. Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.
These hiking poles are sturdy, and great to help keep your balance on short or longer hikes
If you tend to have foot blisters on hikes, get this! We use this all the time.
Our favorite hiking/travel jacket. It's warm and packable, perfect to bring on a hike or a road trip.
Our favorite hiking/travel jacket. It's warm and packable, perfect to bring on a hike or a road trip.
This jacket is packable into a super small and light little ball. Perfect for when you just need a little…
This jacket is packable into a super small and light little ball. Perfect for when you just need a little…
It's always good to bring a GPS tracker with you. We use the Garmin inReach.
This is Vy's favorite hiking bag! It has tons of room for snacks and water!
Our favorite biodegradable, eco-friendly, reef-safe sunscreen!
This is our go-to camera for all of our adventures. It comes with us everywhere!
Compact GoPro pole that extends to 25", perfect to bring on your adventure.
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Hi! We are Dustin & Vy, the proud creators of Live That Adventure. We created this website because we wanted to inspire others to live their lives to the fullest. On here, you’ll find everything from hiking, canyoneering, kayaking, and snorkeling to adventure and travel tips, gear reviews, and bucket list items such as bungee jumping or wing walking. We’ll show you the ropes so you can do them too!
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