Being in Southern California, Anza Borrego is just in our backyard. There are so many unique things to do there but one of the most popular ones is the slot canyon hike, simply named “The Slot.” It is one of the few slot canyons in California. The other slot canyon is a shorter one that is part of the Painted Canyon and Ladder hike near Palm Springs. The Slot is one of those hikes that you don’t really expect to find here in California. It is created by flash floods, which formed a breathtaking slot canyon. In certain areas, the canyon walls reach as high as 40-foot walls, towering over a foot-wide canyon floor.
STATS:
Where:
The Slot trailhead – Borrego Mountain Wash, Borrego Springs, CA 92004
Coordinates: 33°10’55.0″N 116°12’51.2″W
Parking: There is a decent size dirt parking lot right in front of the slot canyon hike trailhead.
Fee: There is no fee or passes needed.
Distance: The slot itself is about 0.5 miles. You can either hike down the slot and return back the way you come from (1-mile R.T.) or complete the loop, which is 2 miles.
Elevation Gain: 301 ft
Level: Easy with some narrow sections through the slot.
Estimated Completion Time: 1 – 3 hours depends on what direction you want to go.
Ideal Weather: Winter or Spring would be best. It is in the middle of the desert. Even though the slot itself is shaded,
Ideal Time: Early morning or later in the evening. It gets very warm even in the winter.
Dog-friendly: Dogs are NOT permitted on trails.
THE ADVENTURE:
You should be able to look up Slot Canyon hike in Anza Borrego through Google maps or use the coordinates above. It is a little tricky to find. From the Visitor Center, take Borrego Springs going toward Hwy 78. Turn left on Hwy 78 and drive 1.4 miles to Buttes Pass Road. The street sign is very small so make sure to pay attention, or you might miss it. Turn left onto Buttes Pass Road about drive 1.8 miles to the trail. At 0.89 miles, the road will split in half, make sure to stay towards the left side. Buttes Pass road is a dirt road with a bunch of
The parking lot for this hike is at the dead-end of the road. You’ll come up to a sign that marked “The Slot parking area.” From here, if you’re facing the canyon, to the right will be the start of the trail if you just want to get to the slot canyon quickly. If you head toward the left, you will be following the 4WD dirt road that will loop around and eventually lead you down to the canyon floor and loop through the slot canyon back to the car. It can be extremely hot here so before you start your hike, make sure to bring more than enough water.
We decided to go toward the left side. I love the view from the top of the slot canyon hike looking down the canyon floor. The canyon walls resemble the columns of Greek ruins. As you walk along the 4WD road, there are a few side trails that look like they will drop you down to the canyon floor. Most of them ended up at dead-ends with verticle drops. One of them actually will take you down to the floor. We were feeling adventurous so we decided to take that route instead of following the 4WD dirt road. If you decided to go the way we did, here are the coordinates for the turnoff: 33°10’52.93″N 116°13’7.84″W.
Here, you’ll walk through a small trail between the rock walls. Don’t forget to look at how cool these rocks are. They look like stacks of pancakes. The trail will lead to what looks like a dead-end, however, you are not all that high above the canyon floor. Once you reach the dead end, you’ll notice a faint ridgeline on your right-hand side. Backtrack up the trail just a little bit and go toward the right (if you are facing the canyon) to the ridgeline. From here, just make your way slowly down to the ground. Be careful if you decide to go this route. It is slippery and there are a lot of loose rocks.
Once you get down to the canyon floor, follow the road to the right, which heads back towards the parking lot. The trail winds through big canyon walls before leading you into the slot canyon. It is such a unique experience to weave yourself through this narrow corridor, snaking your way between the massive rock walls. The canyon gets very tight at some spots. We had to go
There is a natural rock bridge halfway through the slot. As you reach the end, the canyon opens up wider where and the trail curves under an overhang, follow the small trail between the rocks and eventually make your way back up the hill once you see the parking lot.
The slot is an easy yet super fun and unique hike in Anza Borrego. There are many other things to do here 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. Meanwhile, if you’re up for more adventure, you are just outside the Salton Sea, don’t forget to check out 10 things to do in Salton Sea, Salvation Mountain, or Slab City Adventure.
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RECOMMEND GEAR:
Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.
• Sunscreen:
We
• Comfortable hiking shoes, preferably with treads
Good hiking shoes are great for the slippery hills.
Vy’s shoes are North Face HedgeHog GTX.
Dustin’s shoes are Coleman Tasman Hiking Shoe.
• Water
Bring more than you think you need. It can get extremely hot here. Vy uses the Camelback L.U.X.E. Dustin uses the Clik Small pack (sadly Clik is no longer around).
CAMERA GEAR:
• Camera:
Sony a7 III
• Lenses:
Sony 24 -70mm f/2.8 Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar T Zoom Lens
Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX
