Trail Overview
Borrego Mountain Wash is a 4.3-mile point-to-point trail rated 3 of 10 located within the California Anza-Borrego Desert State Park (ABDSP). Trails within the ABDSP are restricted to street-legal vehicles. Borrego Mountain Wash is a north/south running trail. The south end starts 1 mile north of Highway 78 at the intersection with Buttes Pass Road. The trail transits the west side of Borrego Mountain. The first part of the trail can be accessed by any 2 or 4WD vehicle up to the parking lot for "The Slot." "The Slot" is a short 0.8-mile out-and-back hike into one of several slot canyons found in the State Park. Hiking into "The Slot" requires a day-use permit which can be purchased on-site or on the web. There are restroom facilities at the parking area and the day pass currently costs $10. A short distance past the parking area, travelers will approach the Borrego Drop, a steep descent into the Borrego Wash. A sign stating 4x4 Vehicles Only is located at the top of the drop. At the bottom of the drop, vehicles can turn right, park in the wash, and access "The Slot" with a little longer hike. The Borrego Mountain Wash continues to the left and winds through a sand and stone canyon eventually ending at the intersection with San Felipe Wash. Cell phone service is typically available until descending the drop and resumes as the trail nears the San Felipe Wash. The nearest services are located in Borrego Springs.
Difficulty
The trail consists of loose rocks, dirt, and sand with some slick rock surfaces and mud holes possible. No steps are higher than 12 inches. 4WD may be required, and aggressive tires are a plus.
History
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is a California State Park located within the Colorado Desert of southern California, United States. The park takes its name from 18th-century Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza and the Spanish word borrego, which literally means "lamb" but is also used to describe the desert bighorn sheep. With nearly 600,000 acres, it is the largest state park in California as well as the 48 contiguous states. The park has varied topography that includes dry lake beds, badlands, and mountains that rise above 5,500 feet (1,675 meters). Two-thirds of the park's area is designated as wilderness, and cactus, yucca, and ocotillo are abundant throughout. Among the park's attractions are groves of California fan palms and a profusion of wildflowers that bloom in mid-to-late winter. Deer, kit foxes, iguanas, rattlesnakes, roadrunners, eagles, and the endangered desert bighorn sheep are all found within the park.
