Trail Overview
This 10-plus-mile out-and-back trail is located in Anza Borrego State Park and is part of the wildflowers tour, taking you into Coyote Canyon. Only highway legal vehicles are allowed on this route. The surface is super fine sand and is 1.5 to 2.5 vehicles wide in most places, providing good room for navigation. There are washboards from heavy traffic that will shake things up as you progress. The trail is lined with creosote bushes, teddy bear cacti, ocotillo, brittlebush, chuparosa, jojoba, and other desert flora, as well as seasonal wildflowers that create stunning displays when in bloom. The trail is relatively flat, but there are some ruts that cut across the road, requiring attention. At 3.5 miles in, there's a small creek crossing under 12 inches deep, after which the trail gets a little rockier. The trail is closed at 5.5 miles in with a locked gate, and you are encouraged to hike the trails past the gate. The trail is seasonally closed at mile 5.2 with a locked gate to protect bighorn sheep from June 1st through September 1st.
Difficulty
This is an easy trail with the main challenge being the super fine sand that requires momentum management. The washboards from heavy traffic add some bouncing. The creek crossing at 3.5 miles is shallow, at under 12 inches, and straightforward. The ruts crossing the road are minor. The wider trail width makes navigation comfortable. Highway legal vehicles only means this is accessible to street-registered vehicles with adequate clearance.
