0 min
Overview
In spring when all of Southern California (and beyond) descends upon the otherwise sleepy town of Borrego Springs to track down the Anza-Borrego wildflower blooms, high profile sites like Henderson, Coyote, Borrego Palm, and Hellhole Canyons can become totally overwhelmed with visitors. In the midst of the 2017 “superbloom,” by 7AM I managed to snag the second-to-last parking spot at the trailhead for Borrego Palm Canyon – but just slightly earlier that same day I was the only person enjoying the rugged peacefulness of watching the sunrise from the Cactus Loop Trail. This small, short nature trail is very easy to miss — indeed, most visitors to the park probably drive right past it on their way to Borrego Springs without even noticing. But more meticulous hikers (and those lucky enough to snag reservable spots at nearby Tamarisk Grove Campground) can enjoy this route in relative peace and quiet — all the while getting to know some of the region’s pointier plants. If you are chasing blooms, this area of the park is at a higher elevation than the technicolor botanical fireworks on the floor near Borrego Springs — so in general flowers here will be slightly behind the popular blooms at Henderson Canyon and near the Visitor Center. While you won’t see a seemingly endless carpet of wildflowers, in my opinion, cacti (and some nearby relatives) have some of the most beautiful flowers in the desert. Delicate, silky flowers emerge from some of the meanest, toughest plants in the Colorado Desert — many for just a day or two and only pollinated by a single species of critter. Before you begin, pop into the Tamarisk Grove Campground to pick up a paper brochure for the nature trail. You can also find these guides at stations around the park, at the Visitor Center, and in Borrego Springs. Cross the street and head up on the trailhead. This route goes clockwise but you can easily go in either direction. On this trail — as is true for most trails in the desert — the slower, more detail-obsessed hikers will be rewarded with ob
Trail Stats
1.2 km
65 m
492 m
426 m
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