About Borrego Palm Canyon Trail

A quintessential image of the desert is the palm oasis – a refuge of water and shade amid the barren landscape. Anza Borrego Desert State Park has over thirty palm oases scattered about the park, but the most famous and accessible is at the end of the Borrego Palm Canyon Trail.

Just 2.9 miles round trip, this is probably the most popular trail in the park and one of the best hikes in San Diego County. The trail starts at the Borrego Palm Canyon Campground, a large campground with a combination of tent camping sites and full hookup trailer sites with drinkable water and coin-operated hot showers. The trail leads through the canyon and is an easy, kid friendly hike. This area is where the bighorn sheep of Anza Borrego are known to hang out, so keep an eye on the ridges above your head for any hooved activity (and also to make sure it isn’t a mountain lion stalking you). Go in the wetter winter months when water may be flowing for an even more magical experience.

Pets are not allowed on the trails in Anza Borrego because their germs mess up the wildlife, so please respect this rule. Check the state park website for updates on what trails or sections of the park may be closed due to fires or flooding.

Best Parts

• Getting outdoors
• Moving your body
• A day trip

Behind The Counter

At over 640,000 acres, Anza Borrego Desert State Park, located in the western part of the great Colorado Desert, is the largest state park in California and the third largest state park in the country. The park stretches from near the Mexican border in the south to up near Temecula in the north. The first parcels of the park were purchased by the state in 1932 and it has expanded ever since.