Day 4: Touring Anza Borrego Desert State Park

February 29, 2012

From the beginning I planned to take a day off here to hike into Palm Canyon. After such a long ride yesterday I really need the day off.

In the morning I paid $16 for two nights at the hiker/biker site. Then I pedaled around the campground to find the Palm Canyon trailhead and hiked the trail 3+ miles round trip. The trail starts in a desert canyon with no sign of palms or water.

No sign of palms at the Palm Canyon trailhead.

I had up close views of the signature desert plants such as Ocotillo and Cholla cactus.

A creek appears 1 mile up the trail. I could see a few palms in the distance.

The area around the creek and the palms was full of people, mostly a California Conservation Corps work crew removing seed pods of invasive grasses.

California Conservation Corps removing seed pods of invasive grasses.

Upstream from the palms the creek is very steep with many small cascades amid giant fallen boulders. Some of the plunge pools were big enough to get into, but the weather was a bit cool for that. Sunny, breezy, with temperature in the low 60's. I stayed out of the water.

One of the upper cascades in Palm Canyon.

Lowest cascade with an inviting wading pool. If it was warmer...

The giant fan palms are the only native palm in California. They only grow near desert springs like this. All the palm trees near the coast are non-native.

Palm canyon is interesting but I was kind of underwhelmed, expecting more palms. The setting is nice, with the small creek cascading down a desert canyon. But 30 miles north, the palm canyon just outside the city of Palm Springs has more palms, a bigger creek, and bigger mountains.

The biggest cluster of fan palms is away from the creek.

I got back to the trailhead at 12:30 and pedaled 4 miles into the town of Borrego Springs for a restaurant lunch and to buy groceries.

Back at the campsite I had plenty of time to relax and do various chores. Shower, shave, laundry, etc. I solar-charged batteries after two days of overcast weather made solar charging impossible.

The Hike and Bike group site has 3 covered picnic tables.

Yesterday I arrived too late to see the sunset in the Anza Borrego desert. So it was nice to see it tonight.

Sunset at Palm Canyon campground, Anza Borrego Desert State Park.

Distance: 9.4 mi. (15 km)

Climbing: 506 ft. (153 m)

Average Speed: 9.3 mph (15 km/h)

Hiking: 4 mi. (6.4 km)

Today's ride: 9 miles (14 km)
Total: 162 miles (261 km)

Rate this entry's writing	Heart	1
Comment on this entry	Comment	0