The Slot - Anza Borrego Desert State Park
DETAILS:
Location: Anza Borrego Desert State Park (2 hours east of San Diego / 1.5 hours south of Temecula)
Directions: Using the town of Borrego Springs as your starting point, drive approximately 11 miles southeast on Borrego Springs Road until you hit Route 78E. Make a left and drive 1.5 miles while keeping an eye out for the easy-to-miss sign for “Butte Pass” on your left. This marks the nondescript access road that leads to the canyon. You’ll drive for a mile until you hit a fork which gives you the option to turn right. Continue straight and drive for another mile until the road dead-ends at the trailhead.
Hours of Operation: Daily - Sunrise to Sunset.
Parking: Free parking at trailhead.
Cost: Free!
Time Commitment: 1-2 hours.
Miscellaneous:
Butte Pass is all dirt and gravel, but is accessible by 2WD vehicles most of the year.
During summer months, Anza Borrego Desert State Park can exceed 100 degrees so make sure to check weather conditions before you go and pack plenty of water and sun protection.
The trail through slot canyon is under 1 mile, but you can access numerous trails in the surrounding area to extend your excursion, if so desired.
Bathrooms available at trailhead.
As with most trails in California State Parks, dogs are not permitted.
Named after 18th century Spanish Explorer; Juan Bautista de Anza and the Spanish word for Sheep (“Borrego”), Anza-Borrego Desert State Park would surprise most when discovering that it’s actually California’s largest state park! Spanning 585,930 acres of land, the park possesses a veritable cornucopia of natural wonders like Font’s Point and The Pumpkin Patch. But due to its extreme terrain, many of these sites can only be accessed with a heavy-duty 4WD vehicle. But fear not, one of the park’s signature attractions can still be easily reached, even if you only have a “regular” 2WD car like me.
Affectionally referred to as The Slot, this short trail (under 1 mile out & back) traverses a narrow siltstone canyon that will reward you with unforgettable memories of this unique experience. As detailed in the directions above, reaching the trail takes a little bit of navigating to find the access road, but as long as you pay attention to your odometer and keep an eye out for “Butte Pass”, you’ll be just fine. The last two miles to the trailhead will have you traveling on a rough dirt road, but it’s completely manageable with any car as long as you take it slow. The access road dead-ends into the parking area which is also the beginning of the trailhead. If this is your first time, you might be curious where the trail begins once you get out of your car. The answer? It’s the ravine that drops down into the canyon directly in-front of you. At first glance, it might seem like a steep drop, but it’s really not that bad (maybe less than 50 feet down), and it gets less steep the more you move to the right of the rim. But you’ll still want to use caution as you rock-scramble your way down the trench into the canyon.
Once you’ve descended into The Slot the rest of your journey will be pretty flat as you wind your way through this awe-inspiring canyon that envelops itself around you with varying degrees of narrowness. You’ll definitely reach stretches that will have you sucking your tummy in as you endeavor to squeeze through making the trek all the more fun, so hopefully you’re not too claustrophobic. About halfway through, you’ll see the canyon’s centerpiece arch rise majestically above you. The passageway eventually opens up as you reach the end of The Slot, and you’ll be treated with a cairn garden for all your efforts erected by various travelers who have preceded you. You can keep going forward and connect with some of the other trails in the area, but in my humble opinion, do yourself a favor and make your way back through The Slot to give yourself one last taste of this amazing adventure.
RESOURCES:
Anza Borrego Desert State Park website.
