Join me for an epic overland adventure to Coyote Creek in the Anza Borrego Desert State Park, in eastern San Diego county, Southern California. This is one of the most pristine and beautiful desert wilderness areas I have ever seen, and is only accessible beyond the first few miles by high clearance 4 wheel drive vehicles. The northernmost area of Borrego Springs is the entry point to Coyote Canyon for vehicle traffic, and the winter wildflowers are starting to bloom over the open fields.
Crossing Coyote Creek:
We’re crossing Coyote creek for the first time, and it’s just a shallow wash at this point. This is about two and a half or three miles up the dirt road into coyote canyon. Up until this point most vehicles with a four wheel drive or an all wheel drive can navigate this mostly graded, sandy jeep road. Beyond this point you quickly come to deeper sections of the creek, mud, and rocks, and you really need a more high profile 4 wheel drive vehicle from here on out.
Creeks Running:
It’s a beautiful day, and we’re finally getting a break from the winter storms which have filled up the creek. The sound of the flowing water echoes throughout Coyote canyon so serenely. It’s such an unusual sound in the desert that you don’t take it for granted when you hear it, knowing that sooner than later the creek beds will be dry again.
Winter Wildflower Bloom:
The wet winter this year has given us enough precipitation to see the creeks running in the desert canyons, and it’s a glorious sight, but the sound is even more beautiful. We explore the running creeks and the desert willows marshes that make up this incredible desert riparian environment. After three years of intense mega-drought, these areas have been bone dry, and last summer the ecosystem collapse of plant and animal life was devastating. Although the vulnerable desert areas will never return to their former state, it’s wonderful, and so soul-affirming to see water running and the ecosystem recovering.
caption: Standing behind metal signs in the desert backcountry can be hazardous to your health.
After the backcountry gate and the lower willows marsh area, we ford the creek and carefully drive up boulder alley, an incredibly narrow road through a rugged pass featuring jagged and sharp rocks on either side of the road, and one blind corner after another. Once we reach the top of the hill an incredible view of a wide flat valley and soaring mountain ranges emerges. Within this incredible, pristine valley Sheep canyon, Cougar Canyon, Santa Catarina palm oasis and desert willow marsh, Collins Valley, and Salvador Canyon are all visible. The amount of jeep convoys and off-roaders up here is incredible, but after all the area is so beautiful, and Southern California is so crowded.
Having come this far, we stop and appreciate the views, and then descend into the canyon in order to try and hike into the palm oasis. Once we trekked closer to the oasis, the sound of the gentle desert breeze caressing the palm fronds was so soothing and captivating. It’s truly one of my favorite sounds in the world. From there we drove down the jeep road into Collins Valley at the northern section of lower Coyote Canyon. The air up here is so incredibly fresh and clean.
We’ve made it down to the California fan palm oasis at the bottom of the valley, and the palms are surrounded by marshy areas thick with desert willows. This spring area was named by the Spanish explorer Juan Bautista De Anza when his overland discovery party camped here on March 14, 1774, during the opening of the Anza trail from Sonora to Alta California. It would have made a perfect resting place for the explorers and their animals, featuring running water, and some protection from the fierce desert winds.
Today it’s a gorgeous natural palm oasis, teeming with wildlife. One of my favorite sounds in the world is the sound of the breeze rustling through the desert palms, and this is the perfect place to experience that. When the jeep convoys quiet down you can really savor the delicate rustling of the palm fronds. This is just such a pristine natural ecosystem, and after the wet winter it’s starting to spring back to life.
From this point, you can actually drive the jeep roads another 30-40 miles north to Anza through the Terwilliger Valley and eventually up to highway 371. However most of the jeep roads are unmaintained and incredibly rugged. That’s the kind of off-roading that’s best left to very experienced drivers in groups. It’s been an incredible visit here, and there are so many different hiking trails just in Lower Coyote Canyon, Alcoholic Pass, Ash Wash, Lower and Upper Willows, Box Canyon, First, Second and Third Crossing Loops just to name a few.
Jeep Roads & Hiking Trails:
Once you get up into lower Coyote Canyon, past the backcountry gate, and up through boulder alley, a large mostly flat triangular valley opens up. Within this pristine, untouched land between two mountain ranges, there are so many different areas like Sheep Canyon, Cougar Canyon, Box Canyon, Salvador Canyon, Collins Valley, and the jeep road that continues into upper Coyote Canyon. Off the grid camping is allowed here, and there are so many great spots to choose from. I can’t imagine how beautiful it is watching the sunset, seeing the stars in the pitch-black sky, and waking up to an incredible sunset in the canyon. As we explore upper Collins valley our gps tells us that we’ve actually made it out of the Anza Borrego Desert State Park and into the Santa Rosa Mountains Wilderness Area. So we have really gone out into the back of beyond today.
Having traversed almost 10 miles past the paved road, I really feel like I’ve just scratched the surface here in Coyote Canyon. For the last 2 years I have heard so much about this place, and how it was truly the most beautiful corner of the Anza Borrego Desert State Park, and I have to say it really lives up to the hype. As the winter gives way to Spring, I know I’ll be back for off-roading, hiking, and drinking in the sound of the Palm Oasis. It seems as though there are many other palm oases tucked into the upper canyons, so I’m keen to see others that are even less disturbed by human activity.
Thank you for joining me, seeing the desert heal and renew after the most recent drought is so life-affirming for me. It just shows how much regeneration is possible, even after such a hard drought. I love following the example that nature sets out for us. I have enjoyed sharing this incredible place with you, and I know I’ll be back.
All the best,
William Z. Brennan
About Desert Mountain Apothecary: The original desert apothecary for mind, body & spirit: desert roots & desert mountain botanicals: Desert Mountain Apothecary by William Z. Brennan. Supremely natural natural skincare & botanical fragrance hand made with love from the purest natural source plant-based ingredients.
About William Z. Brennan: William Z. Brennan is a natural lifestyle expert, founder of Desert Mountain Apothecary & author of upcoming e-book Natural Lifestyle Optimization. Originally from New York, and with a background in fragrance, skincare, fashion design & bespoke mens tailoring, he is now based in the Southern California Desert.
About Natural Lifestyle Optimization: William Z. Brennan is the author of upcoming e-book Natural Lifestyle Optimization, a new way of harnessing habits and routines towards a transformation and renewal of mind, body & spirit. Pre-order your copy of Natural Lifestyle Optimization today!
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