Introduction
Coyote Canyon is a huge cleft that runs along the San Jacinto earthquake fault between the San Ysidro and Santa Rosa mountains and hosts perennial Coyote Creek. The constant creek flow starts in Riverside County’s Santa Rosa Wilderness, south of 8,716-foot Toro Peak. The waterway’s long downhill stretch flows through Coyote Canyon, ending in Borrego Sink, which at less than 500 feet is the lowest point in the Borrego Valley.
Coyote Canyon’s copious amounts of water attract wildlife and feed abundant flora and fauna in this isolated, yet favorite, recreational playground. Because of the continuous presence of water, recreational use of Coyote Canyon is controlled to safeguard wildlife. Seasonal closure June 1 through September affords the endangered Peninsular bighorn sheep and other wildlife a dependable and undisturbed water source.
Located in the northwest corner of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, the fertile region was once home to the so-called coyote people, a sect of the Cahuilla Indians. Beginning in the late 1700s, California colonists began traveling through the area, an obvious natural passage through the mountains. During the next hundred years or so, the presence of outsiders, resulting skirmishes, and the introduction of smallpox eventually drove these Native Americans from the area.
Today, thousands of Californians and out-of-state visitors come to Coyote Canyon to enjoy horseback riding, camping, hiking, and four-wheeling. Although the dirt road running through the canyon used to serve as a thoroughfare, a central 3-mile stretch between Middle Willows and Upper Willows is now closed to vehicles year-round to protect sensitive habitat. (It remains open to foot traffic.) Other areas within the canyon are also permanently closed to vehicle traffic, preserving the wild character of Coyote Canyon and its fertile grottoes filled with trickling waterfalls.
For clarity, let me tell you how to get to Coyote Canyon and prepare you for your day and overnight experiences in this stunning region. All but two of the trails included here are accessed via the directions below. Horse Canyon and White Wash are accessed from the more remote park entrance near the town of Anza in Riverside County. For more specific directions, see the individual write-ups for Horse Canyon and White Wash, which include a brief overview of additional hiking and camping opportunities in that area.
To get to Coyote Canyon from the quaint town of Borrego Springs, drive east on Palm Canyon Drive (approximately 2.5 miles from the Visitor Center, or 0.5 miles from Christmas Circle) to paved DiGiorgio Road, and turn left. After approximately 5 miles, DiGiorgio Road’s pavement ends. From this point, civilization all but vanishes. You’ll quickly cross a sometimes-muddy wash area, and continue northwest with Coyote Mountain to your right. At 2.5 miles from the pavement’s end, you’ll notice Alcoholic Pass, a hiking trail not included in detail here, but worth a look if you have the time and inclination. The rocky trail gains around 600 feet over the first mile and offers views northeast to the Santa Rosa Mountains and southwest to the San Ysidro Mountains. You may be wondering about the name, which historians say may have derived from the trail’s use as a shortcut into Borrego Springs for drinks. Just over 0.5 miles farther on the dusty sand road brings visitors to Desert Gardens, a popular picnic spot, on the right.
At approximately 3.5 miles, the unpaved road comes to the first crossing of Coyote Creek. The stream is usually running here, and although many vehicles have little trouble fording the creek at this initial crossing, some drivers choose to park in the ample turnout space. Depending on the condition of the road and the crossing, which can change due to weather, continued road travel may be iffy.
On weekends in the busy late-winter and early-spring desert recreation season, you’ll likely begin seeing tent campers from this point forward. The open camping policy in all of the park (except close to streams) makes Coyote Canyon a hot spot for quick getaways, not only for those who want to hike to the canyon’s more remote areas, but for people who choose a more just-off-the-road experience. Sheep Canyon Primitive Campground, only mildly more civilized than open camping in a spot of your choice, is another option—about 4 miles past the third crossing (6 miles from the first).
Just under 5 miles from the pavement’s end, the second crossing appears. If you’re not in a four-wheel-drive vehicle, consider stopping here. Less than a mile forward, you’ll see a large parking area on your left, just prior to the third crossing. Even those in four-wheel drives often stop here, choosing to hoof it across the stream into the Lower Willows area and beyond. The road itself veers abruptly left and intersects the stream, but even if you make it through this third crossing with the most water flow, what lies ahead may give you pause. The road moves over a steep section, paved by nature with large and jutting boulders. Many an oil pan leaves its greasy mark on these boulders, and you’ll routinely see four-wheel drives turning back at the base of the steep, rocky hill. It’s fun to stand and watch the ones that try, adding yours to the hoots and hollers of those who make it—and your sympathy to those who don’t!
The detailed write-ups I’ve included from the Coyote Canyon area range from an easy, looping stroll through marshy Lower Willows to more rugged hikes holding treasures well worth the extra effort, such as Sheep, Cougar, and Indian canyons. If you’re in a four-wheel drive and can make it past the third crossing, you can drive 4 miles to a vehicle closure point that offers quicker, easier access to these watery canyons.
In the remote northwestern corner of the park, I’ve outlined trips leading into Horse Canyon and into White Wash. If you’re after solitude, try the sampling I’ve included here. But be prepared—the road going down into the park is nothing less than horrendous, even for four-wheel drives. Warning signs remind visitors that tow trucks and emergency vehicles won’t go down the rocky road. Even the hardiest gung-ho off-roaders won’t likely consider the hairpin turns over slippery rocks on steep overhangs a fun experience. A turnout a short distance from the park’s entry gate may be the rest-easy ticket—except that you’ll be walking down, then back up, the steep Anza trail.