Palm Canyon Hike

The signature hike at Anza Borrego is the 3 mile hike to Palm Canyon. This is a hike I do every time I visit since it is easy and convenient to the town/campground. The trail follows a creek (usually dry) until you approach the palm grove where water suddenly bubbles up from a spring.

A grove of about 50 native California Fan Palms are huddled at the end of the canyon. Before the devastating 2004 flash flood, the palm grove numbered over 300. Signs of new growth abound so the future outlook for the grove appears promising.

We run into Dennis at the trail-head

Trail meanders up-hill along the dry creek bed toward the palm grove

Suddenly water appears and quickly disappears into the desert

Jaws! - stark evidence of the 2004 flash flood

Nearing the main grove

Small waterfall below the grove

Remembering Patti - standing where she once stood

Mike standing in the middle of the shady grove

Great views of the valley from the high-trail

View of Borrego Springs from the high trail

Zooming in on Fonts Point lying across the valley

Taking a break on a natural rock bench

Evening view of Rabbit Ridge (far ridge) and Coyote Peak ridge (middle foreground)

Slot Canyon and Wind Caves Hike

The Port-Hole

Another great hike is Slot Canyon and Wind Caves which lies near the Borrego Buttes east of town. We did a loop hike dropping down into the slots and out the other end and returning over the wind cave hills to the trail-head.

Heading into Slot Canyon from above

Traversing the slots

A perfect key-stone!

OK Mike . . . just a small dinner salad tonight!

Colorful hills as you exit Slot Canyon

Pot-marked wind cave hills

Wind and erosion over the eons created the caves

Badlands and Fonts Point lies across the valley

Mike attempts a little spelunkering

Pretty rugged country

Around the Park
continued on next page
Click on "older post"

Around the Park

Brittle bush - first blooms of the year

Stairs to the Bridge, a roof-top garden over the Park's Visitor Center

Entrance to Visitor Center lies under the roof-top desert garden

Reflection - pup-fish pond at Visitor Center

Rams-horn door handles at Visitor Center

Ocotillo sunrise

Barrel cactus in the early morning

I rode by my favorite campsite and discovered Ric and Sandy Rusconi camped there. Patti and I used to stake out this site in our RV days and would hang a bird feeder on the ironwood tree (on right).

How appropriate and ironic to find another Wheelmen couple staying here. I hope you enjoyed camping here as much as we did.

This friendly road runner posed for me

On this trip, I stayed at the Palm Canyon Resort Motel which had a great view of Indian Head

Main office/restaurant at Palm Canyon

The pool and spa were right in front of our room

A beautiful rainbow arched over Borrego Springs on the day we left. A perfect ending to our trip.

Mike looking for his pot of gold

Jim Mullen Art Reception

Checkered Fencing

My cycling buddy from Nevada City, Jim Mullen, is quite an accomplished artist. He takes discarded items and transforms them into objects of contemporary art. Recently, he had reception at the 2237 Gallery in Roseville featuring over 40 pieces of his recent works.

Displayed below are some of his cool objects de art.

Presenting Jim!

In front of one of his larger pieces

Jennie with one of Jim's pieces

Ken with group of smaller pieces