Ok, we’ve just returned from our fourth trip to Anza-Borrego, and once again enjoyed it thoroughly. The flowers are just about to pop (if the weather holds, I imagine next two weekends (3/20/2010 and 3/27) will be really fabulous) with a few early birds already showing their stuff. However, for those newly going to the park, a few hints:

1. If you’re going during flower season get there early. Arriving anytime after 10am is pretty risky if you’re aiming for the Palm Canyon Nature Trail. Your best bet: go the night before and either camp out or stay at a local motel! There are other trails, but this one is the most popular and really does have a lot of neat flowers.
2. Walking from the Visitor’s Center claims will add at least 3 miles to the trip. Totally worth it if the Borrego Palm Canyon Campground is full and you want to see the wildflowers (and the Visitor’s Center parking lot isn’t yet full), but that does make it a 6+ mile round trip.
3. Enough about wildflowers: see the slots. The trail to Palm Slot is easy to get to by any car, and The Slot needs just a bit of dirt road driving. They are both really, really cool hikes.
4. Bring lots and lots of water. Also sun protection, more water, proper clothes, etc.
5. Visitor’s guide: “Taken one way (downhill) it is a moderate hike, round-trip more difficult”. Translation: round-trip is straight up. Ride a mountain goat.
6. Visitor’s guide: “Dirt road”. Translation: talk to a ranger. This either means “something your Honda coup can access” or “when your brother-in-law takes you in his four-wheel-drive truck you will barely navigate through bolder-strewn, windy passes and will scrape the immaculate paint job in a few hundred different places from the advancing brush.” The Slot didn’t give us any trouble, the path to Wilson Trail still makes me wince when I think about it.
7. Visitor’s guide: “Some rock scrambling required.” Translation: the trail ends half a mile away from your destination. The rest requires crazy bush-whacking, boulder hopping and many reminders that desert shrub won’t just let you through without a fight. Maidenhair Falls, I’m looking at you.

Visiting Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is the only time I ever wish we had a vehicle that handles really off-road driving, but the trails you can get to from a car are still amazing. Easily one of our favorite parks.