Anza-Borrego Desert: Blow Sand Canyon Loop

Rating *****
Length 3.8 mile (return) - 1 Hour, 40 minutes (return trip). Easy/Moderate.
Elevation 370 - 780 feet
Access Some ground clearance, an 4x4 is highly recommended and needed on the Goat trail.

A most scenic short hike, a loop into narrow canyons made out of rock and sand.
And as a bonus a scenic drive.

Description is from the Goat Trail.

Hike downhill, the sandy wash is getting steeper the further you go.
The fall is easy to pass by going back, turn east and go north until you end up in the same canyon again.

The rest of the way there are a couple of falls that you can slide down, one is 6 feet high.
Explore the numerous forks.

Around the hill you get into the Blow Sand Canyon, follow the road uphill.
Keep left or right of the fence, it doesn't really matter.

Further on take the left fork away from the road, some small canyons take you all the way to the saddle.
You will encounter some small boulders and a short scramble (in sand) out of the canyon.
The visitor centre / Ranger station is close by, below to the south.

Follow the road more or less towards the car.

Back at the car drive further on the road, up to the next crossing and drive left (north), downhill.
Have fun driving downhill in the sand.
As you meet the San San Felipe Wash, turn left and at the next crossing turn left on the signed Butte Pass going south.

How to get to the trail head:

Take the signed exit Butte Pass. On the next signed exit, turn right Butte Pass.

Warning: Once committed on the Goat trail there is no turning back, at least turning back is a lot more difficult, as you have to drive up a steep slippery road.

If you have a 4x4 turn right on the Goat trail, the difficult parts in going downhill, that's a good thing.
In 2015 some deeper waves are forming in the downhill part, that may challenge your ground clearance.
So check out the road condition at the visitor center, before you make this trip.
Park at point "park" or dry a bit further close to the crossing where there is more room for parking.

If you don't have a 4x4:

At the crossing with the Goat trail keep on going downhill, pass the Hawk canyon on the left and keep on going downhill.

As soon as you get in the San Felipe wash, turn right and again take the first signed road on the right, that's the Blow Sand canyon, park somewhere along the trail.

Without a 4x4 or AWD there is always a risk of getting stuck in the sand.

Load the hike in: GPX or KML (Google Earth file) Tip: use the right mouse key and select save.

Click on the button "Photo markers" to show pictures, or in the right upper corner to show full screen.



Missing the film above or to watch full screen, use this link. (Dec/15/2013)
(Dec/15/2013) (Dec/15/2013)
(Dec/15/2013) (Dec/15/2013)
(Dec/15/2013) (Dec/15/2013)
(Dec/15/2013) (Dec/15/2013)
(Dec/15/2013) (Dec/15/2013)
(Jan/1/1970)Desert twinbugs, Dicoria canescens (Jan/1/1970)
Desert twinbugs, Dicoria canescens (Jan/1/1970)Desert twinbugs, Dicoria canescens (Dec/15/2013)
Desert twinbugs, Dicoria canescens (Jan/1/1970)Desert twinbugs, Dicoria canescens (Jan/1/1970)
Desert twinbugs, Dicoria canescens (Jan/1/1970) (Jan/1/1970)
(Dec/15/2013) (Feb/18/2015)
(Feb/18/2015) (Feb/18/2015)
Brown-eyed primrose, Camissonia claviformis ssp. peirsonii (Feb/18/2015)Pygmy-cedar, Peucephyllum schottii (Feb/18/2015)
Pygmy-cedar, Peucephyllum schottii (Jan/1/1970)Pygmy-cedar, Peucephyllum schottii (Feb/18/2015)
Desert sand-verbena, Abronia villosa var. villosa (Feb/18/2015) (Feb/18/2015)
(Feb/18/2015) (Feb/18/2015)
(Feb/18/2015) (Feb/18/2015)
(Feb/18/2015) (Feb/18/2015)
(Feb/18/2015) (Feb/18/2015)
Spectacle-pod, Dithyrea californica (Feb/18/2015)Palmer's crinklemat, Tiquilia palmeri (Nov/27/2016) 🌎
Desert twinbugs, Dicoria canescen (Nov/27/2016) 🌎Turtleback, Psathyrotes ramosissima (Nov/27/2016) 🌎
Thick leaf ground cherry, Physalis crassifolia (Nov/27/2016) 🌎 (Feb/26/2017) 🌎
Littleflowered heliotrope phacelia, Phacelia crenulata minutiflora (Feb/26/2017) 🌎Desert sand verbena, Abronia villosa villosa (Feb/26/2017) 🌎
Arrow leaf, Pleurocoronis pluriseta (Feb/26/2017) 🌎Brown eyed primrose, Chylismia claviformis peirsonii (Feb/26/2017) 🌎
(Feb/26/2017) 🌎 (Feb/26/2017) 🌎
Desert chicory, Rafinesquia neomexicana (Feb/26/2017) 🌎 (Feb/26/2017) 🌎
California suncup;False mustard, Eulobus californicus (Feb/26/2017) 🌎Desert pincushion, Chaenactis stevioides (Feb/26/2017) 🌎
Desert sunflower, Geraea canescens (Feb/26/2017) 🌎Desert lily, Hesperocallis undulata (Feb/26/2017) 🌎
Thick leaf ground cherry, Physalis crassifolia (Feb/26/2017) 🌎Arizona lupine, Lupinus arizonicus (Feb/26/2017) 🌎
Button brittlebush, Encelia frutescens (Feb/26/2017) 🌎Desert lily, Hesperocallis undulata (Feb/26/2017) 🌎
Desert lily, Hesperocallis undulata (Feb/26/2017) 🌎Spectacle pod, Dithyrea californica (Feb/26/2017) 🌎
Brittlebush, Encelia farinosa (Feb/26/2017) 🌎Desert star, Monoptilon bellioides (Feb/26/2017) 🌎
Small flowered trailing windmills, Allionia incarnata incarnata (Feb/26/2017) 🌎Small flowered trailing windmills, Allionia incarnata incarnata (Feb/26/2017) 🌎
(Feb/26/2017) 🌎Desert tobacco, Nicotiana obtusifolia (Feb/26/2017) 🌎
Small flowered poppy, Eschscholzia minutiflora (Feb/26/2017) 🌎Pygmy cedar, Peucephyllum schottii (Feb/26/2017) 🌎
Bigelow's monkey flower, Mimulus bigelovii bigelovii (Feb/26/2017) 🌎Desert dandelion, Malacothrix glabrata (Feb/26/2017) 🌎
Glandular threadplant, Nemacladus glanduliferus (Mar/16/2017) 🌎Glandular threadplant, Nemacladus glanduliferus (Mar/16/2017) 🌎
Star gilia, Gilia stellata (Mar/16/2017) 🌎Sand blazing star, Mentzelia involucrata (Mar/16/2017) 🌎
Arizona lupine, Lupinus arizonicus (Mar/16/2017) 🌎Desert chicory, Rafinesquia neomexicana (Mar/16/2017) 🌎
White-lined Sphinx Moth, Hyles lineata caterpillar (Mar/16/2017) 🌎White-lined Sphinx Moth, Hyles lineata caterpillar (Mar/16/2017) 🌎
Desert calico, Loeseliastrum matthewsii (Mar/16/2017) 🌎White-lined Sphinx Moth, Hyles lineata caterpillar (Mar/16/2017) 🌎
Off route on the Butte Side of BlowSand Canyon (Oct/30/2024) 🌎Off route on the Butte Side of BlowSand Canyon (Oct/30/2024) 🌎
Off route on the Butte Side of BlowSand Canyon (Oct/30/2024) 🌎Off route on the Butte Side of BlowSand Canyon (Oct/30/2024) 🌎
Off route on the Butte Side of BlowSand Canyon (Oct/30/2024) 🌎Fouquieria splendens splendens , Ocotillo (Oct/30/2024) 🌎
Asclepias subulata , Rush milkweed (Oct/30/2024) 🌎Eriogonum inflatum , Desert trumpet (Oct/30/2024)
Tiquilia palmeri , Palmer's crinklemat (Oct/30/2024)
Date: 2016/11/27
Date: 2017/2/26
Date: 2017/3/16
Date: 2024/10/30

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Hiking the Borrego Springs Area (Anza-Borrego Desert SP, Cuyamaca Rancho SP, Imperial Sand Dunes (Algodones Dunes), Jacumba, Laguna Mountain, Warner Springs) California, Hike with gps, gpx and kml (Google Earth).
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