Anza-Borrego Desert: Third Crossing Wash Loop

Rating *****
length 4.7 mile (the loop) - 2 hour, 30 minutes (Return trip). Easy/Moderate.
Elevation 1040 - 1330 feet
Access Most cars up to first crossing, after that high clearance preferred.

This hike loops into two West forks of the Lower Coyote Canyon.
A nice loop in the flower season, generally February - April.

The hike follows sandy washes, firm as long as horses didn't break the upper layer.
After point "Fork" some rocky terrain, while crossing over from one wash to another, but all in all the terrain is pretty easy to hike.
The first detour into a South Fork, plenty of small boulders, not recommended.
After entering the Third Crossing Wash, a more interesting detour is going up at point "Explore" and hike up the rather sandy wash, until it gets too rocky.

Now follow the sandy wash down towards Coyote creek.
Once close to the creek, you are almost at Third Crossing, now follow the creek down towards Second crossing.
Conditions vary a lot from year to year, you should be able to follow the creek left or right (if it's possible to cross it).
Past Second crossing head cross country, back towards the car.

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.


Our plant list

Missing the film above or to watch full screen, use this link. (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Pebble pincushion, Chaenactis carphoclinia var. carphoclinia (Mar/23/2015) 🌎Pebble pincushion, Chaenactis carphoclinia var. carphoclinia (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Whispering bells, Emmenanthe penduliflora var. penduliflora (Mar/23/2015) 🌎Whispering bells, Emmenanthe penduliflora var. penduliflora (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Desert Threadplant, Nemacladus rubescens (Mar/23/2015) 🌎Desert Threadplant, Nemacladus rubescens (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Purple mat, Nama demissum var. demissum (Mar/23/2015) 🌎Purple mat, Nama demissum var. demissum (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Fremont pincushion, Chaenactis fremontii (Mar/23/2015) 🌎Arizona lupine, Lupinus arizonicus (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Desert dandelion, Malacothrix glabrata (Mar/23/2015) 🌎Common phacelia, Phacelia distans (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Star gilia, Gilia stellata (Mar/23/2015) 🌎Chia, Salvia columbariae (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Teddy-bear cholla, Opuntia bigelovii (Mar/23/2015) 🌎Parish's poppy, Eschscholzia parishii (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Bigelow's monkeyflower, Mimulus bigelovii var. bigelovii (Mar/23/2015) 🌎Bigelow's monkeyflower, Mimulus bigelovii var. bigelovii (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Bigelow's monkeyflower, Mimulus bigelovii var. bigelovii (Mar/23/2015) 🌎Pale suncup, Camissoniopsis pallida ssp. pallida (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Desert chicory, Rafinesquia neomexicana (Mar/23/2015) 🌎 (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Parish's poppy, Eschscholzia parishii (Mar/23/2015) 🌎Rock hibiscus, Hibiscus denudatus (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Rock hibiscus, Hibiscus denudatus (Mar/23/2015) 🌎Rock hibiscus, Hibiscus denudatus (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Rock hibiscus, Hibiscus denudatus (Mar/23/2015) 🌎 (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
(Mar/23/2015) 🌎Emory's rock-daisy, Perityle emoryi (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Desert chicory, Rafinesquia neomexicana (Mar/23/2015) 🌎California fagonia, Fagonia laevis (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
California fagonia, Fagonia laevis (Mar/23/2015) 🌎Rock hibiscus, Hibiscus denudatus (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Trailing Windmills, Allionia incarnata var. incarnata (Mar/23/2015) 🌎 (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Sand Blazing Star, Mentzelia involucrata (Mar/23/2015) 🌎Sand Blazing Star, Mentzelia involucrata (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Desert plantain, Plantago ovata (Mar/23/2015) 🌎Desert plantain, Plantago ovata (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Gander's cholla, Cylindropuntia ganderi (Mar/23/2015) 🌎 (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
(Mar/23/2015) 🌎 (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
California barrel cactus, Ferocactus cylindraceus (Mar/23/2015) 🌎California barrel cactus, Ferocactus cylindraceus (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Ocotillo, Fouquieria splendens ssp. splendens (Mar/23/2015) 🌎 (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Purple mat, Nama demissum var. demissum (Mar/23/2015) 🌎Glandular Threadplant, Nemacladus glanduliferus (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Wallace's woolly daisy, Eriophyllum wallacei (Mar/23/2015) 🌎Wallace's woolly daisy, Eriophyllum wallacei (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Brown-eyed primrose, Camissonia claviformis ssp. peirsonii (Mar/23/2015) 🌎Glandular Threadplant, Nemacladus glanduliferus (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Bigelow's monkeyflower, Mimulus bigelovii var. bigelovii (Mar/23/2015) 🌎Star gilia, Gilia stellata (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
(Mar/23/2015) 🌎Wallace's woolly daisy, Eriophyllum wallacei (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Wallace's woolly daisy, Eriophyllum wallacei (Mar/23/2015) 🌎 (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Arizona lupine, Lupinus arizonicus (Mar/23/2015) 🌎Engelmann's hedgehog cactus, Echinocereus engelmannii (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Arizona lupine, Lupinus arizonicus (Mar/23/2015) 🌎Arizona lupine, Lupinus arizonicus (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Honey mesquite, Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana (Mar/23/2015) 🌎Honey mesquite, Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Honey mesquite, Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana (Mar/23/2015) 🌎Wild canterbury bells, Phacelia minor (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Desert sand-verbena, Abronia villosa var. villosa (Mar/23/2015) 🌎Second Crossing (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Apricot mallow, Sphaeralcea ambigua var. ambigua (Mar/23/2015) 🌎Desert dandelion, Malacothrix glabrata (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Desert dandelion, Malacothrix glabrata (Mar/23/2015) 🌎Ocotillo, Fouquieria splendens ssp. splendens (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Ocotillo, Fouquieria splendens ssp. splendens (Mar/23/2015) 🌎Ocotillo, Fouquieria splendens ssp. splendens (Mar/23/2015) 🌎
Desert Threadplant, Nemacladus rubescens (Jan/1/1970)Glandular Threadplant, Nemacladus glanduliferus (Jan/1/1970)
Glandular Threadplant, Nemacladus glanduliferus (Jan/1/1970)Narrow leaf ditaxis, Ditaxis lanceolata (female) (Dec/23/2015)
Narrow leaf ditaxis, Ditaxis lanceolata (male) (Dec/23/2015)Narrow leaf ditaxis, Ditaxis lanceolata (male) (Dec/23/2015)
California trixis, Trixis californica californica (Jan/7/2018) 🌎Thick leaf ground cherry, Physalis crassifolia (Jan/7/2018) 🌎
Desert mistletoe, Phoradendron californicum (Jan/7/2018) 🌎Small flowered trailing windmills, Allionia incarnata incarnata (Jan/7/2018) 🌎
Desert lavender, Condea emoryi (Jan/7/2018) 🌎Chuparosa, Justicia californica (Jan/7/2018) 🌎
Catclaw acacia, Senegalia greggii (Jan/7/2018) 🌎White rhatany, Krameria bicolor (Jan/7/2018) 🌎
Starry bedstraw, Galium stellatum (Jan/7/2018) 🌎Starry bedstraw, Galium stellatum (Jan/7/2018) 🌎
San Felipe dogweed, Adenophyllum porophylloides (Jan/7/2018) 🌎California fagonia, Fagonia laevis (Jan/7/2018) 🌎
Beetle spurge, Euphorbia eriantha (Jan/7/2018) 🌎Beetle spurge, Euphorbia eriantha (Jan/7/2018) 🌎
Rock hibiscus, Hibiscus denudatus (Jan/7/2018) 🌎Sweetbush, Bebbia juncea aspera (Jan/7/2018) 🌎
Rock hibiscus, Hibiscus denudatus (Jan/7/2018) 🌎Arizona spurge, Euphorbia arizonica (Jan/7/2018) 🌎
Desert lotus, Acmispon rigidus (Jan/7/2018) 🌎Arizona spurge, Euphorbia arizonica (Jan/7/2018) 🌎
Arizona spurge, Euphorbia arizonica (Jan/7/2018) 🌎Brittlebush, Encelia farinosa (Jan/7/2018) 🌎
Whispering bells, Emmenanthe penduliflora penduliflora (Jan/7/2018) 🌎Arizona lupine, Lupinus arizonicus (Jan/7/2018) 🌎
Mojave groundsel, Senecio mohavensis (Jan/7/2018) 🌎Common phacelia, Phacelia distans (Jan/7/2018) 🌎
Mediterranean schismus, Schismus barbatus (Jan/7/2018) 🌎Brown eyed primrose, Chylismia claviformis peirsonii (Jan/7/2018) 🌎
Pacific treefrog, Pseudacris regilla (Jan/7/2018) 🌎Pacific treefrog, Pseudacris regilla (Jan/7/2018) 🌎
Bladderpod bush (arborea), Peritoma arborea arborea (Jan/7/2018) 🌎Bladderpod bush (arborea), Peritoma arborea arborea (Jan/7/2018) 🌎
Desert sand verbena, Abronia villosa villosa (Jan/7/2018) 🌎Small flowered poppy, Eschscholzia minutiflora (Jan/7/2018) 🌎
Creosote bush, Larrea tridentata (Jan/7/2018) 🌎 (Dec/23/2015)
(Dec/29/2015) (Dec/29/2015)
(Dec/29/2015) (Dec/29/2015)
(Dec/29/2015) (Dec/29/2015)
End of the fork 2 (Jan/7/2018) 🌎California buckwheat, Eriogonum fasciculatum polifolium (Jan/7/2018) 🌎
Emory's rockdaisy, Perityle emoryi (Jan/7/2018) 🌎Arizona lupine, Lupinus arizonicus (Jan/7/2018) 🌎
Condea emoryi , Desert lavender (Mar/29/2025) 🌎Justicia californica , Chuparosa (Mar/29/2025) 🌎
Fouquieria splendens splendens , Ocotillo (Mar/29/2025) 🌎Fouquieria splendens splendens , Ocotillo (Mar/29/2025) 🌎
Amsinckia intermedia , Common fiddleneck (Mar/29/2025) 🌎Datura wrightii , Jimson weed (Mar/29/2025) 🌎
Solanum douglasii , White nightshade (Mar/29/2025) 🌎Nicotiana obtusifolia , Desert tobacco (Mar/29/2025) 🌎
Encelia farinosa farinosa , Brittlebush (Mar/29/2025) 🌎Larrea tridentata , Creosote bush (Mar/29/2025) 🌎
Sphaeralcea ambigua, Apricot mallow (Mar/29/2025) 🌎Mirabilis laevis retrorsa , Wishbone plant (Mar/29/2025) 🌎
Pluchea sericea , Arrow weed (Mar/29/2025) 🌎Encelia farinosa farinosa , Brittlebush (Mar/29/2025) 🌎
Larrea tridentata , Creosote bush (Mar/29/2025) 🌎Chylismia cardiophylla cardiophylla , Heart leaf suncup (Mar/29/2025) 🌎
Fagonia laevis , California fagonia (Mar/29/2025) 🌎Neltuma odorata , Honey mesquite (Mar/29/2025) 🌎
Bebbia juncea aspera , Sweetbush (Mar/29/2025) 🌎Encelia farinosa phenicodonta , Purple eyed brittlebush (Mar/29/2025) 🌎
Encelia farinosa phenicodonta , Purple eyed brittlebush (Mar/29/2025) 🌎Encelia farinosa phenicodonta , Purple eyed brittlebush (Mar/29/2025) 🌎
Malacothrix glabrata , Desert dandelion (Mar/29/2025) 🌎Malacothrix glabrata , Desert dandelion (Mar/29/2025) 🌎
Johnstonella angustifolia , Narrow leaf cryptantha (Mar/29/2025) 🌎
Date: 2015/3/23
Date: 2018/1/7
Date: 2025/3/29

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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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