Borrego Springs picture
Borrego Springs: Hellhole Canyon Loop

Rating *****
length 8.6 mile - 6 hour (Loop). Moderate.
Height 910 - 3350 feet
Access At the parking. All cars
Other Trails C
Data To download these files, right-click the link and choose 'save as' |--| .GPX (GPS file) |-----| .KML (Google Earth file)

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  • Nice but more difficult loop, with much of the scenery Borrego has to offer.

    For more photos and descriptions read the Hellhole canyon trail and the California RH Trail (Borrego-Jasper).

    As we enter the Hellhole canyon closer to the Maidenhair falls, the hiking gets more difficult. The vegetation gets a lot more dense and some stingy plants (Catclaw).

    From year to year the trail is a bit different. With more water (February 2010)
    it is slightly more difficult.
    Take your time, finding the easiest route, normally this is closer to the stream.

    At the Maidenhair falls go back and go over the falls on the right.
    (Left hand side of the canyon from Borrego)
    A relatively easy climb gets you just above the falls. The vegetation is still rather dense. Stay more to the left hand side of the canyon, we will go further away from the stream.
    But conditions will vary from year to year so use your common sense.

    Reaching a canyon from the left, with lots of boulders turn left.
    Immediately go uphill on the left side of the canyon wall.
    This is a bit of a climb, with some gravel and sand, so be careful.

    Search for the best way to navigate through the boulders, nothing too difficult.

    At point X take the California RH trail to the left, a bit uphill at first, but going all the way down.
    This is a nice trail but sometimes a bit steep and slippery.






    2010_Efmer_Borrego_Hellhole_Canyon_CRH_Loop

    Disclamer: Read this first before you start your hike.
    Contact: usa/at/e/f/m/e/r/.eu (leave out the /)
    All hikes recorded on pocket loox (pocket PC) using gpsTuner(.com)
    Hiking Hellhole Canyon Loop Borrego Springs Area (Anza-Borrego Desert State Park) California, Hike with gps, gpx and kml (Google Earth).