I love desert hiking because you can simply park your car on the side of the road and start walking.
Within reason, of course. Make sure you have the proper hiking equipment — comfortable shoes and long pants in case of a run-in with jumping cholla — and plenty of water. It doesn’t hurt to have a general sense of direction, either.
But there are a great deal of places to explore, which don’t follow a proper trail. Last week’s hike up Whale Peak in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park included large sections of rock scrambling, and at times the only sign of a path was a boot print from a previous hiker.
Hike of the week: Admire Anza-Borrego from above and below on the climb to Whale Peak
The same goes for this week’s easy-to-moderate hike, back in Anza-Borrego, through Rainbow Canyon. The 5-mile out-and-back route isn’t marked with any signage, but hikers will travel east through the canyon, at times climbing up and over 6 to 12-feet tall dry waterfalls. There is a delineated trail in some parts, but using the terrain to guide you adds to the adventure of this hike.
Plus, it’s incredibly scenic. Rainbow Canyon is know for its metamorphic rock, the kind of rock that features layers of different colors and textures. It’s everywhere in the canyon. Early February’s blooming wildflowers, along with the rock, made it clear how the canyon got its name.
Hiking east through the Rainbow Canyon wash in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. (Maura Fox / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
You’ll park your car in a turnout on California Highway S2, about a mile northwest of the Butterfield Manufactured Home and RV Community. I used directions from the hiking app AllTrails to get to the trailhead. Google Maps will also direct you to the right spot.
Once parked, begin hiking northeast into the desert. At first, there is a trail, but it soon dissolves. Hikers will continue walking toward the mouth of the canyon. Once there, the canyon grows gradually more narrow and shaded.
Hikers will reach the first dry waterfall early into the canyon, and it requires some technical hiking. Most of the dry waterfalls allowed for some grip with my hiking boots, which limited slippage and made the scramble moderately easy. But there were times when I used both my hands and feet to climb up the rock. Keep in mind that you’ll have to go both up and down the dry falls on this out-and-back hike.
An example of one of the dry waterfalls that hikers must climb up — and down — in Rainbow Canyon. (Maura Fox / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
The route continues steadily uphill for about a mile, including a mix of dry waterfalls and through sand, until it flattens out and becomes more exposed to the sun. The next mile and a half is still beautiful, but it offers less technical hiking. Hikers may choose to turn back at any time, but I continued until I reached a large outcropping of boulders — a “summit” of sorts.
In total, I hiked about 2.5-miles before turning around. On my return hike, I stopped in the shade for a snack break, then continued back through the canyon.