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We took our camper van on an off-road adventure down Coyote Canyon Road. This scenic dirt road leads to Sheep Canyon with palm groves and water in the desert.
We’ve been spending more time exploring the back parts of Anza-Borrego. We still haven’t seen Bighorn Sheep in California, but discovered other things.
I’ll tell you about our experience, what to know and expect, and share personal photos. You might want to check it out for yourself!
Getting There
We were staying at the RV resort we usually stay at. So the first thing you’ll have to do is get to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
From the resort, we took Palm Canyon Dr. To Di Giorgio Rd. From there we continued on until it turned into Coyote Canyon Road and followed that.
If you get the visitor information guide from the park, there’s a map. We found that our navigation app worked better if you have a signal.
They recommend you have a 4WD vehicle, and we were okay since we took our Sprinter van.
Exploring Coyote Canyon Road
The state park itself doesn’t really close. But I recommend stopping by the visitor center to get updates before going.
Some of the trails might close, especially after it rains. And this one was no exception either.
We did our exploring during daylight. Anza-Borrego is very dark at night, and it’d be difficult to see the road.
Also went on a weekday afternoon, and there were a good number of people traveling in the area.
Driving the Canyon
When we got to the beginning of Coyote Canyon Rd., there was a sign that warned that the road was closed 5.2 miles ahead at the 3rd crossing.
It also let us know that parking is limited at the closure gate. This closure was due to Tropical Storm Hilary back in 2023.
So the road got diverted into Coyote Canyon Dirt Road. It may be closed to vehicles, but you can still walk in, camp, and hike there.
As we drove along the dusty road, it was a perfect, bright day. We passed a lot of tall cacti and wonderful scenery.
The path itself didn’t have deep sand, like in other places we’ve gone off-roading in the park. But, it got more rugged later on.
Desert Gardens
When we arrived at Desert Gardens, I didn’t know what to expect. I had pictured it differently in my mind.
I had spoken to the staff at the visitor center, and they said to check it out along the way.
We saw the sign on the right-hand side. There’s parking there, but we went a little further to a pullout.
There was a group of people eating lunch on the picnic tables. They greeted us and said it was such a wonderful place.
It’s full of desert plants, as you would expect. And there’s information about how they adapt to the extreme heat.
In short, some plants have short roots and stems that store moisture. Others have long roots and small leaves. And some go dormant during hot weather, until it rains.
We took a short hike to the top, as they told us to check out the view up there.
It wasn’t that steep, but I wore my hiking shoes. There were some loose rocks and soil.
At the top, we found a bench and wonderful views of the garden. The mountains stood in the distance, with a slight whisper of a breeze.
It was a beautiful sight, and nice to see the different plants from this view. I like cacti because they look like they come from outer space.
Our stay was short, but this was a pleasant highlight. After our pit stop, we drove on.
Lower Coyote Canyon
For the next couple miles, we really felt we were going deep into the desert. The roads were rather muddy since it rained days ago.
We passed areas where the water had washed over the road. And we hoped the water wasn’t too deep.
From a distance, we couldn’t really tell the depth, but the van handled it well.
When we got to the end of the road, it was blocked off. So we parked our van next to some other vehicles.
There were a couple other people there, and the parking lot is small.
As soon as we got out of the van, we heard gurgling. Then we saw a river running close by.
We found a sign that said we were entering Lower Coyote Canyon.
There was another that said the road is closed June 1 through September 30. This is to preserve the watering rights of the Desert Bighorn Sheep.
Hiking Trail
We decided to take a short hike to see what was out there. You’ll come to the gate, where you’ll have to walk around.
Then we basically followed the water, which was flowing over the trail. We saw small fish and lots of frogs out there.
Actually, the choir of frogs ribbiting was pretty loud. We found other people looking in the water, naming the fish.
Obviously people had been riding bikes out there. We saw tire tracks deep in the mud!
Then we walked around some big boulders to see the other side. Right here was a pretty view, and we saw the water trail going further on.
Well, we didn’t want to keep going, as we didn’t want to get wet. So we turned back around at this point.
If you keep going, you’ll reach Sheep Canyon and Cougar Canyon. Over there, you can find waterfalls and palm groves. And we hope to do this one day.
Day Use & Camping
On the way back, we made another pit stop to have lunch. We found a place on the side of a mountain with a fire ring.
So we stopped and warmed up some food. That’s where a camper van sure comes in handy! We can cook and eat wherever we want.
It was so quiet we felt like we were the only ones in the desert. So we sat for a while just to absorb this feeling.
Every so often, we’d hear vehicles drive past. They too wanted to find out what’s at the end of the road.
After that, we packed up our stuff and headed back.
We saw more people tent camping in the pullouts. You find areas off the road where you can disperse camp.
Maybe one day we’ll do the same. It’s so peaceful out here!
Travel Notes
We visited during the winter, and the weather was perfect! It was pleasant in the 70s, and I couldn’t imagine coming here in the summer.
Although we’ve visited Anza-Borrego in the late spring, it was too hot. Just have a sun hat and water on hand, because the sun is intense.
I’d expect that right after a rain, the washes will be deeper. I’d keep that in mind while driving there.
We actually spend the majority of the afternoon out here. You can make a day of it, so pack a lunch!
Final Thoughts
Exploring Coyote Canyon was a fun experience and worth the drive. We finally got to see what was at the end of the road.
Maybe next time we’ll hike deeper to reach Sheep Canyon if there’s less water. I’m sure there are more pretty views to discover back in there.
More Travel Adventures
I have many other related posts on my blog. You might want to check them out.
- For more to explore, you’ll want to see my post on Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
- Another fun place we hiked in Anza-Borrego was Ghost Mountain to the Yacquitepac.
- We went off-roading to Font’s Point and found California’s mini Grand Canyon and beautiful views.
I’d love to hear about your travel adventures!
Originally published: February 20, 2026
