Coyote Wash to Pinnacles — Anza-Borrego Desert Jeep Trail
Desert canyon water crossings and bighorn country.
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park holds more open desert 4×4 routes than almost anywhere else in California, and the Coyote Canyon corridor is its crown jewel. Starting near the old Anza trailhead north of Borrego Springs, you drop into Lower Willows — a genuine riparian surprise in the middle of the Sonoran Desert — before working north through increasingly narrow canyon walls, loose cobble washes, and multiple stream crossings on Coyote Creek itself. The canyon narrows at Middle Willows force you to read water levels carefully; in spring runoff this section can shut down even capable rigs. The exit climbs onto the Desert Divide where you get unobstructed views back across the Borrego Valley toward the Santa Rosa Mountains.
This is a moderate trail that’ll punish stock SUVs with low clearance — expect axle-deep water crossings in late winter and early spring when Coyote Creek runs. A true high-clearance 4WD with skid plates is the minimum. The upper canyon is closed January 1 through June 15 annually to protect Peninsular bighorn sheep lambing habitat, so plan your run for late June through December. No permit needed, dispersed camping is allowed throughout. Borrego Springs is your last fuel and water stop — top off there. Cell service drops to nothing inside the canyon.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Moderate |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | Backcountry, Technical 4x4 |
| Surface | Mixed, Rock, Sand |
| Features | Camping, Historic, Remote, Scenic, Water Crossings |
| Length (miles) | 27 mi / 43.5 km |
| Duration | 1-2 days |
| Max elevation (ft) | 4200 ft |
| Best season | June-December |
| Minimum vehicle | High-clearance 4WD with skid plates |
| Nearest town | Borrego Springs, CA |
| Land manager | Anza-Borrego Desert State Park / California State Parks |
| Permit required | No |
| Cell service | None |
| Water crossings | Yes |
| Dispersed camping | Yes |
| Official sources | parks.ca.gov |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
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Location
Trail Conditions
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Frequently asked questions
Can a stock Tacoma or 4Runner handle Coyote Wash to Pinnacles, or do I need a lift?
A stock high-clearance 4WD with decent skid plates can run it, but expect frame and belly contact on the rockier wash sections. A 2-3 inch lift with all-terrain tires gives you real margin — a bone-stock crossover SUV has no business here.
Is this trail runnable in the spring or is flash flood risk a dealbreaker?
Best season runs June through December — spring can bring surprise thunderstorms that turn Coyote Wash into a moving wall of water with zero warning. If there's any weather in the mountains above Anza-Borrego, stay out of the canyon washes entirely.
Do I need a permit to run this trail or camp overnight?
No permit is required to drive the trail through Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, but if you're camping dispersed, California State Parks requires you to self-register and follow leave-no-trace rules — no campfires during fire restrictions, which in this desert is often year-round.
What's actually the hardest part of this trail and what makes it sketchy?
The tightest boulder chokes in the lower wash sections demand careful tire placement — one bad line and you're high-centered with no easy extraction. The loose decomposed granite on the climbs toward the Pinnacles area is the other bite point, especially if you're running street-biased AT tires.
Is there any water or fuel between the trailhead and the end, or do I need to pre-plan hard?
Borrego Springs is your last fuel stop — don't count on anything after that. Despite water crossings on the route, none of it is reliably potable without treatment, so carry all your water in. 27 miles of slow technical desert driving burns fuel faster than highway, so top off and carry extra.
Trail track
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