This slot canyon hike is located in the southern California desert
This might be one of the best “short” hikes out there. It is only a 0.8-mile hike. You can hike the trail in 15 minutes, but you won’t want to. There are too many amazing views. Besides being a short hike, this is also a relatively easy hike, as there is only 100 feet of elevation change on this trail.
Where is Anza Borrego Desert State Park? This beautiful state park is located in the southern California desert, not far from Joshua Tree National Park. Anza Borrego sits a couple hours east of San Diego, not far from the Salton Sea. Wildboyz Photography featured some creatures of the Anza Borrego Desert back in June of 2020 and August of 2020.
For most of the hike you are walking through a slot canyon. The rocks in this area have weathered away, creating breathtaking siltstone canyons. As you walk through the narrow ravine, you have sheer orange-brown rock walls on either side. Some areas are as narrow as shoulder width. I recommend hiking this in the morning or evening. That way, you get the sideways light that dances across the canyon rocks. This area is great for landscape photography. Between the unique rock formations and the bright blue skies above, you can create some amazing photos, even with just a cellphone camera.
The trail snakes through the rocks, so you are constantly excited about what is around each corner. The area photographed here is just beyond the opening at the end of the siltstone canyons. At this part of the hike, the sky opens up and the desert looks endless. There are a few weathered peaks that standout against the bright blue sky. You can certainly turn around and hike the trail again in the opposite direction, which I recommend. It is just as good as the first time through.
The trail snakes through the rocks
Wild Boyz Photo Tip
“If the light isn't right, don't panic! Try using a poor man's UV lens filter, aka your sunglasses, over the camera lens”
It looks like the surface of Mars!
I enjoy this photo because it looks like the surface of Mars, not somewhere in the United States. It is wild to look out at orange rocks and the barren, uninhabited land as far as you can see. I also enjoy this photo because it was taken with a simple “point and shoot” camera, the Olympus Tough.
Landscape photography is unique because it challenges your patience. The landscape itself usually isn’t changing, it is simply the light cast upon it that is changing. So, all you have to do as a photographer is be patient, and put in the time. Shoot at different angles, different focal lengths, and different times of day.
Did You Know?
The Slot is free to hikers! No permits or fees for this hike!
Anza Borrego State Park is the largest state park in California!
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