Slot Canyon Trail San Diego
The Slot is an amazing short hike located in the Anza Borrego Desert. Drive east on Hwy 78, and about a mile and a half after Borrego Springs Road, turn left onto Buttes Pass Road. Buttes Pass road is a dirt road and not marked well so look carefully. The road is pretty smooth, about a mile in you will take a left at the fork. There's another cool one called the Borrego Palm Canyon trail which is about 15 minutes away. It's an oasis of palm trees at the end of a 1.5 mile hike, definitely worth checking out. I'd recommend leaving SD early morning to get there and just making an all day trip out of it.
Added by Jason Neitzke
Distance: about one mile (no need to rush). Duration: 1-3 hours, depending on your speed. Short hike, easy access and amazing views. No permit required.
The Slot is an amazing short hike located in the Anza Borrego Desert. Drive east on Hwy 78, and about a mile and a half after Borrego Springs Road, turn left onto Buttes Pass Road. Buttes Pass road is a dirt road and not marked well so look carefully. The road is pretty smooth, about a mile in you will take a left at the fork. From there, you will drive about another mile to a parking lot. Two wheel drive vehicles should be fine unless there was a recent rainstorm.
From the parking lot, you will take the trail into the canyon that is directly in front of you. This will be the hardest and steepest part of the hike. There are no trail markers for the Slot. Do not take the trail to the right of the parking lot or you will miss the Slot. Once you are at the bottom, go left and head to where the canyon starts to narrow. As you enter, the walls start to close in and you are taking your bag off to get through some tight passages. Every turn is exciting, it is constantly changing and you are not sure what is going to be around the next bend. The Slot is made of siltstone and is very brittle so watch your footing if you decide to climb around. At the end of the Slot you hit a dirt road, from there you can either turn around and go back through or follow the road and find some other trails. Further down the road there are some awesome wind caves and arches that are worth checking out.
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Join the communityReviews
Sophia Steen
over 2 years ago
Great short hike
Beautiful sandstone slot canyon. It gets tight in areas. Went of the main trail a bit and did some climbing up! So much fun
5.0
Scott Sichler
🥇Top Contributor
almost 3 years ago
Slots O fun
This is a really fun hike. The slot is a little tight in spots but doable by most people. We like to hike out into cliffs beyond the slots for great views of the area.
5.0
Allett Wallets
about 4 years ago
Worth The Stop
This was an entertaining hike. It makes you feel like a kid again. It's a unique experience and a worth while diversion.
4.0
Christine Thompson
almost 5 years ago
Hands Down One Of The Best Adventure
It is simply amazing! Your weaving in and out of the canyon you find yourself going through tunnels . A must see
5.0
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Whoever thought that a gorgeous, easy to hike slot canyon existed just a fraction of a mile away from California’s Interstate 5 freeway, less than a mile from the beach? Luckily for all of us, in mid-2016, this slot canyon opened for all of us to enjoy: Annie’s Canyon Trail.
Annie’s Canyon Trail
I had the chance to check out Annie’s Canyon Trail, and I highly recommend it! Annie’s Canyon Trail is a separate trail within the San Elijo Lagoon. See below for details on how to get there. There are two ways to hike the slot canyon. When you arrive at the base of the slot canyon and see the signs for Annie’s Trail, head right if you’re in the mood for an adventure! Head left if you prefer to hike up a trail to the lookout platform.
I headed right, and enjoyed the short hike/climb up the slot canyon. It is a mere 0.25 miles to hike the slot canyon, and it is a lot of fun! Beautiful sandstone walls surround you while you make the climb upward. Be prepared for some tight spots; you’ll need to use your hands to hoist yourself up in a couple of spots!
Below is a gallery of my mini adventure in San Elijo Lagoon and Annie’s Canyon Trail:
Slot Canyon Trail San Diego Hiking
How to Get to Annie’s Canyon Trail
From the I-5 freeway, take exit 37 (Lomas Santa Fe Drive). Head west on Lomas Santa Fe Drive to N. Rios Avenue. Park at the end of the street. This takes you to a trailhead for San Elijo Lagoon. From the N. Rios Avenue Trailhead, it is approximately half a mile (one way) to Annie’s Canyon Trail.
There is another trailhead that has even closer access to Annie’s Canyon Trail, but it was closed at the time of my visit (May 2017). You take exit 37, and also head west on Lomas Santa Fe Drive. Drive a mere 0.2 miles and turn right onto Solana Hills Drive. The trailhead is at the end of the street, about 0.3 miles.
Slot Canyon Trail San Diego Hotels
A Virtual Hike of Annie’s Trail
Spoiler alert: if you watch this video, you get to see the entire 0.25 mile slot canyon hike.