Maidenhair Falls (Hellhole Canyon)
Anza-Borrego Desert SP · near Borrego Springs · California Desert
Hiking
At a glance
- Difficulty
- strenuous
- Route type
- out-and-back
- Distance
- 5.5 miles
- Elevation gain
- 1,000 ft
- Time needed
- day
- Best season
- Nov–Mar (falls flow best after winter rain)
Permits and booking
- Permit required
- No
- How the permit works
- Free Anza-Borrego SP backcountry; no permit. Paved trailhead on Montezuma Hwy (S22). Call the visitor center (760-767-4205) to confirm the falls are flowing before driving out.
- How hard the permit is to get
- 0 of 5
What is here
- Features
- Desert waterfall · Palm oasis · Riparian canyon · Boulder scrambling · Spring wildflowers
Worth knowing
- Dogs
- Not permitted
- Good for a first timer
- No
Hiking detail
- Intl tip
- Call the visitor center to confirm the falls are actually flowing before driving out — in a dry year it's a dusty rock alcove.
The guide
A true rarity — a spring-fed waterfall veiled in maidenhair fern deep in a boulder-choked desert canyon. The route climbs throu…
In the Guidebook
Everything above is yours for free. The written guide to Maidenhair Falls (Hellhole Canyon) — what it is actually like, and what we would tell a friend before they went — comes with the Guidebook.
Getting there
- Coordinates
- 33.248037, -116.40594