Trail Closure Update
Last updated 8/4/2021 at 9:16am
Trying to find a balance between visitor safety and providing access to popular areas can be challenging.
In an effort to reduce heat related injuries, on days when the heat index, forecasted by NOAA (https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php) is expected to be 105°F or higher, the following trails will remain closed: Borrego Palm Canyon, Hellhole Canyon, and The Slot.
The benefit of being the largest state park in California is that this park encompasses various elevations, including some that are sometimes 15° F cooler. Culp Valley, and the PCT by Sunrise Highway, are two great areas for cooler recreation.
It’s always important to consider the heat index when visiting warm places like the desert. The heat index takes into account not only the air temperature, but the humidity as well that makes it feel hotter.
Our desert has been very humid lately, making temperatures outside feel hot and sticky. This makes it harder for our bodies to regulate our temperatures. So when the heat index is high, this makes hiking in the desert even more dangerous. Coyotes handle the heat by only coming out of hiding in the evenings and early mornings, and spend the hottest parts of the day resting in the shade and in cool dens.
– Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
