Palm Wash Slot Canyons
not verifiedpermit verified 2026-08-20
ACA 3A
High flood risk
Borrego Springs, CA
Six distinct slots in the Calcite Mine area east of Borrego Springs, from non-technical walks to keeper-pothole descents requiring technical gear.
The compound rating reflects six routes of widely different character, so plan the slot before you plan the day. Sheep Tanks Slot in particular is gear-only because of standing pothole water. 4WD is real here; the Calcite Mine Road has chewed up plenty of stock SUVs.
Logistics
| Manager | California State Parks, Anza-Borrego Desert SP |
|---|---|
| Permit | No permit required for canyoneering. Anza-Borrego Desert State Park charges day use fees by location rather than park wide: State Parks currently collects 10 dollars per car at The Slot in the Buttes Pass area and at Hellhole Canyon, and at the Borrego Palm Canyon and Tamarisk Grove trailheads. Palm Wash is not one of the fee-collected locations. Note that Coyote Canyon is closed to public use and occupancy from Lower Willows to the northern park boundary, which is a separate restriction elsewhere in the same park. |
| Distance | 6 RT for full traverse |
| Time | 4-12 hr depending on which slot |
| Technical | Cluster of six distinct slots in the Calcite Mine area, ranging from non-technical scrambles to short technical descents. East Slot has hard downclimbs that resist bypass; three short rappels (max 30 ft) if dropping in from above. West Slot drops are downclimbable. Palm Slot has one stubborn 30 ft dry waterfall. Sheep Tanks Slot is a string of keeper potholes that usually hold water and require technical gear. |
| Season | Nov-Mar. Heat extreme May-Sep. |
| Flood risk | High. Narrow east-side drainage, fast filling. |
| Vehicle access | 4WD required. Calcite Mine Road off S-22 is rough and the turnoff is poorly marked. |
| Crowd | Low. Far less visited than The Slot. |
| Coordinates | 33.2894, -116.1033 |