Written by: Todd Linke, ABF Member & Volunteer
It doesn’t take much arm-twisting to convince me to trek from San Diego to Anza Borrego. I’ll happily jump in the car for the two-hour morning drive, only to return the same evening, tired but rejuvenated for the week ahead. Of course, I’m more than happy to stay overnight whenever I can to enjoy the special magic of the desert after dark. That’s why I was so thrilled that Anza-Borrego Foundation revived their night hikes after a hiatus of more than a decade. The two inaugural night hikes gifted their participants uniquely memorable experiences and gave us all unique perspectives of the desert landscape and its inhabitants!
The first-night hike was to the William Kenyon Overlook, along Yaqui Pass Road, just north of Tamarisk Grove Campground. The round-trip excursion was just about a mile, but what the hike lacked in rigor was more than compensated by its beauty. The trail gently winds through a desert garden, filled with various plant life superimposed against a mountainous background. My favorite and most memorable was the fishhook cactus, with its small but beautiful burgundy, yellow, and cream blooms. I also remember the brilliant yellow flowers atop the barrel cacti that captured our attention. My friends Trixie and Michael — visiting from Stuttgart, Germany — were in awe of the beauty of the trail and the uniqueness of our desert habitat!
When we reached the overlook, just about at dusk, we watched the last of the late afternoon sun reflecting off of Sunset Mountain. Our group was content to linger at the overlook for upwards of an hour as we watched darkness fall over the desert and the crescent moon appear above Pinyon Ridge. That’s when the real magic began. I noticed an unexpected and odd deep pink coloration in my iPhone photos that couldn’t be seen with the naked eye. Nobody in the group realized what we all know now: we were witnessing a rare event — the aurora borealis in Southern California — seen only through our camera lenses. The light show continued into the early-morning hours, as seen from our campsite in the east fork of Coachwhip Canyon. I can’t imagine a more perfect desert scenario.
The second hike took us to Ocotillo Flat, just past Desert Gardens in Coyote Canyon. Despite being late May, the weather was blustery and quite cool. The group wasn’t deterred, as we bundled up and set out across the desert for a relatively level but longer three-mile hike. The sunset was stunning, illuminating the eastern sky in beautiful shades of pink. As we walked, darkness quickly enveloped the canyon, and the stars and planets started to become visible. We even saw the flight of a Star Link satellite, which appeared as dots across the sky but with a white streak in the photos. Despite the wind and several cholla ‘attacks,’ I felt unique tranquility while hiking through such a vast open space at night.
We knew that the big event would eventually be the full moon rising over the eastern horizon, but there was plenty else to make this hike unique and memorable. Our handheld black lights revealed so many scorpions, from the size of a fingernail to the palm of a hand. We even saw one that was consuming a spider! As we approached the Second Crossing, we began to hear the peeping sound of the Arroyo Toad. We were able to spot a couple of these adorable little critters as we made our way past the water. With impeccable timing, the full moon rose above the horizon just as we walked eastward. We marveled at how it cast a stunning orange glow, reflecting off the wispy, low, lying clouds. After returning to my campsite, this time in the left fork of Coachwhip Canyon, I enjoyed the moonrise again as it rose above the canyon crest. That night was yet another entry into my memory diary!
I appreciate Samantha Young and Stacy Valdez for leading these two hikes. I know that a lot of planning and foresight went into making them a reality. I’m also grateful to the entire ABF staff for continuing to expand opportunities for adventure, learning, and camaraderie in our beloved Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. I think it’s safe to say that we’re all counting down the days until the next desert season begins in October. We hope to see you on a future adventure!
