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Hellhole Canyon and Maidenhair Falls

Hike to a hidden waterfall oasis with ferns, mosses, vines, and trees

It’s best to hike in long sleeves to avoid scratches from plants such as this agave.
It’s best to hike in long sleeves to avoid scratches from plants such as this agave.

Despite the formidable name, Hellhole Canyon is one of the most delightful canyons in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, with sycamores, cottonwoods, and palm trees fed by intermittent streams. The goal of this hike is the 18-foot waterfall cascade called Maidenhair Falls and the pool below the falls. The face of the falls and the surrounding grotto are surrounded by lacy maidenhair fern and mosses — a rare site in a desert canyon. Orchids have also been sighted in the area.

Begin the hike from the parking area and follow the wide, well-worn path up the alluvial fan to the narrowing mouth of the canyon where the ribboned pattern of Julian schist becomes visible on the canyon walls. A cautionary sign reminds you that you are in mountain-lion country. Vegetation typical of alluvial vans, such as creosote, burroweed, chuparosa, cheesebush, buckhorn cholla, agave, and desert lavender give way to desert willow, brittlebush, jojoba, ocotillo, teddy-bear cholla, and white sage. As the canyon narrows and steepens, the first palm trees and sycamores become visible. Shiny-leafed yerba santa is near the first palm grove where flowing water is found. Cottonwoods also lap up the flowing water and provide some shade. Deep-green-leafed chaparral sugar bush becomes visible at the higher elevations.

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Use caution ascending the narrow canyon that is filled with boulders and thorny mesquite and acacia, or wait-a-minute bush. It is best to hike in long sleeves to avoid scratches. The thorny underbrush led to the name Hellhole Canyon. In earlier days, cattle would roam down into the canyon from Culp Valley. Cattleman Wid Helm reportedly said that the canyon was “one hell of a hole to get cattle out of.”

Keep generally to the south side of the creek. Note the occasional mortero grinding holes in the granitic rocks left by the Indians who frequented this canyon. They harvested the canyon’s mesquite beans and palm fruit and depended on the water source.

About 200 yards above a large palm grove of about 20 trees, begin listening for falling water. The falls are hidden in shrubbery behind a large boulder and are easy to miss. The shady grotto makes a great lunch stop before retracing your steps back to the parking area.

Distance from downtown San Diego: 90 miles. Allow 2 hours (Anza-Borrego Desert State Park). Drive to Ramona and follow Hwy 78 east 15 miles to Santa Ysabel. Turn north (left) on Hwy 79 and after 11 miles turn southeast (right) on S-2. At the turn-off for S-22 (Montezuma Valley Road) turn east (left) and follow S-22 to the bottom of the grade, watching for the turn to the west (left) into the Hellhole Canyon parking area. Restrooms.

Hiking length: 6 miles round trip. Allow at least 4–5 hours.

Difficulty: Moderately strenuous with some boulder scrambling required. The elevation gain is 1000 feet to the waterfall. Wear sturdy boots and carry water.

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It’s best to hike in long sleeves to avoid scratches from plants such as this agave.
It’s best to hike in long sleeves to avoid scratches from plants such as this agave.

Despite the formidable name, Hellhole Canyon is one of the most delightful canyons in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, with sycamores, cottonwoods, and palm trees fed by intermittent streams. The goal of this hike is the 18-foot waterfall cascade called Maidenhair Falls and the pool below the falls. The face of the falls and the surrounding grotto are surrounded by lacy maidenhair fern and mosses — a rare site in a desert canyon. Orchids have also been sighted in the area.

Begin the hike from the parking area and follow the wide, well-worn path up the alluvial fan to the narrowing mouth of the canyon where the ribboned pattern of Julian schist becomes visible on the canyon walls. A cautionary sign reminds you that you are in mountain-lion country. Vegetation typical of alluvial vans, such as creosote, burroweed, chuparosa, cheesebush, buckhorn cholla, agave, and desert lavender give way to desert willow, brittlebush, jojoba, ocotillo, teddy-bear cholla, and white sage. As the canyon narrows and steepens, the first palm trees and sycamores become visible. Shiny-leafed yerba santa is near the first palm grove where flowing water is found. Cottonwoods also lap up the flowing water and provide some shade. Deep-green-leafed chaparral sugar bush becomes visible at the higher elevations.

Sponsored
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Use caution ascending the narrow canyon that is filled with boulders and thorny mesquite and acacia, or wait-a-minute bush. It is best to hike in long sleeves to avoid scratches. The thorny underbrush led to the name Hellhole Canyon. In earlier days, cattle would roam down into the canyon from Culp Valley. Cattleman Wid Helm reportedly said that the canyon was “one hell of a hole to get cattle out of.”

Keep generally to the south side of the creek. Note the occasional mortero grinding holes in the granitic rocks left by the Indians who frequented this canyon. They harvested the canyon’s mesquite beans and palm fruit and depended on the water source.

About 200 yards above a large palm grove of about 20 trees, begin listening for falling water. The falls are hidden in shrubbery behind a large boulder and are easy to miss. The shady grotto makes a great lunch stop before retracing your steps back to the parking area.

Distance from downtown San Diego: 90 miles. Allow 2 hours (Anza-Borrego Desert State Park). Drive to Ramona and follow Hwy 78 east 15 miles to Santa Ysabel. Turn north (left) on Hwy 79 and after 11 miles turn southeast (right) on S-2. At the turn-off for S-22 (Montezuma Valley Road) turn east (left) and follow S-22 to the bottom of the grade, watching for the turn to the west (left) into the Hellhole Canyon parking area. Restrooms.

Hiking length: 6 miles round trip. Allow at least 4–5 hours.

Difficulty: Moderately strenuous with some boulder scrambling required. The elevation gain is 1000 feet to the waterfall. Wear sturdy boots and carry water.

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4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
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