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No list of desert classics is complete without a trip through a slot canyon. Simply named the Slot, the narrow silt-stone canyon in Anza-Borrego is the place to squeeze, duck and maneuver through the geological ravine, which houses creosote bush and cholla cactus. Negotiating around the 40-foot rock walls is half the fun (or claustrophobic for some) and is especially awesome when the trench-traversing trail winds under a natural bridge formed by a sedimentary slab. The tapered slot itself is less than a mile, but you can steeply ascend to get views of the epic chasm, nearby West Butte Mountain and, farther out, the Laguna Mountains framing the desert backdrop. One caveat: Don’t go in heavy rains. $10 to park in dirt lot.
Start at the trail two miles north of California 78 near Buttes Pass Road. Directions to trailhead.
