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Drive an hour and half east from the sprawling metropolis of San Diego and you’ll undoubtedly find Anza Borrego Desert State Park; it’s the largest state park in California and the second largest in the country. Covering over 935 square miles of rugged yet beautiful desert, this area has lots of hidden surprises. One of them is the rather uninvitingly named Hellhole Canyon.

The trailhead is located on Highway S-22 about a mile before it turns into Palm Canyon drive in Borrego Springs. Things start off fairly flat, open, and easy. Here it’s all desert; cactus and sage covered mountains lie to the west and a broad valley terminates at the Salton Sea to the east. Even on a cool 65-degree winter day, the sun here feels quite warm and the cacti look quite ominous. Eventually the canyon constricts and the trail fragments, requiring some good rock-scrambling skills. Push on and you’ll be rewarded with a beautiful shady grove of California Fan Palms. About a half mile farther is the real treat: Maidenhair Falls. This is a true desert oasis; an 18-foot waterfall spills into a small pool, boxed in by a mossy canyon wall and sheltered overhead by palm and sycamore trees. While it’s not the most glorious waterfall in the world, it is impressive considering the location.

Watch a little movie of the hike after the jump.

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