This is generally the time of year when you find lots of wildflowers out in Anza Borrego, but this year they've been somewhat scarce. What little season there was is probably just about over. There are some great cactus flowers though, and right now the whole valley along CA-78 between Borrego Springs Road and Buttes Pass has a pale reddish glow when you look out across it - all of the ocotillo are in bloom. It was fairly windy, which helped keep the heat down, but didn't help with flower pictures.
We drove up Mine Wash all the way to the end, and found some great cactus flowers. There is also the site of an old Native American village, but all that is left now are the mortero holes in the rocks. I had never been on this particular trail before, but had read about it in various places. Mine Wash is smooth 2wd-friendly all the way to the end, and then you can continue walking up the canyon a ways. The trail climbs gradually all the way from the road, it's not really noticeable but when you get to the top you can see you are quite a bit higher than where you started. Anyone looking for an easy 2wd trail should consider this one.
We found a tree with lots of shade in Hawk Canyon that made for a nice lunch spot, then decided it was too hot and bright at those lower elevations (along with a lot of dust and haze in the air) so we headed over the hills to the higher elevations of Blair Valley. It was about 10 degrees cooler, and the air was much clearer.
