Canyons
7 places · Santa Monica, Malibu & desert gorges
Carlsbad, CA
South Carlsbad State Beach Sea Cliffs
Tall sandstone bluffs stretching along three miles of coastline south of Carlsbad Village with a campground along the cliff top. The warm-toned cliffs are punctuated by drainage gullies and small caves accessible at low tide. The beach faces almost due west, creating ideal conditions for shooting the cliffs bathed in sunset light.
Redlands, CA
San Timoteo Canyon
San Timoteo Canyon is a broad valley southeast of Redlands characterized by rolling golden grass hills, scattered oaks, and a seasonal creek corridor. The undeveloped landscape evokes rural California with ranch fencing, old barns, and sweeping hill contours. The canyon road provides numerous pullouts for photographing the pastoral scenery against distant mountain ranges.
Twentynine Palms, CA
Indian Cove
A campground and picnic area surrounded by massive granite boulder piles on the northern edge of the Wonderland of Rocks in Joshua Tree National Park. The area features some of the park's most dramatic rock formations and is a popular rock climbing destination. The enclosed canyon setting creates interesting light and shadow patterns throughout the day.
San Diego, CA
Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve
A 4,000-acre urban canyon preserve containing a year-round creek, an historic adobe ranch house from 1823, and a small waterfall. The riparian woodland along the canyon floor contrasts with the chaparral on the canyon slopes. The waterfall is most photogenic after winter rains when water flows over a wide rock shelf.
Palm Springs, CA
Tahquitz Canyon
A scenic canyon on Agua Caliente tribal land featuring a 60-foot seasonal waterfall, rock art, and native irrigation features. The 1.8-mile loop trail follows a creek through the narrow canyon to the waterfall base. The canyon holds cultural significance for the Cahuilla people.
Palm Springs, CA
Indian Canyons - Palm Canyon
A 15-mile canyon on the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians reservation containing the world's largest natural California fan palm oasis with over 2,600 palms. The canyon features a year-round stream and dramatic rock walls. Trading Post and trailhead facilities are managed by the tribe.
Borrego Springs, CA
Slot Canyon (Anza-Borrego)
A narrow slot canyon carved into the sedimentary layers of the Borrego Badlands, accessible via a short hike from a dirt road off Highway S22. The canyon walls display colorful banded layers of sandstone and mudstone. The narrow passage creates dramatic light shafts when the sun is overhead.