Short Canyon

Short Canyon is one of Ridgecrest's best-kept secrets — a surprisingly lush desert canyon just 15 minutes from the city that transforms into a wildflower wonderland after wet winters. A year-round stream, rare in the Mojave Desert, creates a riparian corridor that supports a remarkable diversity of plant and animal life, including cottonwoods, willows, and a rich population of songbirds.

The canyon offers a moderate hike that grows more rewarding the deeper you go. The first mile follows a relatively open wash before the canyon walls begin to close in, creating shady alcoves and narrow slot sections where the rock has been carved by centuries of flash floods. Desert bighorn sheep are frequently spotted on the canyon walls and ridgelines above, and golden eagles soar on the thermals rising from the warm desert floor.

In years following good winter rainfall, Short Canyon produces some of the most spectacular wildflower displays in the Indian Wells Valley. Carpets of desert gold, purple phacelia, and orange globe mallow cover the hillsides from late February through April. The canyon is managed by the Bureau of Land Management and remains relatively uncrowded even during peak wildflower season.