Hike Villager Peak Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, CA

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Route Map

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Villager Peak GPX Track

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Villager Peak is a somewhat popular hike in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park because it's a significant undertaking to a peak with a decent trail for its entirety, not super common way out in the desert. It's also a jumping off point for folks interested in hiking to Rabbit Peak. I have updated this trip report in 2023 with better photos and understanding of the desert, but back in 2015 this hike was a serious endeavor to me. I remember spending a week or two leading up to this hike exploring the area and getting used to hiking in this sort of terrain. Even if you don't go all the way to Rabbit Peak, Villager Peak is a worthwhile objective, which is why I didn't remove this page from my site despite my newer Rabbit Peak trip report using this route as the start.

I started out from a small dirt parking lot, and there's initially not a clearly defined trail through the desert. It seems that everyone eventually gets funneled into the proper trail within the first half mile, and this trail took me to the southern ridgeline of Villager Peak. A clearly-defined trail switchbacked up the first hundred feet of steep ascent to gain the crest above, where the grade cooled off a little bit and more gradually ascended at a consistent and pleasant pace.

There are a few flatter portions, but overall I found the hike to be a steady incline with a couple of steeper portions mixed in. It was also nice to note the changes in desert vegetation as I ascended thousands of feet. About halfway to the peak, the west face of the ridgeline shifted in character, becoming an eroded and gorgeous cliff that paralleled the trail. I thought these were the best views of the day, especially looking down at the desert floor far below. At about 4600' the trail became a little harder to follow since the ridge crest creeped into Class 2 terrain. Going the wrong way results in harder scrambling, so I recommend making sure you're paying attention in keeping to the trail. Past the Class 2 portion the route eased up a bit, becoming a hilly slope that led to the summit of Villager Peak. I returned the same way.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)

Peaks on hike

Elevation

Prominence

Villager Peak

5756 ft

596 rise

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From the trailhead, I set out through the desert until funneled into this main trail. The ascent to Villager Peak follows the ridge in the center of this photo.

The trail leads through this wash to get to the start of the ridge.

Steep switchbacks initially.

View back, the trailhead is somewhere in the center of this photo.

Progress along the ridgeline. It's a mostly tame slope, but has some steeper sections.

The trail is sometimes faint, but still easy to follow overall.

A flatter section Mile High Mountain poking out ahead.

View back.

A flatter section along the way.

Steeper, light Class 2.

View back above the short steep spurt.

Villager Peak becomes visible.

Close-up toward Villager Peak (left).

Another steeper section.

Great views of the eroded west face of the ridgeline.

View back toward the ridgeline.

Very cool eroded slope.

Continuing along the ridgeline.

Looking back where the trail parallels the cool rim.

Wider shot back into the desert below.

Villager Peak center.

Another shot back at my progress.

Approaching the slightly trickier Class 2 section.

Light Class 2, though leaving the trail could result in harder scrambling.

A shot back as I start up the Class 2 stuff.

Higher up, a view back. Mile High Mountain seen on the left.

A false summit before reaching Villager Peak.

Pretty tame slope and ascent from here.

Another shot back as I near the false summit of Villager Peak.

Villager Peak just ahead.

Villager Peak summit, view south back the way I came.

Villager Peak summit, view west.

Villager Peak summit, view toward Rabbit Peak (right).

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!