Sheep Canyon sits deep in Anza-Borrego's Coyote Canyon area, reachable by a rutted, rocky trail that rewards the drive with one of the best primitive campsites in the park: boulders stacked against the canyon wall, a scattering of desert scrub, and not another soul in sight.

With zero light pollution this far out, the night sky did most of the talking. We sat out well past dark watching the Milky Way stretch overhead, headlamps off, letting our eyes adjust until the whole canyon was lit in starlight.