Indian Trails of Anza-Borrego

The route down the east ridge of Pyramid Peak

Travertine Palms

Trail high up at Travertine Palms Wash

Rocks BM trail with peculiar rock piles

Palm near Rocks BM

 

 The NE corner of the park has a lot of trails and nobody goes in there but for a few hiking to the benchmarks. Nearly every bench has a trail making for endless loop possibilities. 

1.   WONDERSTONE WASH INDIAN TRAIL - this one goes from S22 and up over a ridge then down Wonderstone. It's the most dramatic I've ever done and doubt it can be surpassed. Take highway 86 to Brawley Rd and drive to a gravel plant. Go south along it on an easy 4wd power road for nearly a mile and leave a vehicle at N33 21629, W116 02188. Ebikes and cycles can turn right up a wash there for another half mile. Then drive to mp 32.55 on S22 and walk a tenth mile to a smooth channel at 17973, 11202. Follow that to the west side of a hill and walk the channel along the base. Upon reaching the north side of the hill, drift right a little to get in the main channel of Palo Verde Wash where you'll see a million footprints. Go on up the wash thru point 18536, 11111 then on to the start of the trail at 18873, 10748 el 1350. The trail goes up along the rim of a side canyon and be sure not to miss where it crosses to the left side of the creekbed at the 1550 level. It goes on up steeply to the top of the ridge el 2000 then down to the bed of Smoke Tree Canyon el 1900. Go up the main canyon 400 feet as the crow flies and the trail exits right at cairns. It gets fuzzy, but be sure to be on it where it levels off  at 19430, 09720 el 2250. It's easy to follow to a creekbed where it vanishes.A pothole there had several gallons. Go up the bed for 300 feet and it exits left. The reading there is 19838, 09605 el 2500. It goes on to a saddle on the main ridge el 3150 then runs toward Rosa BM. It gets fuzzy and I dropped off it and down a ridge at 20493, 09839 then picked it up again at 20758, 09607. A rock ring is along the way at 20699, 09685. The trail goes on to 20895, 09359 then runs left of center at 20933, 09041 el 2480. I took the option to drop down and check for water in the canyon. There were some puddles and wet sand then a big drop. I went back on the rim there then down to where it gets skinny at el 2050. Some rock rings are there and I could see water below. I went down the skinny rim and soon the trail drops right down an obvious slope and bends left and hits bottom where the wash goes over a drop. A flat top boulder there has a grinding hole. The trail runs on the right bank to get past the fall and there is a sand slide. I didn't think that to be risky with a good stick, but a likely option is to get in the main arm of the canyon at about 20911, 08495.  I came up canyon that far on a previous hike if my GPS was reading correct. It's a smooth wash on out to the mouth and I stayed in smooth channels near center to 20950, 05151 then cut over to another channel at 20905, 05037 that took me to the west saddle of peak 649. A trail runs down a wash there and goes up on the left bank at 20811, 04653 then on to higher ground. I then moved left to 20978, 04202 where I could walk the rim of a wash on down to 21404, 03068 and then obvious the rest of the way. That took 8 hours, 15 minutes and nearly 14 miles. Noticeable gain is 2000. The water I saw was from rain 2 weeks before. I put a track on peakbagger under Marble Peak 3320. Posted 2026 
2. WONDERSTONE WASH LOOP - a one way hike can be done up Travertine Palms Wash then over into Wonderstone. Take highway 86 to Brawley Rd and drive to a gravel plant. Go south along it on an easy 4wd power road for nearly a mile and leave a vehicle. Then take the highway to 86th Ave and go west on good dirt to a gate. There is a large pullout just before the gate. Walk south a few feet to a main wash. That works for a fifth mile then I had to get on the left bank and head for N33 24977, W116 05112. I walked along a wash then in it and on to a trail at 24275, 05701 that goes thru the palms then up the right bank into a saddle on the rim of another wash. I got on the left bank of a wash at 23973, 06032 and went up it a tenth mile and stepped up to a higher level and kept walking the edge of the wash to the end at the 940 line. I went straight down a slope to the wash then up thru a narrows and picked up the trail on the left at 22759, 06994 el 1080. It goes up on top of a bench then on up canyon and fades where the bench ends and a ridge starts. But the route most likely continues up the ridge which I went up almost to el 1800 then leveled off to the right to get on the divide. I had a trail again that skirts bumps and along the north side of peak 2052 and then at 21528, 08011 el 2000 it goes into a saddle. I leveled off there but should have gone higher because I didn't find the trail again until 21477, 08225 el 2100 and lost it again but found it at 21376, 08402 el 2200. Now I had to cross a wash to get on a ridge to the rim of Wonderstone. I got to the rim at 21051, 08217 el 1900 and saw no way down so I walked the rim on a trail for a third mile and saw a way down then walked the wash past peak 649 and got up on the rim at the 460 line. I walked pavement to 21351, 04225 and stayed on the high ground but vehicle damage would make me scout another route next time. I followed the high ground to the flats then on to my cycle. 8 and a half hours, nearly 15 miles with about 1000 gain that requires any effort.  It would take 9 hours with just cars for the shuttle. I put a track on peakbagger under Abe BM. Just going to the palms and back would be a 3 hour hike. I saw no hiker tracks there. Posted 2025
3. HOT BENCHMARK LOOP -  Take highway 86 to mp 60 and turn east on Treadwell road to get under the highway to a power road as shown on the topo. That goes less than a mile to Big Wash then drive up that to the trail at N33 19336, W116 01558. That soon comes to a fork where I stayed left to a gully where the trail tops out at 19649, 01759.  Then on to 19455, 05324 and then 19996, 01867. In another 200 feet the trail forks. I went left past a cleared circle then to 20111, 01993 and in another half mile left the trail and went left at 20359, 02418. I followed the high ground to 19932, 03202 where I crossed a deep wash then on toward Hot BM. I hit the rim just past the BM and came back to it then followed a trail down the rim and into Big Wash and back to the start. 3 and a half hours, 7 miles with hardly any strenuous gain. I put a track on peakbagger under the BM. All roads are easy 4wd. Posted 2025
4. BIG WASH TRAIL - this one runs along the rim thru Cool BM and Hot BM.  I went up Arroyo Salada over into Big Wash then down to highway 86. Take highway 86 to an exit at mp 61.1.  Parking there should work but who knows if vandals come along, so I went south on the frontage road for a fifth mile to Gravel Wash at BM -87 . Cycles can go a fifth mile up that. I left my cycle there then drove 15 miles  to mp 35.5 on S22 and strolled up Arroyon Salada to the saddle el 2000 at the end. Then it's best to walk the left rim down the other side to Big Wash then down to the 1180 line then exit left up to the bank. Walk the bank to the trail at N33 19116, W116 06173  then on past Cool BM then comes a dangerous gap. The sissy route is to go left on a trail at 19468, 05413 and down a point to the wash. Walk that to the first right bend then back up to the rim and on past Hot BM then take a left on a faint trail at 19566, 03662 and walk a bench to 19652, 02923 then left down a  gully to the wash. Walk that then exit at 19930, 01593 to get to the highway.  This hike takes nearly 6 hours, nearly 12 miles. Noticeable gain is about 400. If using an ebike for the shuttle there is a paved shoulder except on S22 from 86 to the park entrance. Sunrise Drive is a shortcut in town. I put a track on peakbagger under Cool BM. I found out later that I could have left the lower vehicle at the parking spot for the Slip BM loop. Posted 2025.
5. BIG WASH SOUTH RIM - for this one I walked up canyon then back on a trail on the south rim. Take highway 86 to mp 60 and turn east on Treadwell road to get under the highway to a power road as shown on the topo. That goes less than a mile to Big Wash then drive 2 miles up that to a main fork. Vehicles go left but park there and walk the right fork. It had zero tracks. Soon there is no main wash so I just guessed at the channels and they took me to the north bank where the blue line is on the topo. For variety I went up an island at N33 19239, W116 04410. That ends in a third mile then I should have gone left to a main wash but instead I went to the north bank where rocks forced me back to the wash. The trail is on up on the south bank at 18929, 05125. It goes 300 feet down a gully then right to 18894, 04967 where it's more obvious. It goes to 18895, 04645 then down a point to the flats. Then either stay low back or use a trail on the left rim. I did that by going up a gully at 19030, 03951 to get on top then walking down to the point then down to the right to get to the wash and back. 3 hours or less, easy. All roads are easy 4wd. Posted 2025.
6. SLIP BENCHMARK LOOP - this one combines two trails and might be the best. Take highway 86 to an exit at mp 61.1 then go north on the frontage road for a third mile to a main wash then up that to the power road on the topo and that's the park boundary. Walk up the wash a half mile then to a trail at N33 19985, W116 01722. It goes on to a fork and to 20112, 01994 then 20550, 03036 and on to 20532, 03284. I lost it near tire tracks but it goes right of the tracks at 20559, 03191 and  I was on it again at 20572, 03407 then it drops to a wash at 20592, 03550. It goes up the wash over a mile and past Low BM then exits at 20731, 04711 and goes over to the rim of Wonderstone Wash. Stay on the high ground over Slip then on to 20427, 06457 where you cross a gully and a trail is on the other side up on the rim. It goes to 20288, 06194 then on to a point. A gully on the left at 19729, 05275 is the way down to a main wash. Go down that and a trail is on the right rim at 19883, 04074. Stay in the wash until a third mile away then go up a point to the trail. It goes on to a rim at 19939, 03489 and left of a hill then to a rock ring at 19860, 02014. It then drops to the wash that leads back to the start. 6 hours, 12 miles and 300 noticeable gain. I put a track on peakbagger under Slip and Low benchmarks. Next time I'll stay in the canyon south of Slip to connect the trails for a shorter hike and something different. Posted 2025
7. PYRAMID PEAK el 3480 has an Indian trail to the west saddle el 3150. I went over the summit then down the east ridge. Take highway 86 to an exit at mp 61.1 then go north on the frontage road for a third mile to a main wash then up that to the power road on the topo and leave a 4wd there. Then drive to mp 32.55 on S22 where you should be reading N33 17886, W116 11213 el 900. Any farther west means more rocks. Walk a tenth mile to a smooth channel at 17973, 11202. Follow that to the west side of a hill and walk the channel along the base. Upon reaching the north side of the hill, drift right a little to get in the main channel of Palo Verde Wash where you'll see a million footprints. Go on up the wash thru point 18536, 11111 then on to the start of the trail at 18873, 10748 el 1350. The trail goes up along the rim of a side canyon and be sure not to miss where it crosses to the left side of the creekbed at the 1550 level. It goes on up steeply to the top of the ridge el 2000 then down to the bed of Smoke Tree Canyon el 1900. Go up the main canyon 400 feet as the crow flies and the trail exits right at cairns. It gets fuzzy, but be sure to be on it where it levels off  at 19430, 09720 el 2250. It's easy to follow to a creekbed where it vanishes. Go up the bed for 300 feet and it exits left. The reading there is 19838, 09605 el 2500. It goes on to a saddle on the main ridge el 3150 then it's easy up to the summit then down the east ridge. Be careful not to disturb a rock ring at el 3250. Another possible one is at el 2950. I went on down and over a bump to a saddle at 20211, 08383 el 2700 and it has a ring. I could see a saddle el 2350 down to my left and it has a good ring. I walked east from there down the left bank then cut to the right bank at 20302, 07971 el 2000 then soon I could see a slope to get me up to a saddle on the left rim. I went thru it then down the left bank to a deep wash and got on the left bank of that. When it ended I cut over to the right bank and then was on a huge bench. I drifted over to the right edge and on down past the southern leg of the Slip trail. That would be the best way back but I wanted to check out the bench ahead. I went to to the south of peak 711 reading 20359, 04622 then soon crossed a wash and walked the base of a slope. When that ended I moved far right to stay on the bench then to the northern leg of the Slip trail at 20563, 03321. I took that across a wash to 20474, 02797 then for the last mile headed straight for my cycle. That took 8 hours, 10 minutes and nearly 14 miles with 2500 noticeable gain. I put a track on peakbagger. Posted 2025
8. TRUCKHAVEN TRAIL connects Arroyo Salada Campground to the Calcite Mine road. Leave a bike at the campground at mp 34.9  then drive to mp 38.3 and turn right on a decent dirt road. Drive 3/4 mile to a deep wash and park. The trail drops down to the left but it's better to walk the road down then up the trail at N33 16533, W116 06523. It goes over a bench then back down and up into a side canyon where it goes up left at the mouth. It tops out on a bench then circles to the right to 16429, 06991 then on thru a saddle at 16348, 07351 and then enters Arroyo Salada Wash. Some people went up the wash but the hardy went up on the far bank and walked trailless terrain to 16338, 07993 and dropped into a wash and up to the trail at 16305, 08064. It goes over peak 960 to the campground then there is a paved shoulder to ride a bike back to the start. 100 minutes, 3 miles with 300 noticeable gain for the hike part. I put a track on peakagger under peak 960. Posted 2025
10. PALM WASH has trails on the east rim. The Calcite MIne road turns off highway 22 about a half mile inside the park boundary. It's is easy 4wd down across the wash of South Fork then up the other side for half a mile to a fork that goes down into main Palm Wash. That fork has a tricky spot. Once at bottom a trail starts at N33 17381, N116 06156 but soon there is a 6 foot cliff. I chickened out and went on downstream to an easy ridge at 17311, 05926 and it goes up to the rim and merges with the trail. Soon there is a fork and I stayed left along the rim to the base of the mountain. The trail bends right and fades so I came back on got on the other fork at 17831, 06130. It goes on to 18035, 06077 then 18140, 06035 and then at 18204, 05969 it comes to the rim of the North Fork. Just below is a hunting blind overlooking Sheep Tanks in a slot. There is no way thru the slot so I walked the rim to 18205, 05846 then down an easy drainage. I strolled on down canyon and took a shortcut trail at 17370, 05246 to get back in the main fork and back to the start. 3 hours, 5 miles with 400 noticeable gain.  JOSHUA CANYON is the name on the peakbagger sat image for the one on the west side of the Palm Wash North Fork. I parked at 17408, 05210 and strolled up past the 500 line to a main fork. I went right to 3 forks. I took the middle one that has catclaw needing a trim. Soon there is a palm then a good narrows and then a fall. I went back to the catclaw and took the left fork and it opens up then I circled left up to the rim at 17907, 05793 el 860. I went up to the 960 line to get over to the east rim then down it to a trail at 18040, 05660. I went on down the rim to 17637, 05372 then dropped to the right down a wash that leads back to the start. 2 and a half hours with 400 noticeable gain. Hikers walking in from the Calcite road can use the trail at 17309, 05284 to shortcut into the canyon out of the main fork of Palm Wash.    Posted 2026
11. GRAVE WASH has trails on the rims. I went into South Fork from the Calcite road as above and down to a gully on the left at N33 17396, W116 04608. A tenth mile up that and it's easy to go up on the left rim and walk a spotty trail to the rim of North Fork. The trail goes along that and past peak 711 meets a second trail (which is the return trail ) then in another fifth mile at 18235, 05620 is where the Indians went down to Sheep Tanks. I stayed on the rim to 18495, 05981 to get over a low ridge then on to the rim of Grave. Going down Grave would be easiest and a way down is at about 18575, 05725 but that's an OHV route. So instead I went down at 18654, 05905  then up the main fork and it was obvious how to go up to the rim on the north side of peak 1021. Then south of the peak the trail shows up on the left edge at a drainage shown on the topo. Just before peak 833 there is a saddle with cairns in a circle. Do not disturb as that is likely Indian. A tedious gully goes down there but I went on over that peak then down the ridge to 18410, 05047 el 740. The ridge splits there and the drainage in between is the one but it's best to take the right rim of it down to 18419, 04978 then drop left to the wash and on to the main wash of Grave. Then cross over and up a fork and up a faint trail at 18227, 04968 that goes thru a saddle and down a wash. But don't go down the wash and instead go west onto a bench that has the return trail that goes to the rim of North Fork and retrace back. I lost track of time and distance because I pieced it together over 2 days but likely would take 5 hours.  The 4wd road down South Fork has no tricky spots. An alternate way in is to take a primitive road in from highway 22 at the tower then get on a little ridge at 16992, 04700 and in 300 feet it's easy to drop left to the wash. That would be nearly a mile of extra walking each way but easy.  A third way to start out is to drive up North Fork and go up to the rim where the Indians did. That would shorten the loop by a couple miles but those are pleasant miles. Posted 2026       
12. 17 PALMS LOOP - a spotty trail connects peak 960 to the palms. I parked at Arroyo Salada Campground and went over the peak on the trail to a wash where it faded. I crossed the wash then on to a gully at N33 16368, W116 07911 then to 16281, 07476 where the trail starts showing up but spotty. I went on to 16104, 07241 then at 15851, 06994 I had a good trail that bends right into a wash and on to the palms. I returned in the main wash with the blue line on the topo. Just upstream from the 500 line is a main fork. I went left there then over the rim at 16009, 08408 and followed washes back using the sat image as I had cell coverage. Nearly 3 hours and 200 noticeable gain. I put a track on peakbagger under peak 960. Posted 2025.
13. ROCKS BENCHMARK TRAIL - this one is in the NE corner of the park accessed from 86th Ave. It runs on a bench south of Rocks BM. 86th Ave is gated where Lincoln St goes north. I rode my bike west past the gate for a half mile to the end of the road. Then I walked to a wash at N33 25548, W116 05413. I went .17 mile up that then took a left turn on to a wash at 25349. 05734 and then another at 25067, 06088. I went on until I was half a mile from the trail which is at 24483, 06482 and then I left the wash and went direct to the trail. I followed it past a rock pile made by the Indians. It goes up on the bench at 24467, 06580. Rock piles line the trail and then end in a third mile but not because they ran out of rocks. I went on to a fork at 23954, 07710 at the 1040 line where I began a loop. I stayed left up the bench to 23600, 08251 then to a faint trail at 23378, 08829. It took me lower then I walked thru a low spot in the next rim to 23342, 09054 where I could drop to the smooth wash. I went down and came to palm saplings and then a bigger palm and then at 23951, 08088 I climbed up the bank. Then I crossed a gully to the trail at 23932, 07976 and it took me to the fork. Retracing back out is best. I tried following the trail back out more to the east and it dumped me into the rockiest wash on earth. 6 hours and a whole bunch of miles. I gained nearly 2000 but all easy grades. A shorter hike would be to go right at the trail fork and into the wash and up to the larger palm. I didn't get a waypoint but looks on the sat image to be at 23653, 08561. How many people ever see that? Posted 2025