OK, here are the trails I'm looking at for the 3 days. They're in 3 groups and shown in 3 different colors (blue, red, & yellow).

I haven't fully decided on which day we'll do which trail yet.

Let me know if any of you have questions or suggestions.

44. Lower Coyote Canyon (In Red)
DIFFICULTY: Moderate. Soft sand, rocky climb,& a water crossing.
TIME & DISTANCE: 9.5 miles one way taking 3-4 hours for a round trip.

48. The Slot (Optional so not colored in)
DIFFICULTY: Difficult because of one very steep sand hill. Moderate rock crawling but mostly easy. Can drive in opposite direction to avoid the uphill.
TIME & DISTANCE: 11.7 mile loop takes 1hr + 15 minutes to hike up to the Slot.

49. Ocotillo Wells SVRA (In Yellow. This will be used as an easy route to get to trails 50 & 51)

50. Pumpkin Patch (In Yellow)
DIFFICULTY: Moderate. One rocky wash & some tight undulating hills. Potentially impassible when wet.
TIME & DISTANCE: 4.4miles one way taking 1hr.

51. Cross Over Trail (In Yellow)
DIFFICULTY: Moderate. Step climbs, tight turns. Suitable for high clearance stock vehicles. Stay off when wet. Route finding is difficult.
TIME & DISTANCE: 6.7 miles taking 2hrs.


52. Oriflamme Canyon (In Blue)
DIFFICULTY: Moderate. Mildy rocky w/ steep, narrow switchbacks. Suitable for stock high clearance SUV's.
TIME & DISTANCE: 11.1 miles taking 1.5hrs each way.

54. Pinyon Mntn. Rd. (In Blue)
DIFFICULTY: Difficult. Passes through canyon with steep hills & one extremely steep descent. Not recommended for stock or full size rigs. Experienced drivers only. Lockers make the trip easier. Do not drive when there's heavy rain due to flash floods.
TIME & DISTANCE: 30.5 miles taking 4-5 hrs.

55. Sandstone Canyon (Optional so not colored in)
DIFFICULTY: Easy. Sandy wash bottom suitable for most stock SUV's. Conditions can get worse after storms. Flash flooding possible.
TIME & DISTANCE: 15 miles taking 1.5-4 hrs.

56. Canyon Sin Nombre (In Blue but am not sure which direction will be easier/harder)
DIFFICULTY: Easy. Route follows mostly sandy wash bottom suitable for stock SUV's. Don't park near steep embankments in case there's an earthquake that causes falling rocks.
TIME & DISTANCE: 11.6 miles taking 1.5-2 hrs.

JUSTICE: Do we turn left or right when we get to Canyon Sin Nombre?

57. Diablo Dropoff / Mud Caves (In Blue)
DIFFICULTY: Difficult. Primarily because of the Diablo Dropoff which is steep and badly eroded with soft sand at top. Above it the trail loops through 2 deeply cut washes of moderate diffculty. Canyon walls can collapse partially or totally blocking the trail.
TIME & DISTANCE: 17.6 miles which can take nearly a full day although we'll only be doing 60% of it so it should be a lot less time/distance.

Note: Credit for the two map images and trail description goes to Charles A. Wells and his great book Guide to Southern California Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails ISBN 0-9664976-4-3

Turn right at back end of Canyon Sin Nombre. Keep in mind you'll be doing trail 57 (diablo drop off) in reverse so set your waypoints as such.

Cool! I was wondering which way on that trail. I'll be plotting the trail then importing the waypoints in order.

Ray, my notes for you:

1) Trail 44 (South Coyote Trail) has a nice large (huge) almost empty primitive campground after the rocky climb, in the Sheep Canyon. It is well suited for large gatherings and wild parties. Once I saw the whole club of Hummers camping there, may be 50 or so of them. You may have a good night there, if it fits your plans. And again, I like that trail the most among others.

At one point, the road finding may be confusing along the trail 44. At that point, by the river, you are arriving to a seemingly "dead-end" and it seems that there is no where to go. The park signs do not help, they create impression that the area is closed. The trick is that you have to drive directly in the river, and drive about 100 feet between the trees in the water along the river, and then you will see the opening to the left and you can exit the river.

2) Trail 45 (Calcite Mine) is very nice. It is not about the driving only - it provides great exploration area in the end, where they mined calcites for optical devices in WWII. And it is very scenic. But the trail has two issues: first, it is relatively easy - I do not understand why they marked it "difficult", it is "moderate", at best. The second issue is that it is very difficult to find. May be, they meant exactly that - "difficult to find". I had all GPS coordinates but I drove 5 or so times back and force on the road while I was able to find it. But it is there.

3) The area around trail 48 (The Slot) is great. But the drop-off is very soft and very steep and long. My vehicle was sliding semi-uncontrollable downhill. That drop-off is MUCH more difficult than the Diablo drop-off. I made it south-to-north, then I proceeded to S22 road in north-west direction.

4) The Fish Canyon in the trail 57 may be the most scenic place in Anza Borrego, in the right light - so bring a good camera. Diablo drop-off is not difficult in both directions. I used my front locker but I'd make it open. The little short climb just before the Diablo drop-off (in north-to-south direction) is more difficult and requires some kind of traction device or a very long-base vehicle.

I believe you guys will have great time there. May be I'll be able to come to Anza next winter. My kid may be ready for some exploration by then.

Thanks Oleg.

The campground at S. Coyote Trail sounds good. Do you know of any other sites that are closer/more central to the other trails? With that campground we would have a 30-60 min drive to and from the other trail heads.

Next year definitely. Looking forward to seeing the little one clambering about.:8

There is an RV campground in Borrego Springs -Palm Canyon Resort.

Also, further down S-2 are two other campgrounds - one about wher Pinion Mtn starts, it used to be called Stagecoach Trails and the other is further down S-2, Butterfield.

Butterfield would give access to the south end of Anza Borrego in a conveint manner.

Ray, the South Coyote Canyon trail campground in the Sheep Canyon is suitable only for that trail - I was making it overnight, including some socializing and hiking. It cannot be a base for other travels, too slow drive from there.

I am usually basing my stay in the campground in Palm Canyon. It is in the western end of the Borrego Springs town. In terms of comfort and convenience this is my favorite campground ever and anywhere. It has all amenities, like showers etc. And the camping sites are large and very convenient and isolated. There are a gas station and restaurants and shops in the vicinity. It can be reserved over the Internet. They have group sites, too.

But this campground is excellent only for northern and central area of Anza. If you are going to explore, extensively, the southern part of the park, then it may be too far for you to drive to the trails - around 40 mins.

I was driving far from the Palm Canyon - we even visited the Joshua Tree National Park and found a hidden and virtually unused long off-road passage through the southern end of the park. I found that even most park rangers are not aware that the passage (totally legal) exist and drivable. But it is a long drive to Joshua Tree from Palm canyon.

I hope to be there, again, next year. A very good place for late year traveling.

OK, I need confirmation please on who will be going, how many in your party (people and rigs) and which dates they'll be there.

So far I have...
Attendees (# of rigs, dates attending or needs confirming)
Tyson & crew (4, Sat-Sun)
Jason A (1, Sat-Tues)
Steve & Nick (1, Sat-Tues)
Steve D (Sat-Tues)
Carlos (1, Sat-Tues)
Bob/DRX350 (which days?)
Spence/Spencevans (??)
Kirk (??)

Also for those going, please send me...
- The number of people and vehicles in your party.
- Your current cell phone number or way I can contact you or others in your group directly (in case your cell doesn't have good reception and others do).

Once I know how many we people and cars we have going, I'll figure out which campsite/area will be the best for us to go for.

That said, campsites will be 'primative' with no running water or electricity. The will likely have toilets though.

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cyclops.gif" alt="" />

I'm not going to make it. It turns out that when you get married your wife expects you to spend the first New Year's Eve together. Who knew.

Dude, that's easy. Bring her with you. They'll be a fire, you can roast marshmallows or make her s'mores... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />