Anza-Borrego Overland Adventure Group #1

Join us for an unforgettable Valley Jeepsters Adventure in the stunning Anza-Borrego Desert of California! We’ll be tackling scenic trails, exploring unique desert landscapes, and enjoying off-road camaraderie under wide-open skies. Whether you're a seasoned rock crawler or just looking to explore the backcountry with fellow Valley Jeepsters, this trip promises epic views, challenging terrain, and plenty of good times. Pack your gear, bring plenty of water, and let’s make some memories in one of SoCal’s most iconic off-road destinations!

This will be a multi-day camping trip in Southern California’s Anza Borrego Desert State Park. The Park covers about 1 million acres between the Salton Sea and Laguna Mountains. We will camp at the Aqua Caliente County Park off the Imperial Highway (S2). We will visit only a portion of the park. The terrain varies from sandy washes, to mud hills (dry), to steep walled canyons, and to the weathering granitic terrain of the Jacumba Mountains. Great views, soft sand, narrow canyon walls and boulder terrain are frequent.

If you are carrying, please make sure you familiarize yourself with all the related California laws pertaining to this subject!!!

The trails we’ll be traversing can be conquered in a stock Jeep with offroad tires.

LOGISTICS:
This is our primary map, get the water proof edition. Amazon has it. Map of Anza-Borrego Desert Region, (Wilderness Press).
Note all location coordinates in the trail log are in decimal lat-long and taken from Gaia GPS. Trail description and coordinates below is subject to change.
If you don’t have an Aqua Caliente campsite reserved campground cancellations should start occurring soon. Make reservations at sdparks.org
There is a small store at the campground, but no fuel. Gas can be purchased at Ocotillo (at the I-80 turnoff – very expensive), Borrego Springs, and on I-8 off ramps. All are at California prices. If you arrive at the campground with a full or near full tank fuel will not be an issue.
Bring firewood.
Bring you bathing suit.
There is not a restaurant at or near the campground.
Bring your lunch for each day, although some fast food to go may be available in Borrego Springs.

AGENDA:

Thursday November 5, 2026 – Arrive at Agua Caliente and go for a swim. I will be at site 96. You are welcome to join me for a great view, discuss the upcoming trail rides, and share a drink and campfire.

Friday November 6
Great desert county with sand washes, narrow, vertical walled canyons, lots of soft, but not too soft sand. Except for the relatively short but, steep and loose down grade at Diablo drop-off in soft sediments, this is an easy 4x4 but very enjoyable ride.
This indoor pool will be open in the evening.
This will be a long day, so 8 am start.
Stop 1 – Drive south on Highway 2 (Imperial Highway) to the Carrizo Badlands Overlook (32.82668, -116.16421). This is the road you drove to the campground We may air down here.
Stop 2 – Drive north about ½ mile to Canyon Sin Nombre trail head (32.83005, -116.17006).
Stop 3 - At the intersection with Carrizo Wash (32.87346, -116.14422) we drive northwest to on Vallecito Creek Road to Arroyo to Tapiado (32.89489, -116.17935).
Stop 4 – At the mud caves we make a short hike into the caves – Flashlights not needed. (approx. 32.92061, -116.18399). We then drive north, west and then south on the Taplado Diablo Cut Across to the intersection with Arroyo Seco del Diablo (32.94073, -116.19214).
Depending on the time we may then follow Arroyo Seco del Diablo north for about 5 miles (I have never seen this section).
Stop 5 – After the intersection with Arroyo Seco del Diablo (32.94073, -116.19214) we drive south about 1/3 mile to the Diablo Dropoff trail (.32.93914, -116.19012).
Stop 6 Diablo Dropoff (32.95492, -116.18835). There are several drop off routes – choose you poison.
Stop 7 We will reorganize at the intersection with Fish Creek (32.96061, -116.17877;
don’t bring you fishing gear). There is not room for all of us to park at the bottom the drop off.
Stop 8 After reorganizing at Fish Creek (32.96061, -116.17877) we drive northwest to the Sandstone Canyon intersection (32.97937, -116.21423) and then to the end of Sandstone canyon ( 32.99438, -116.25646). It will be crowed at the end of the trail so we will make the turn around before stopping.
Stop 9 We drive back through Sandstone Canyon to the intersection with Fish Creek (32.97937, -116.21423) and then follow Fish Creek to the intersection with North Fish Creek Wash (32.99239, -116.11814).
If time permits, we will follow one of the North Fish Creek trails. I have not been on one of these since I broke my arm on a motorcycle. Otherwise we drive north thru Split Mountain and air up at the intersection with Split Mountain Road (32.99239, -116.11814).
Follow Split Mountain Road to Ocotillo Wells (no gas here), and the follow Highway 78 west to the intersection with S2, and then south to the campground. If you really need fuel, you can make 5-7 mile detour to Borrego Springs.

Saturday November 7
A shorter day with some highway miles. Start at 8:30 am
A back country (dirt) drive to Borrego Spring and then off road north of Borrego Springs. Fonts Point view point, Lower Coyote Canyon, Old Culp Road and Grapevine Canyon. This is an easy 4x4 drive. The ride to Borrego Springs is on relatively well-maintained dirt roads to the higher elevation Borrego Springs. Some very interesting terrain. After a stop at the Visitors Center and Borrego springs we travel north on dirt trails. he first part of the northern portion is sandy relatively open terrain with a possible water crossing. The second part is across as section a of high elevation beautiful weathered granitic boulders.
Stop 1 We start the campground and drive about 12 miles north on Highway S2 (Imperial Highway) to the intersection with Highway 78 (33.09655, -116.47379). Drive east on Highway 78 to Yaqui Flat trail aka Grapevine Canyon Road (33.13578, -116.37995). This will be a dirt road and airing down is optional.
Stop 2 Turn north on Old Culp Valley Trail (33.16391, -116.51089). At (33.19675, -116.49479) turn east on Old Culp Valley Trail. Great upland scenery.
Stop 3 at the intersection of Old Culp Valley and Montezuma-Borrego Highway (paved - 33.21017, -116.45278 ) turn right on the Highway (S22) and drive to Borrego Springs.
Stop 4 In Borrego Springs where S22 (aka Palm Canyon Drive) turns east we turn west (33.25651, -116.39942) and then north to the Anza Borrego Visitors Center. After the visitors center we retrace back to S22 and drive into town to Christmas circle. Find gas, ice cream etc. After a break we will drive east a few blocks to DiGiorgio Road (33.25663, -116.36602) and the north to the intersection with Coyote Canyon Road (33.32534, -116.36746).
Stop 5 Drive north on Coyote Canyon Road to the end of the graded road. Air down before the first dry river crossing. We are now on Coyote Canyon Road. At the intersection turn right onto Sheep Canyon Road (33.37149, -116.42336). Drive to Sheep Canyon Park and look around.
Stop 6 From Sheep Canyon we drive northeast about 1.2 mile on a cutoff road (33.38240, -116.46326) and drive north to the end of the trail (33.21056, -116.49139).
Stop 7 Retrace back to Borrego Springs (make a short stop) and drive west on S22 to the Jasper Trail. Follow the Jasper Trail to the Old Culp Valle Road (33.19865, -116.49966), Retrace our track back to the campground. Air down here if necessary).
If you must leave us on Saturday – Borrego Springs is a good place to start your journey home.
The indoor pool will be open this evening.

Sunday November 8
This will be new country for me. In the morning, we will explore the desert county south of the campground including a drive as far as we can up the headwaters of Carrizo Creek (If it is not dry we’re not going). In the afternoon we will explore the beautiful boulder terrain of the Jacumba Mountains.
Stop 1 Drive south from the campground on S2 to the Carrizo Canyon trail head (32.84753, -116.20103). Air down and drive as far south as possible and retrace back to the Imperial Highway.
Stop 2 About 3 mile south on S2 we will turn off on Jojobsa Wash trail (32.81356, -116.14173 ). Keep right at the junction (32.80080, -116.15445). Turn east at (32.78317, -116.16628) and then south at 32.78977, -116.14620 and the south the intersection with the abandoned rail road line (washed out during a tropical storm Kathleen). Follow the track southeast to the RR crossing (32.74679, -116.14015) and continue south to Hayden Springs Road (32.71810, -116.14059).
This is a great place to make a several mile hike to the famous Goad Canyon Rail Road Trestle. You may want to split off from us and do the hike.
Stop 3 We will follow on of the numerous trails to the desert town of Ocotillo. And then take I-8 up the hill to the top. Gas is available at the freeway entrance (32.73545, -115.99423) and at our 1-8 turn off in the Jacumba Mountains. The drive up the steep mountain pass to stop 4 is stunning.
Stop 4 The Jacumba Shell Gas station (32.63602, -116.16590). Stop for gas, ice cream etc. Air down. Drive south the east on Carrizo Creek Road to the I-8 under cross.
If we have time we will ride south to the Smuggler Den area to the US-Mexico border. Most likely we will only have time to cross under the Freeway and drive north on several BLM roads including BLM 019 and a great overlook of the Anza Borrego Desert.
You can easily drive back to Phoenix from hear and the trails should not be too rough to carry your camping gear.

LODGING:
We will be camping at the Agua Caliente County Park Campground arriving Thursday March 26th and departing Sunday March 29th. Please make your reservation ASAP as these tend to fill up quickly. Cancelations can be made up to 72 hours in advance with only $8 penalty fee. RV spots, tent campsites and cabins are available for reservations. Thermal swimming pools are open on the weekends – so bring you swimsuit. There are also pay showers. It can be windy at the campground - make sure you avoid sites 127-130. The less windy tent sites are south of Agua Caliente Campground Road. The great view sites for an RV with full hook-up are 97-104. There is limited food to be purchased near the campground and there are no restaurants. Bring firewood and groceries.

We will be off-roading on Sunday during the day so it may make sense to make a reservation for Sunday night if you want to spend an extra night there. Russ and Alan have booked RV spots #99 and #100 respectively. You can make RV and tent camping reservations online via the link below:
https://www.sdparks.org/content/sdparks/en/park-pages/AguaCaliente.html

LITERATURE:
California Desert Byways, by Tony Huegel (Wilderness Press). This is the 4x4 guide.
Recreation Map of Anza-Borrego Desert Region, (Wilderness Press). This is our map. Get the water proof edition.
The Anza Borrego Desert Region, A guide, by Lowell and Diana Lindsay (Wilderness Press). An excellent guide to the region.
Hiking Anza Borrego Desert State Park by Bill and Polly Cunningham (A Falcon Guide). A good guide for 25 hikes.
Please only sign up if you are committed to the trip. We know life happens, but don’t take a spot with the idea that I might like to go and I’ll decide later.

SPLIT Mountains
Jacumba Mountains
Borrego Springs

YOUTUBE Video #1
YOUTUBE Video #2

Event Type: 3 Day Overlanding Adventure
AZ Pinstriping: Low
Difficulty: 2 to 5
Camping: YES
Jeep Requirements: Slightly Modified Jeeps with 2+ lift and 33+ tires are recommended. Offroad Tires are a must.
Equipment Requirements: Full Gas Tank, Spare Tire, inflation/deflation tools, drinks/lunch, Sense of Adventure
Radio: GMRS Radio Chanel #15.