Tag: hiking

Off-Road September 12, 2016September 13, 2016

Grandview Point and Trail

Grandview Point offers stunning views of the Grand Canyon from the southern rim. Grandview Trail also offers incredible views as it winds down the slope to Horseshoe Mesa, or the river if you have what it takes. The hike takes quite a long time and you can never bring too much water on this hike. Down on Horseshoe Mesa are the remnants of the Last Chance Mine which used to extract copper during the early 20th century. Most of the mine shafts have been blocked at the entrance (except for one filled with bats).

The closest highway to Grandview Point is AZ-64, which takes about seven hours to reach from San Diego.

Find the rest of the photos here!

4x4, Off-Road August 28, 2016July 28, 2019

Coyote One

Coyote Road One is simply a dirt road that leads to where the desert floor and mountains meet east of San Diego. The road is graded and passable by any vehicle with a few inches of ground clearance. I chose to go through on foot to more slowly take in the area. The sign at the beginning of the road may say no vehicles are allowed but it’s severely outdated. Since this area is not in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park to the north you’re also allowed to discharge firearms to your hearts content. A short hike up some of the hills and mountains leads to stunning views of the Yuha and surrounding deserts. As always, enjoy the photos and find the rest of them here!

4x4, Off-Road January 18, 2016July 28, 2019

Anza-Borrego Mud Caves

I’ll be posting up some video from trails I went through on the same day I took this video, but for now I’ll just post up about the Mud Caves. In Anza-Borrego Desert State Park there are a large network of caves that you can walk and crawl through. Obviously, they can get dark so don’t forget your flashlight. There’s also a lot of seismic activity in the area so the cliff sides and caves are not a good place to camp out. I traversed a single cave with a small group of friends for about an hour; it would take quite a long time to explore the cave system in detail.

The closest paved road to the Mud Caves is S-2 (reached from the south via I-8 and the north via CA-78), then take Vallecito Creek east, and then head north a few miles along Arroyo Tapaido. During the cooler months of the year there will be a lot of tourists so it’s pretty hard to miss.

If you’re not into four-wheeling like I am this is another fun activity you can enjoy in the desert. There really is a lot of beauty (and life in some spots) in the desert. Enjoy the photos and video footage; find the rest of it here!