BajaNomad - Anza Borrego/Salton Sea

Anza Borrego/Salton Sea

baron - 3-15-2010 at 10:04 AM

Wow So much good Death valley info. Now looking at the map and seeing the options east of San Diego area I am starting to wonder about the Anza/Salton options for warm primitive/organized camping with recreation nearby. I know I am full of questions but if anyone can help me to discover this area I will go north from Baja to death valley via this area.

Borrego Springs

tripledigitken - 3-15-2010 at 10:11 AM

Your picking a great time to go. The wildflowers are nearing their peak. Grab a bag of "Sealy Reds" grapefruit, and Medjool Dates. Some great local produce.

If you go, don't miss the animal sculptures at Galleta Meadows. Amazing artwork!

http://www.galletameadows.com/news04172008.php

Ken

David K - 3-15-2010 at 10:26 AM

Anza Borrego Desert State Park is great... next best thing to Baja for outdoor camping and activities (non-sea activities). The Salton Sea is more of a dead sea now... the salt/ chemical levals are so high, nothing much is living on it... dead fish line the shore... stinks.

[Edited on 3-15-2010 by David K]

baron - 3-15-2010 at 10:34 AM

Yes Anza Borrego has my attention as I head east of here. Any specifics so I don't have to re invent the wheel? I like the more primitive camping.

tripledigitken - 3-15-2010 at 10:46 AM

Drive 8 east to Ocotillo on RT 8, second exit after you reach the desert floor from Jacumba. Take the Desert Parks exit and take S2 north about 25+- miles and you can camp at either Bow Willow campground (tables and pit toilets as I remember) and just 1/2 mile up the road is Mtn Palm Canyon (just a few sites no tables, they may have pit toilets now, not sure). Both offer great day hikes into the Mtn Canyons with many Palm Groves to visit. Both of these campgrounds are on the west side of the road.

David K - 3-15-2010 at 10:49 AM

The mud caves are cool to visit, too...

baja-ebonny - 3-15-2010 at 11:08 AM

We were there this weekend. Did some offroading on the Bradshaw trail and went to Slot Canyon. The flowers are not blooming yet, but the ocotillos are ready to have full bloom anyday. The Salton Sea didn't stink! Weather was great! We will be heading out there again when the flowers are in full bloom.

baron - 3-15-2010 at 11:18 AM

Cool...I am looking at a map and seeing a possible entry through Julian on rte 78....or is it better to head further east and go up from Ocotillo? as 3d ken stated? And where are these mud caves?

tripledigitken - 3-15-2010 at 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by baja-ebonny
We were there this weekend. Did some offroading on the Bradshaw trail and went to Slot Canyon. The flowers are not blooming yet, but the ocotillos are ready to have full bloom anyday. The Salton Sea didn't stink! Weather was great! We will be heading out there again when the flowers are in full bloom.

It's a huge park with elevations from below sea level to over 5,000 ' and there are flowers blooming, we were out on Sunday. They vary from location to location, try Henderson Canyon Rd NE of the airport. Along the road to Coyote Canyon (Palm Tree Groves north of the circle) is blooming. It should continue for awhile, and peak in the next week or two.

here's a guide to the flowers in the park.

http://www.desertusa.com/wildflo/ca_abdsp.html

Hook - 3-15-2010 at 12:38 PM

Well, from La Mesa, I'd say your best bet probably is to take I-8 to 79 north to 78 east. I concur with 3Dken that the best area is south of 78 along S-2. Our favorite area is along Vallecito Wash. This wash has several canyons and arroyos that empty in to it. THIS IS THE KIND OF PRIVATE, PRIMITIVE CAMPING YOU APPEAR TO BE LOOKING FOR. We particularly like the camps in the mesquite oasises located north and south of Palm Spring. Driving south on S-2 from Cal 78, you encounter Vallecito Wash at approximately 26.1 miles south of the S-2/78 junction. The turn is on your left. The turn is at approx N32 54.923 W116 14.456 and is signed. Palm Spring is at approx N32 55.201 W116 13.065 and the turn is also signed.

From this location you have access to many great arroyos for walking and 4 wheeling; Hueso, Tapiado, Seco del Diablo, View of the Badlands, Canyon Sin Nombre as well as the lush, wetlands below the junction of Bow Willow, Carrizo and Vallecito Creek. The mud caves DK refers to are along either Tapiado or Seco del Diable, cant remember which. The wildflowers should be exceptional right now or very shortly.

elgatoloco - 3-15-2010 at 12:53 PM

We saw a lot of flowers yesterday. Elephant Trees Trail had nice colors including blooms on cholla and barrel cactus and the elephant trees make you feel like you are in Baja. Lots of people out and about. We plan on heading back out before the weekend for another look.

jeans - 3-15-2010 at 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by elgatoloco
We saw a lot of flowers yesterday. Elephant Trees Trail had nice colors including blooms on cholla and barrel cactus and the elephant trees make you feel like you are in Baja. Lots of people out and about. We plan on heading back out before the weekend for another look.

There was an article in Sunday's paper about Elephant Tree Trail...with emphasis on the singular word "Tree". Is it true there is ony one Elephant Tree left?

[Edited on 3-15-2010 by jeans]

elgatoloco - 3-16-2010 at 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jeans

Quote:

There was an article in Sunday's paper about Elephant Tree Trail...with emphasis on the singular word "Tree". Is it true there is ony one Elephant Tree left?

[Edited on 3-15-2010 by jeans]

There is only one Elephant Tree on the 1.2 mile loop trail that starts at the end of the .9 mile dirt road off Split Mountain Road. If you hike furthur up the Alma wash you will eventually get to a place where there are many very big Elephant Trees.

Bob H - 3-16-2010 at 08:35 PM

Reference this Baja Nomad Link on this subject.... Bob H

http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=44659#pid4997...