Anza Borrego Routing Assistance...

I am thinking about heading out to Anza Borrego for an overnight trip but I am having a bit of confusion on the route I am thinking about taking...

I want to take the Great Southern Overland Stage route to Vallecito Creek Road and hit Arroyo Seco Del Diablo (Without hitting the optional slot canyon) and make a loop to connect with Arroyo Tapiado but I haven't found any trip reports of anyone doing it.

I made this route on google earth:


But I am unsure about the connection from del diablo to tapiado... Is there anybody who has been there and can help? This is my first time in the park and I might be doing this as a solo trip because my buddy might not be able to make it.

Thanks in advance!

Here is the finished Gaia gps route for those who would like to download it:

https://www.gaiagps.com/public/ZfsI47aevaYERWGkINRDySfC/?layer=GaiaTopoRasterFeet

The route is super doable for most trucks including 2WD.

Have fun and be safe

 

I’m subing to your thread just cause I like your route. Sorry that I have no useful info.

 

What he said

 

Same.

 

When do you plan on going?

 

This weekend probably leaving Saturday around 11-12, camping overnight...

 

Possibly @Borrego Taco has some info?

 

https://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/638/files/abdsp_Park_Map201704.pdf

 

Good lookin out!

I've taken a look at that map as well it just says its a "primitive road" that connects Seco Del Diablo to Tapiado, I was just worried about how sketchy the primitive road was... Have you ran the trail as a loop at all @Borrego Taco ?

 

First off you're taking the wrong entrance. Much more fun and sites to see by entering from Canyon Sin Nombre (take 8 freeway to S2) then shooting straight up Arroyo Tapiado from there (stop and check out the mud caves!). From there there's a crossover trail, although its easy to miss, it'll be on your right and goes UP, arroyo tapiado dead ends like a mile past it so if you do miss it you can at least back track pretty easily. Crossover trail leads to to Fish Creek but you're only on that for about 1/2 mile then theres the entrance to Diablo's Dropoff.

Diablo's dropoff is technically one way but you can go back up it, I'd however recommend NOT doing a loop and instead go down the dropoff all the way through to sandstone canyon, checkout that area and from there take Fish Creek all the way out to Split Mountain Road which takes you to Ocotillo wells and from there head home through Julian.

If you have a trail map this should all make sense. But honestly I wouldn't go by yourself first time, with a map I'm sure you can find your way out but still always a better idea to explore with a friend and 2nd truck

 

I will definitely checkout Canyon Sin Nombre, Maybe I will take that way in and take the (boring) Southern Overland trail out.

Diablo Drop off was my original route but i didnt want to exit towards out of fish creek because coachella is this weekend and the freeways are going to be a nightmare sunday night on that side of the park... that is why planned to make it a loop.

 

ahhh good call forgot about Coachella. Yeah you can for sure do the loop then. If it helps I found the crossover from Arroyo Tapiado to Diablo Del Seco on google satellite. Here's coordinates:

 

Not recently. It usually is easy. No more primitive than the route to get there in the first place.

Diablo dropoff and the ensuing gulch can be much tougher.

 

Awesome, Thanks for your insight and knowledge!

 

Thanks for that! Im going to try to put the entire route into gaia gps today just to be safe

 

For those of you who are subscribed to this route, it was super doable even for a 2WD truck as long as you have some clearance. It was a great trip and perfect for an overnight getaway if you just need to go play around in the dirt for a bit. I highly recommend getting out and exploring a lot of the slot canyon and mud caves (just be very careful and be sure to pick up after yourself).

Photo Drop:

 

Nice! That's a fun area to explorer and some very fun washes to navigate.

Off topic, but what light are you using in your Best Top?

 

Its actually just a camping lantern that I jimmy-rigged a way for it to stay up there and then i take it down when i'm driving. (Sorry its not as exciting as it seems lol)

 

No, I like the simplicity.

 

Looks awesome! I definitely want to check that out. Is this the original route you mapped out?