Dos Cabezos Upper Siding

Trail Overview

This route is a great connector trail from the intersection at the abandoned rail station up and into the Anza Borrego park. The other end connects with the Jojoba Wash Trail and finishes at three large fire rings and camping spots along the abandoned tracks. There's an abundance of wildlife and plants to see along the way. The flower blooms are striking if you plan to come in the springtime. Keep your eyes peeled for century pants blooming and the many cacti in the springtime that area also fully flowering. There are a lot of previous access routes to the train tracks that are now blocked. They want us to stick to the main east trail. Overall the trail is easy, with rolling hills and bermed turns. Some sections are narrow, and oncoming may have to reverse to get past. A neat-looking, smaller old trestle bridge along the way appears quite intact. Be aware of a few whoops sections that may take a minute to get into a rhythm. At one point, there is a "Keep a lookout for mountain lions" sign. That always seems like a good idea. There is only one bar of Verizon LTE, and it fades in and out.This is a high-traffic area for illegal border activity. Be sure to report any suspicious activity to Homeland Security/Border Patrol and use caution when traveling in the area.

Photos of Dos Cabezos Upper Siding

Want to see more?

Login

Difficulty

This trail is generally easy, with some sandy wash sections and washout transitions. None are too extreme and should not be difficult to negotiate. Be aware that the Anza Borrego Wilderness only allows for plated street legal vehicles within its boundary.

History

The San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railway Company is a short-line Railroad founded in 1906 as the San Diego and Arizona Railway. (SD&A) by sugar magnate, developer, and entrepreneur John D. Spreckles. Dubbed "The Impossible Railroad" by many engineers of its day due to the immense logistical challenges involved, the line was established in part to provide San Diego with a direct rail link to the east by connecting with the Southern Pacific Railroad lines in El Centro, CA. SD&AE took over the SD&A's operations in 1933 after financial troubles led Spreckels' descendants to sell their interests in the railroad to the Southern Pacific. Through the years, natural disasters and vandalism rendered sections of the line unserviceable, and portions of the line have been sold to various interests. As a result, the majority of the line in this part of the desert is closed to public access.

Technical Rating