Basin Wash

Trail Overview

Basin Wash is a 2.9-mile point-to-point trail rated 3 out of 10 located within the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Basin Wash falls entirely within the ABDSP and therefore the trail is restricted to only street-legal vehicles. The western end of the trail can be accessed from Cut Across Trail and the eastern end from Palo Verde Wash. Most of the trail winds through the central Borrego mud hills which were created from the mud flows coming off the Santa Rosa Mountains through Clark Valley as the waters that covered these lands millions of years ago receded. This is a short but interesting trail that allows travelers to loop back into the Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area. All canyons and washes in the area are subject to flash floods. Travelers should watch the weather reports for the mountains to the west. Although there are cell towers along S-22, the signal within Basin Wash is intermittent at best. The nearest services are located in Borrego Springs to the northwest and Salton City to the northeast.

Photos of Basin Wash

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Difficulty

The trail consists of loose rocks, dirt, and sand with some slick rock surfaces and mud holes possible. No steps are higher than 12 inches. 4WD may be required, and aggressive tires are a plus.

History

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is a California State Park located within the Colorado Desert of southern California, United States. The park takes its name from 18th-century Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza and the Spanish word borrego which literally means "lamb" but is also used to describe the desert bighorn sheep. With nearly 600,000 acres, it is the largest state park in California as well as the 48 contiguous states. The park has a varied topography that includes dry lake beds, badlands, and mountains that rise above 5,500 feet (1,675 meters). Two-thirds of the park's area is designated as wilderness, and cactus, yucca, and ocotillo are abundant throughout. Among the park's attractions are groves of California fan palms and a profusion of wildflowers that bloom in mid-to-late winter. Deer, kit foxes, iguanas, rattlesnakes, roadrunners, eagles, and the endangered desert bighorn sheep are all found within the park.

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