High clearance only, sometimes 4x4 only, see below.
An impressive hike in reef, mud and sand (stone) washes.
The hike starts in a narrow rough wash and within minutes reaching a huge dry fall.
This is as big as a dry fall gets, no way to go up.
Hike back to a small drainage, it's a bit of a scramble, the drainage is sand filled with some small rocks, watch out for those below.
Looping back to the top of the dry fall.
You can continue in the wash or take an interesting detour as this hike does.
Once back in the same wash, continue up in the rough wash.
Strange to see the wash go up to a ridge and becomes a ridge wash.
A faint Indian/wildlife trail follows the ridge with excellent views on both sides.
The wash on the left is the return wash, as a drainage cuts in the ridge, follow the drainage down into the wash.
Follow the wash all the way up to the Loop wash and hike back to the car.
How to get here:
Take Split Mountain Road (asphalt with potholes) for about 8 miles.
Follow the road towards the Fish Creek campground.
Where the road starts is mostly in the middle of the wash.
Road condition vary a lot from year to year. The road is sandy with some rocks.
As soon as you see the wind cave sign on the left side of the wash (after 5 miles), keep in the same wash, by keeping a bit to the left.
Don't go into the first North fork, but keep left.
The wash you are entering should be signed as South Fork.
Take the first road on the right(North), signed Loop Wash.
The loop wash is about as good a wash road as the South Fork wash road. But road conditions vary a lot.
Drive the loop wash for a very short while and park at the next bend with a narrow fork.