Anza-Borrego Desert: Rainbow wash loop

Rating *****
length 6.6 mile - 3 hour (Loop), Easy/Moderate.
Elevation 410 - 1010 feet
Access High clearance, 4x4 preferred, see below.

An easy hike up to fonts point from the south, scrambling up a ridge and heading back in the main wash.

The wash at point park isn't very clear, so hike cross country towards fonts point, the highest hill to the north.
Once you reach a wide wash, follow it, this is rainbow wash.
The rocks are colorful in full sunlight.
The hills are getting bigger, mostly mud hills with some gravel.
There are so many forks in this wash, just follow the GPS and you should end up close to fonts point, high above you.
Look for people and voices up at fonts point.

Now scramble up a narrow drainage towards the ridge, this means you may have to go on all fours.
The scramble is short and the ridge above is wide enough for a comfortable hike.
Go down into the wash on the right and follow it all the way down. Watch out for sudden drops or tunnelling.
This route may close off at any time, due to a cave in or tunnelling.
A fall-back route back is Fonts point route

How to get here:

You need an AWD with some ground clearance, the road is easy to drive on.
Expect some sand down in the washes.

Take the exit on Hwy 78 close to mile 87, Butte pass road.
Turn right on the next crossing towards Butte pass.
Keep left at the exit Goat trail.
Keep right at the exit Hawk Canyon.
After about 3.5 mile, take the dirt road to the left down in the wash. (San Felipe)
Close to 5.3 mile, turn right just before the Borrego Mountain Wash.
Park after about 6.4 mile. Close to the sign Rainbow wash, or when the wash road is good, park at "Park 2".

The shorter route with more and deeper soft sand.
In the Texas dip, take the unmarked San Felipe wash road.
At the next crossing, meeting the Borrego Sink road from the left, turn right.
The next marked road on the left is Rainbow Wash.

Disclaimer: Read this first before you start your hike. Contact: info/at/borregohiking/./com (leave out the /)
Hiking the Borrego Springs Area (Anza-Borrego Desert SP, Cuyamaca Rancho SP, Imperial Sand Dunes (Algodones Dunes), Jacumba, Laguna Mountain, Warner Springs) California, Hike with gps, gpx and kml (Google Earth).

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