Anza-Borrego Desert: Bittercreek loop 2

Rating *****
Length 6.9 mile (return) - 3 Hour, 50 minutes (return trip). Moderate.
Elevation 2070 - 3140 feet
Access At Hwy 78, mile 74.1, exit into the Grapevine canyon.

A scenic loop in two Bittercreek forks.
One of the wet places in the park, so a good flower hike.

After about 1 mile, take the hard to see wash on the right (West).
This is a small wash but it's easy to hike in. Sometimes a bit hard to spot where the wash is going.

As the wash narrows and steepens at point "Narrow" go out of the wash and hike up to the ridge.
Using a topo map or GPS is highly recommended, to find the most ideal spot to go up.

At the ridge head West on top of the ridge, until you can find a good spot to come down into the canyon below (South/West).
Follow the canyon/wash all the way up to Bittercreek.
In case you are wondering why you don't see any footprints in this excellent wash, most hikers are scared off by the barriers at the start of the fork.
Not much of a problem, try following the animal trail.

You end up at the second fork, just in front of the almost always dry Bittercreek Springs.

In 2012 a fire destroyed much of the vegetation, but it's growing back and the wild flowers are even better.

How to get here:

At Hwy 78, mile 74.1, exit into the Grapevine canyon, drive for 1.9 mile, disregard a branch to the left to a small parking (Grapevine Summit Parking).
The road is a sand road, but good, you need some ground clearance.
Park just before the crossing, Grapevine / Yaqui Well.

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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