Anza-Borrego Desert: June Wash - Viewpoint - Sandstone Canyon

Rating *****
Length 7.2 mile (return) - 3 Hour, 50 minutes (return trip). Easy/Moderate (one short steep slippery descent).
Elevation 1510 - 2440 feet
Access Mile 41.5, signed June Wash, the "road" is good, but you need some ground clearance. Some soft sand mostly at the start of the wash. An AWD is recommended and may be needed.

Follow the road up to the end.
Continue in the small wash up to the end (North).
Just before the end hike West, over a small ridge.
Continue hiking in the new wash heading North.

Close to the end hike up to the ridge, a bit steep and slippery close to the ridge.
On the ridge the hiking is easy and head left (North), towards the "Peak".
The views from the "Peak" are the best you can find in the area.

Down below (East) you can see the Sandstone Canyon, one of the best canyon in the park.
Head East down the canyon wall, steep and rather slippery, a hiking stick is a must.
It takes you about 15 minutes to get off this nasty stretch.
The good thing is that you end up at exactly the right spot, a fort of the Sandstone Canyon, that leads into the main canyon and above all easily.

Enjoy the stunning canyon and at the fork in the main canyon (you should see tire tracks), head North-West.
Follow the canyon all the way up to "Saddle 2", keeping close to the hill on the left.

Over the saddle, this hike is good on a sandy wash, that turns into a wide wash.
Head back towards the car.

Warning, without any navigational aids (GPS Topo Map), this hike is dangerous, there aren't many places to enter the Sandstone Canyon safely.
Parts of the hike are steep and slippery. Mind you, the hike is fairly simple, if you disregard the 15 minutes steep and slippery descend.

An easy alternative is to hike in reverse e.g. go clockwise over "Saddle 2" and go back the same way.

Drive for 2.5 mile and keep left west) as the road forks.
Drive as far as you can go, beware of soft sand.

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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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