6.1 mile - 3 hour, 30 minutes (The Loop). Easy/Moderate.
Elevation
1700 - 2290 feet
Access
Most cars exit Hawi Vallecito, close to mile 30.9.
This hike takes you just outside the park at Hawi Vallecito, into the lower Storm Canyon wash in Vallecito Valley.
A good place to see some flowers that are different from the rest of the park.
Once past the fence we are outside Hawi Vallecito, in BLM? land and cross country hiking should be allowed.
Follow the road South/East, you can bypass the fence on foot to the right.
Keep on going South/East in the same direction leaving the dirt road, go over an old fence and end up in the lower Storm Canyon Wash.
The wash isn't well defined, it branches into smaller, sometimes rocky washes.
This hike follows the wash or goes cross country, when the wash gets too rocky.
Hike back going North until you meet a road, you can follow the road back to the car.
Or go cross country to a saddle as we did and end up at the car.
How to get here:
Exit (signed) Hawi Vallecito, close to mile 30.9, the first road going left is closed off, so keep right and follow the excellent dirt road, all the way to the end.
At that point you find a huge dirt parking.
The location is locally known as the Campbell Ranch just past the Campbell Grade, driving in from the North
Hawi is Kumeyaay for "the place where tules grow" and vallecito is Spanish for "little valley".
Warning:
The gate will be closed at night and opens around 8 am.
Prepare for the eventuality that the gate remains closed for the day, as there may be no one to open the gate, especially out of season from April - November.