Anza-Borrego Desert: Ash wash loop

Rating *****
length 5.3 mile, 3 hour 30 minutes (Return trip). Easy up to the ash layer, later Moderate.
Elevation 1050 - 2280 feet
Access Second crossing, high clearance, or First crossing most cars.

A counter clockwise loop up Ash wash.

Hike cross country (East than North) up to the Ash wash, a rocky canyon with a narrow partially sandy wash.
The hike up to the ash layer is easy.
After that the boulders are more frequent, expect a lot of small boulders closer to the ridge.

Once on the ridge follow the ridge line down, from this point on the hike is easy once again.
Hike along a beautiful exposed sand canyon to the left, head into the wash whenever it's possible.

Ash wash is a local, unofficial name for a wash east of Second crossing.
In this wash there is an exposed layer of Bishop Tuff, ash from a ~760,000 year old Long Valley Caldera.

How to get here:

Drive up Coyote canyon, normally an higher clearance car should be able drive up to Second crossing.
There is a large parking just before Second crossing, next to the flood warning building.
With a regular car, it should be possible to drive close to First crossing, most of the time.
In case you park at First crossing, add about an hour to the hike.

Load the hike in: GPX or KML (Google Earth file) Tip: use the right mouse key and select save.

 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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