8 mile (round trip) - 7 hour, hard (steep/rocks/boulders).
Elevation
0 - 2200 feet
Access
4x4 see below
We head cross country to pick up the old mining trail.
The trail is often visible, conditions vary from poor to good.
Once in a while the trail follows a drainage.
The trail is easy to miss, especially at a rock avalanche area.
Once close to the mountain, the trail goes up rather steep, but mostly on solid rock.
Our return route followed the ridge, and we could get down rather easy.
The wash on our loop the other hand is rockier than we expected, eventually reaching the trail again.
We found 2 mine shafts and there are probably more.
Unfortunately, there are several trails, some just as good as the trail heading back and forth towards the Eagle Benchmark.
It's easy to just follow that nice trail in the wrong direction.
The hiking trail going up was really nice, going down is another story, like careful, slippery.
We didn't really notice the trail going up and down, but on the way back it was like no not another climb.
Warning
The hike is real close and maybe over the Carrizo Impact Area.
The hike should be outside the firing range, south of the rail road, be alert and visible.
How to get here:
Drive Split mountain road past the Fish Creek exit, turn left on a park dirt road parallel to a rail road track.
The road is good, some ground clearance is needed and because of the soft sand a 4x4 is advised.