AREA 6: SPLIT MOUNTAIN AND FISH CREEK

Introduction

Split Mountain Road runs south from CA 78 at Ocotillo Wells, the popular off-road area. The road takes its name from a stream-cut gorge that sliced into what otherwise would have been a solid mountain range. East of the gorge is the Fish Creek Mountains Wilderness Area, controlled by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and off-limits to vehicles. The Vallecitos Mountains are to the west.

Spectacular rock formations await you along the dirt route marked “Fish Creek Primitive Camp” off of paved Split Mountain Road. The imposing rock walls tower overhead, with stone peeling away in layers that form circular and diametric patterns. Natural mud caves and hills are also prevalent in this region, making for varied terrain that speaks of the passage of time and environmental changes. Ancient seas once inundated the land here, leaving fossils that now crowd one to the next and layer upon layer.

The large drainage system, Fish Creek Wash, is fed by many smaller washes. Mostly open to (street-legal) vehicles, Fish Creek Wash is often packed with weekenders out in their four-wheel drives. It stretches for many miles through the Vallecitos Mountains, the Carrizo badlands, Split Mountain, and the Lower Borrego Valley. At Split Mountain, squeezing rock walls narrow the wash, which eventually ends east of the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park border in tranquil San Sebastian Marsh.

The area’s official camping site is Fish Creek Primitive Camp, but backpacking deeper into the many washes and tributary canyons allows more solitude and peaceful communing with nature. Whether day-hiking or camping, be prepared for temperature changes. Some of the deep washes shadowed by canyon walls can be quite cold, even in warmer weather.

Here I’ve described hikes ranging from a small taste of the desert aided by a park interpretive guide at Elephant Trees Nature Loop, to much longer treks into remote canyon washes. You’ll venture into the shadow of unusual formation “Elephant Knees” to peek at fossils, and ascend to eerie wind caves where the breeze seems to whisper Indian history. From your vantage point, look down at the vast folds and crevices of the Carrizo Badlands. And finally, enjoy moist breezes and pure serenity at San Sebastian Wash.

These hikes are just a few of the possible foot-journeys in the Split Mountain–Fish Creek area. If you’re feeling adventurous, a copy of Diana and Lowell Lindsay’s Anza-Borrego Desert Region map (available at Amazon.com) will help you locate and explore even more.