25 Alma Wash

SCENERY:

DIFFICULTY:

TRAIL CONDITION:

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CHILDREN:

DISTANCE: 11 miles round trip

HIKING TIME: 6 hours

OUTSTANDING FEATURES: Soft, sandy wash; boulders; cool canyons; and elephant trees

This long, fairly disused trek offers the gift of silence. The sandy wash gives way to boulders and enters a canyon where the temperature noticeably drops at points where the sun is blocked (wear layers). Long pants and sleeves defend against grabbing catclaw, spiny barrel cactus, and cholla. Careful foot navigation on piled, sometimes-unstable rocks, as well as boulder hopping that increases with mileage covered, make Alma Wash unsuitable for younger, less-experienced hikers. For hardy hikers who enjoy a long, quiet trek into desert solitude, this is the place to find such quiet paradise.

OVERNIGHT OPTION: Once into the canyon portion of Alma Wash, which leads into the Vallecitos Mountains, the sights and sounds of civilization disappear. Flat areas near the turnaround point make wonderful camping sites.

Directions: From CA 78 (at Ocotillo Wells), drive south on Split Mountain Road. After approximately 6 miles, a kiosk marks a rugged, unpaved road. If you are in a truck, or car with higher clearance, you can probably navigate with caution the approximate mile to the trailhead. Otherwise, park and walk from there.

GPS Coordinates		25 ALMA WASH
UTM Zone (WGS84)		11S
Easting		582454
Northing		3659201
Latitude–Longitude		N 33º 4’ 5.7174”
		W 116º 7’ 0.0498”

Begin at the Elephant Trees Nature Loop trailhead, heading southwest. Then, near signpost marker #6, where the nature trail veers to the right and the wash continues left, head left (southwest). Multitudes of bird and small-animal footprints form a wildlife patina on the powdery sand. You may even see some larger footprints that belong to sheep, coyote, or mountain lions. Fragrant desert lavender frames the wash and becomes your constant companion for nearly the length of this hike.

A little more than 1 mile from the trailhead, the wash moves to the right, heading more directly west but meandering a little, with small, straying flow-fingers forming. Stay on a westerly trek, heading toward a break in the jagged Vallecitos Mountains still more than 2 miles away. As you get closer, the break becomes more defined, a sky-filled U cut into the mountain silhouette. Either head directly toward it, or follow the wash closely as it meanders, choosing soft sand that sinks with each step or climbing small boulders and dodging fat, spiny barrel cactus—either way is a good leg workout.

Approximately 2.3 miles from the trailhead, you’ll begin to see elephant trees, easily identified by their twisting trunks and branches suggestive of an elephant’s legs and trunk. The trees have gray bark and red inner flesh and feature small, scented, pinnate-style (feathery) leaves. Native Americans used the elephant tree for medicinal purposes and made the aromatic sap into incense.

At approximately 3 miles, you’ll reach the break in the mountains you’ve been aiming for. The canyon walls rise higher, and the elephant trees disappear for now. Continue up the rocky wash. Boulder hopping becomes the norm as you gain elevation. Be careful moving over piled boulders. Some smaller rocks are unstable and can result in falls. A mile into the canyon, you’ll begin again to see elephant trees, most of them clinging to the towering canyon walls. The desert lavender you’ve begun to take for granted now thins, while rayless daisies (void of the typical ray-type petals) increase. The pollen-rich balls waggle like bobbleheads in the breeze, luring bees to their fertile treasure.

Depending on the position of the sun as it follows its daily pattern from the eastern to western sky, the shadowed canyon can be quite cool—even on warm days. With luck (and preparation!), you’ve dressed in layers that you can shed and reclaim as the temperature requires.

At about 5.3 miles, thorny catclaw acacia chokes the canyon. Alma Wash seems to split off in every direction into smaller tributaries. This is a good place to turn around and head back, or perhaps retrace your steps to a good camping spot that you spied on the way.

Whether bedding down for the night in a spot where you can enjoy a blanket of stars unhampered by ambient light, or hiking the whole 5.3 miles back to your car, do take a few moments to enjoy the dense quiet and natural peace within little-visited Alma Wash.