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Borrego Badlands


This unique geological wonderland includes everything from ancient dry lake beds to bluffs, cliffs, canyons, washes, and badlands. It's a huge area, and richly rewards exploration beyond the paved roads. A wide network of washes (Inspiration Wash, Short Wash, Fault Wash, Coachwhip Canyon, Palo Verde Wash...) and connecting roads (Truckhaven Trail, Rockhouse Canyon Road, Thimble Trail) makes it a joy to explore by vehicle.

Where to begin? Font's Point, accessed via Font's Wash, is the classic sunset appreciation spot in town. And when Font's Point gets a little crowded (you know, when another car is there...) Vista del Mal Pais offers the same experience with a higher degree of difficulty of access.

Rockhouse Canyon goes on for miles and miles, with tons of amazing geological and archaeological sites to visit and explore. On your right as you travel out is Clark Dry lake, which still sees Fairy Shrimp hatch when winter rainfall forms large-enough pools. Keep your vehicles off the lake bed, but you're welcome to venture out on foot. Also in this area a number of abandoned wells and homestead sites. Some of our older residents grew up in homesteading cabins out here.

The Calcite Mine area, accessible on foot from highway S-22, is a popular hiking area. Walk under the beautiful natural arch, or climb the old jeep trail to the World War II calcite mine – no mine anymore, but a beautiful perch from which to view the surrounding area for miles in every direction. Limestone formations here have been eroded by the wind for eons, and now look like the ancient crash site for an alien space ship.