Exploring Central: County Road S-2 (Southern Emigrant Trail)

Blair Valley

In the central part of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, County Road S-2 is known as the Southern Emigrant Trail. The road passes through Earthquake Valley, Blair Valley, Mason Valley, Vallecito Valley, and Carrizo Valley where it becomes known as Sweeney Pass Road in Anza-Borrego South.

From north to south, points of interest include:

        Scissors Crossing

Historic marker. Pacific Crest Trail. Sentenac Ranch. Highway 78.

Earthquake Valley

Earthquake Valley. Shelter Valley (small store, campround). Pinyon Mountain Road (North Pinyon Mountains, California Riding & Hiking Trail, Pinyon Mountain Valley, Whale Peak, Fish Creek Wash). Cool Canyon. Granite Mountain. Little Blair Valley Road.

Blair Valley

Blair Valley, ABDSP campground. Foot & Walker Pass. Marshal South Ruins. Morteros. Pictographs. Smuggler Canyon. California Riding & Hiking Trail. More.

Box Canyon

Box Canyon, California Riding & Hiking Trail, Hornblende Canyon.

Mason Valley

Mason Valley. Oriflamme Canyon. Rodriguez Canyon. Rainbow Canyon. Campbell Grade.

Vallecito Valley

Vallecito Ranch. The Potrero. Vallecito Station County Park. Vallecito Creek. Bisnaga Wash.

Carrizo Valley

Agua Caliente County Park. Inner Pasture. June Wash, Palm Spring, Mesquite Oasis, Arroyo Hueso, Arroyo Tapiado, Arroyo Seco del Diablo, Indian Gorge/Valley, Torote Canyon. Trailhead for Sombrero Peak.

Sweeney Pass Road

See Anza-Borrego South.

Exploring Central Anza-Borrego: Highway 78

San Sebastian Marsh

Highway 78 stretches across Central Anza-Borrego from Julian in the mountains west of the desert to the Algodones Dunes to the east. Points of interest are listed below.

Julian to Scissors Crossing

Julian, Southern Emigrant Trail, Scissors Crossing, San Felipe Valley Road

Scissors Crossing to The Narrows

Sentenac Canyon, Plum Canyon, Grapevine Canyon, Yaqui Well, Lizard Wash, Tamarisk Grove, Stag Cove, Mescal Bajada, Chuckwalla Wash, Mine Wash/Canyon, Nolina Wash, Pinyon Wash/Canyon, Sunset Mountain, Narrows Earth Trail, Quartz Vein Wash, The Narrows

The Narrows to West Butte

Old Borrego Valley Road, Nude Wash, Old Kane Spring Road, Borrego Springs Road, Buttes Pass Road

Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area

OW, Connecting Roads

Split Mountain Road

Split Mountain Road, Elephant Trees, Alma Wash, Fish Creek Mountains, US Gypsum, Split Mountain Gorge, FishCreek-Vallecito Badlands

Highway 86 to the Algodones Dunes

Brawley, Sonny Bono, Imperial Sand Dunes (Algodones Dunes)

 

Exploring Central: Highway 86

Highway 86 is a major north-south highway passing the west shore of the Salton Sea. Highway 78 joins Highway 86 at Trifolium. The two roads go together to Brawley where Highway 78 goes eastward to the Algodones Dunes and Highway 86 continues south to El Centro.