El Camino Del Diablo, East Side

Total Miles
90.4

Elevation

566.46 ft

Duration

12 Hours

Technical Rating

3

Easy

Best Time

Fall, Winter

Trail Overview

This is an amazing adventure with a ton of history. You'll pass through Organ Pipe Cactus NM, Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge and Goldwater Range. If you have a full day, you can also see Bates Well, Tule Well Camp and the High Tanks. Camping is available as well. From here, you can continue your journey by taking El Camino Del Diablo West, or head to I-8. This trail isn't recommended for ATVs and UTVs, but they are allowed if street legal. You'll find just a few side roads to explore once you leave BLM land. This area is heavily patrilled. There is a maximum of four vehicles per group and eight people per vehicle.

Difficulty

Easy: Dirt road, rutted and rocky in places. Closed vehicles recommended for extreme dusty section at 50 miles. This spot may be impassable when wet. High clearance, stock vehicles with 4WD okay in dry weather.

History

El Camino Del Diablo means Highway of the Devil.' A 1540s Spanish expedition gave the trail its name due to the many hardships it suffered. Travelers during the 1849 California gold rush also found the trail difficult. Historians estimate that more than 400 people have died on the trail.

Technical Rating

3

Status Reports

Tj Broscoff
Mar 01, 2023
2022 Ford F-Series
Open

Access Description

Start of trail is 2.5 miles southeast of Ajo on Hwy. 85. Turn south on well-marked Darby Wells Road just east of massive mine tailings.

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