Trail Overview
The original BLM 636 vanished except at the very south side, erased by storms and overgrowth. This established cutoff from Highway 78 navigates to the wash via a new routing. Right away, you're challenged with an off-camber section dropping into a wash featuring ruts and a dropoff, setting an aggressive tone. Great views of the Chocolate Mountains unfold as you travel through sandy terrain with small rocks. The surrounding landscape bristles with basketball-sized rocks, desert brush, ocotillo, teddy bear cacti, and seasonal blooming wildflowers. Dispersed camping opportunities abound throughout. At the half-mile mark, it plunges into a gravel wash lined with trees, desert brush, and wildflowers, where low-hanging branches and tight tree spacing demand careful maneuvering. The trail climbs out via a new route back to the plateau, encountering whoops and many small wash drops all under 12 inches deep.
Difficulty
That immediate off-camber section dropping into a wash with ruts and dropoff doesn't ease you in gently. The gravel wash section with low-hanging trees and tight spacing challenges wider vehicles and requires precise navigation. The many small wash drops under 12 inches accumulate over distance. The new routing means conditions differ from historical descriptions. High clearance and four wheel drive handle it well, though the tight tree sections may pinstripe wider rigs.
