Mud Caves

Trail Overview

At least 22 mud caves have been counted in Anza-Borrego State Park, some up to 1,000 feet long and 80 feet high. Thousands of people come here to explore the caves and accidents are rare. However, they do happen from time to time. Never enter the caves if it is raining, has rained recently or if rain is expected. This trail connects to Sandstone Canyon, Trail #83, via a hard-core route if Diablo Dropoff is open. Sorry, no green-sticker vehicles are allowed in park.

Photos of Mud Caves

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Difficulty

Moderate: Mostly sandy washes with hard-packed dirt. High clearance needed for last 3 miles where loose rock is mixed with soft sand.

History

Maps of the mud cave network are available online. In 2012, a hiker fell into a giant crevice and died. So, for liability reasons, the state park no longer sells the maps or encourages people to go in the caves. However, they do not prohibit people from entering and the caves are still very popular. FunTreks also advises that if you go into the caves, you do so at your own risk. Please be careful.

Technical Rating