Trail Overview
Branching off into the high desert, the BLM HC2 Spur is an exceptionally tight and twisty chicane trail that serves as an exciting, highly scenic 0.5-mile backcountry detour. The route begins near a prominently marked trail junction, immediately establishing a narrow, winding character through dense, fragrant groves of mature juniper trees. It is absolutely crucial to exercise high caution during the initial stretches of this drive, as this segment functions as a shared connector for the local network of hiking trails; drivers must be fully prepared to encounter and safely yield to pedestrian foot traffic. As the journey progresses, the deeply rutted red-sand two-track dramatically drops down into a carved-out, twisting wash. The highly confined corridor leaves absolutely zero room to pull over and allow oncoming OHV traffic to pass, requiring vigilant driving and situational awareness. Eventually, the challenging transit breaks out of the thick brush and culminates at a spectacularly beautiful, wide-open rocky viewpoint, deeply rewarding explorers with sweeping, unobstructed panoramic vistas of the surrounding rugged landscape.
Difficulty
BLM HC2 Spur confidently earns a Level 3 Moderate technical rating. While the brief transit is not considered overwhelmingly difficult, it unequivocally demands specific vehicle capabilities to navigate safely. The twisty, deeply carved wash is heavily punctuated by severe, off-camber sandy ruts and numerous uneven sandstone rock steps. To successfully negotiate these heavily angled drops and climbs without sliding sideways or bottoming out, a true four-wheel-drive (4WD) system and high ground clearance are strictly necessary. Standard low-clearance AWD crossovers will struggle immensely on the uneven terrain and risk severe undercarriage damage. Furthermore, the exceptionally narrow corridor ensures that rigid juniper branches constantly crowd the trail, virtually guaranteeing aggressive, unavoidable pinstriping along the side panels of any midsize or larger rig attempting the drive.
