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1. EL CAMINO DEL DIABLO
This trek is an unpaved, 150 mile trail through the most remote section of the Sonoran Desert in the U.S. It crosses through several protected or restricted lands, such as the Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range, the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, and Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. Permits are required by the Marines, as well as the National Park’s Service and The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, to pass through these restricted areas. It is easy for the tourists who visit these nature preserves to obtain permits, but they rarely travel this arid, rugged trail. More commonly, illegal border crossers use the dangerous route. The lives this difficult byway has claimed give the trail its name: The Devil’s Highway.
2. MOJAVE NATIONAL PRESERVE
While I've traversed the well-known Mojave Road, there's so much more of the preserve that I'd like to explore. Towering sand dunes, volcanic cinder cones, Joshua tree forests, and carpets of wildflowers are all found at this 1.6 million acre park. A visit to its canyons, mountains and mesas will reveal long-abandoned mines, homesteads, and settlements.
3. COYOTE FLAT | INYO NATIONAL FOREST
A network of trails traverses a beautiful area on the eastern flank of the Sierra Nevada, just west of Bishop, CA. Most of the route is near 10,000 feet in elevation. Coyote Creek Trail, the main trail into this area, leaves Bishop an crosses BLM land before entering Inyo National Forest. Remote campsites can be found on the edge of John Muir Wilderness and trout can be caught at secluded lakes.
4. HAVASUPAI POINT | GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK
Located in a remote area of the park's south rim, it generally takes 1½ to 2 hours to negotiate the 29 mile trip from Grand Canyon Village, Arizona. The road passes through the Havasupai Indian Reservation, whose government may collect tolls to pass through. There are no touristy shops. There are no privies, no water. No guard rails. Just a couple of picnic tables. From Havasupai Point, you can take in breathtaking views from the scenic heart of the Grand Canyon, far removed from the crowds.
5. KOFA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
Back in 2011, I only scratched the surface of this area. The Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, located adjacent to Highway 95 in Arizona, is a protected area 25 x 40 miles in extent with no paved roads or facilities of any kind. The refuge is an excellent place for viewing desert plants and wildlife, rock climbing, exploring old mines, or just camping in remote wilderness. Kofa National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1939 for the protection of desert bighorn sheep and other native wildlife following a 1936 campaign by the Arizona Boy Scouts.
6. CARRIZO GORGE | ANZA-BORREGO DESERT STATE PARK
A trek down the length of Carrizo Gorge is a long, rugged, difficult, and memorable one. It is one to be taken cautiously, with the right equipment and clothing. This trip is best done as a two day backpack, though one very long day is sufficient for speed freaks who travel very lightly. This 18 mile route from I-8 to Hwy S2 offers bushwhacking, boulderhopping, and mud-stomping in abundance.
7. SALINE VALLEY HOT SPRINGS
In the arid Saline Valley known for its salt, borax, and abandoned mines, three springs surrounded by palm trees create a surreal, clothing optional oasis for the hardy souls who relish in the challenging pastime of hard desert camping. This is not an adventure for the ill-prepared or campers who enjoy creature comforts. The road is brutal on vehicles, dangerous, and is often washed out in many places. The climate varies from day to day and even hour to hour with extremely high and extremely low temperatures, strong winds, and the journey to the springs includes a sharp altitude drop. Do your homework before visiting this location, and be prepared and self-sufficient—this is an adventure for seasoned and prepared desert campers or those well-versed in self-sufficiency.