Wednesday, 18th of November 2009 at 02:23:40 PM
 Sandstone Canyon |
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Distance: 6.2 miles round trip Hiking Time: 4 Hours round trip Elevation Gain/Loss: 900′/900′ Difficulty: Moderately strenuous |
Directions: From mile 41.5 on Highway S-2, southeast of Agua Caliente Springs, turn east on the four-wheel drive road signed JUNE WASH. After about 2 miles the road veers gradually toi the right and follows a tributary wash for another mile more. Find parking where you can near the roads end.
From your parking spot head east for .5 miles, take note of your route so you can follow it back to your car. Proceed up June Wash over sand and rocks for 2 miles until the area assumes a canyon like appearance (you should be roughly at 1800 ft), there is also a small tributary here that joins on the left. Wind sheltered campsites can be found on the flat sands about 100 yards up the tributary.
Keep following June Wash for another .5 miles until it widens. Leave the main wash there and stay close to hte base of “Diablo Peak” which rises on the right.
After another .3 miles over rocky terrain, you’ll reach a broad saddle at the head of Sandstone Canyon, which lies to the north east.
Your options are numerous now, You could ascend Diablo to the southeast, or descend into Sandstone Canyon and follow it all the way (13.7 miles) to the mouth of Split Mountain. Or you can enter the upper tributaries of Arroyo Seco del Diablo or Arroyo Tapiado and follow either roughly 15 miles out to Vallecito Creek wash.
