Running with the Devil: Four Days on El Camino del Diablo

[DVD]

This is the trip I’ve been wanting to take for the past 3 years. We typically visit relatives in San Diego over Christmas, and then I like to plan an off-road camping trip on the return to Phoenix area. Due to the nature of El Camino del Diablo (ECDD), my wife and I wanted to do this with a group. I wasn’t able to get it organized in years past. Not a bad thing, as we have celebrated the past 3 New Years on the Mojave Trail, KOFA, and Anza Borrego.

For 2016, however, we rang in the new year on ECCD.

I created a blog with the trip report. Here are a few photos:

Just after midnight on New Years - campsite at Cipriano Pass (photo by Jon Christensen)​

El Camino del Diablo sign near the start of the trail (photo by Rick Bucher (photo by Jon Christensen))​

Target shooting (photo by Rick Bucher)​

Cipriano Pass camp​

Beautiful sunrise at Papago Well​

Cactus Gigantus (photo by Rick Bucher)​

Here's the link to the blog.

 

[RememberTheFallen]

Cool trip! Thanks for sharing with us!

 

[mph]

Looks like a great area to explore...Nice blog as well

 

[mkitchen]

Definitely on my short list too

We have been talking about this trip as well. I take it you went in on the west side? Was it much of an issue getting the permits for the crossing?
Looks like a fun time.
Mikey

 

[DVD]

Thanks for the replies.
Hi Mike, I went with the early group on the West side of ECDD. But the late group took the east side, from the Wellton exit on I-8. Then we met up at a nice spot off Cipriano Pass trail for the first night's camp.
The permit process wasn't bad. It can be had from a couple BLM locations in Phoenix, as well as Ajo. You can also get it from the Marine Base in Yuma. We had to watch a 10 min. video and then sign the agreement saying that we understood we could get blown up or bombed or fall into a mine or get bitten by a snake etc. etc. Unfortunately, you need to do this in person, but it only took 15 -20 minutes, and it doesn't cost anything.
The other side of the coin is that the permit requirement makes it more of a remote trip.
And it was a great trip. Not the jaw dropping scenery of the Grand Canyon or Colorado mountains, but the desert has a subtle beauty and the remoteness is ... profound.

 

[SmoothLC]

Nice TR - enjoyed reading about a place I've never been too. Thanks for sharing.

 

[SmoothLC]

Nice TR - enjoyed reading about a place I've never been. Thanks for sharing.

 

[DVD]

Hi Smooth LC, glad you enjoyed it.
I'm surprised you've never been there. I always search this site to research potential trips, and I know I've come across and enjoyed many of your TRs when planning "our next trip."

 

[dsm02c]

After doing this trip, would you recommend not soloing it?

 

[DVD]

After doing this trip, would you recommend not soloing it?

That's a tough question. Based on our trip, there wouldn't have been any problem.
The trail isn't particularly tough, so no problems in that regard, if your used to going solo. The only real concern I had was the part where we were traveling by ourselves at 10 pm and had a fast approaching vehicle from behind (turned out to be Border Patrol) and then a little later found the trail blocked by 2 vehicles (again Border Patrol). In both situations, there was a bit of adrenaline and I had an egress driving plan, and my wife had the bear mace ready. But we also figured there was a high likelihood that the vehicles were Border Patrol.

I think the 2 main concerns are drug smugglers and illegal immigrants. I read a lot of trip reports before taking this trip, and I didn't come across a single mention of an expo-type traveler having a confrontation. The smugglers certainly want to avoid contact / sighting, so I wasn't concerned about that. The more likely scenario, which I read about in a couple trip reports, is illegal immigrants snooping around camp at night. One person reported waking in the morning and seeing new footprints around camp -- people looking to grab some supplies I imagine. Another heard footsteps at night and then somebody trying to open the locked vehicle door. On the other hand, I read many other solo reports with no such incidents.

So I think the answer depends on how you would feel about the possibility of somebody skulking around your camp at night.

 

[dsm02c]

Thanks for the advice, my primary concern is night time camp visitors. We camp along the Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park and have had some visitors from Boquillas but we were expecting that... This scenario is a little different as the folks here are heading north and CBP is more active in this area. Hoping to do it soon!

 

[unkamonkey]

We were camped in southern AZ and there several messages posted about visitors that could appear at night. Rode the motorcycles to Mexico the next day and on the return trip we got stopped at the US border, anything to declare? Shut the bike off, kickstand down and removed my helmet to dig out the bottle of Tequilla from my saddle bag. "No, dont worry, I don't believe you are hauling any illegal aliens in there".
Sort of on the good side, driving a 20' motorhome towing a cargo trailer we were never stopped by the BP.

 

[redriderrick]

Hey Dirk, it's great to see that you posted the trip report here! Julie and I had a great time, and for those researching or considering doing this trip, I would highly recommend it. As for solo travel, I think there are things to think about, but I can say that we never felt like we were in danger at any point during the trip and with the right preparation, an experienced solo traveler would be fine. The night driving had to happen after a little mechanical problem but as DVD mentioned, he had a couple of backup plans in place BEFORE the encounters with other vehicles took place. I can say that the BP presence was reassuring and that we approached the agents on our own several times. All were friendly and in two cases, provided valuable information on the area and the most current conditions. I felt less like they were "The Man" or "Cops" and more like they were a part of our team.

DVD planned the trip so well that we felt like we were on a professionally guided tour! If you want solitude and a rare opportunity to travel a lot of continuous miles on dirt, this is one of the great trips to take in the Southwestern US. If you do go, by all means study as much of the history as you can about this route. That information and your imagination will provide hours of entertainment and wonder during the crossing. Take along some good food, good tunes and good friends (or make new ones... ;-) ) and you'll be the envy of all your office-bound friends when you share stories about this mostly unknown wonder!

As far as comfort level goes on this one, I think that the more experience you have as either an individual or a group, the more confident you'll be. Remember how freaked out you were sleeping in a tent when you first started traveling? That happens no matter where you are. With more nights spent on the ground, roof or in your vehicle comes more confidence that each night will be "just another night in the backcountry". Besides, consider just how few things really give you that butterflies in the stomach feeling anymore. Sign me up for more!

 

[Ace Brown]

Nice post, the last one. I have done ECDD once before and only two of us. We saw plenty of sandal tracks through one remote camp spot we used but never had any encounters with anyone but BP and they were always friendly and helpful. The only problem we had during the trip was bees swarming on my water jug but they left at sundown.