Wind Caves Hike

Not only does this hike take in the Wind Caves themselves, but it also offers outstanding views of the heavily eroded Carrizo Badlands to the west.  These badlands look like a choppy sea with large waves frozen in place.  There is also plenty of classic desert vegetation growing all along the trail.

One landmark that stands out is known as the Elephant Knees.  This formation rises out of the badlands about two miles south from the hiking trail and can be seen all along the hike.

The Wind Caves are located near the border of the Carrizo Impact Area which is one of the assorted military reservations scattered around Imperial County and Yuma, Arizona.  It supposedly is not used for target practice anymore but there is a lot of potentially unexploded ordinance located here.  For your safety, please respect all signs and borders here and stay near the Wind Caves.

The route to the Wind Caves is described in the Split Mountain chapter.

The roundtrip distance for this loop hike is approximately 1.5 miles and it includes about a 200 foot elevation gain.  The trail starts out with a steep climb up and out of the canyon and onto a ridge.  A little further, you’ll climb another ridge and then the trail splits.  Do not take the right fork here but continue going straight and climbing.  You will return to this trail junction on your return hike.

The trail continues climbing and soon you will have some spectacular views of the Carrizo Badlands with the Elephant Knees as a prominent feature to the south.

After about two-thirds of a mile, you’ll see the first set of wind caves.  Spend some time exploring these bizarre formations and let your mind wander just as you would if you were looking for shapes and faces in the clouds.  One formation is known as “The Phantom” and another is called “The Ghost” but you can make up whatever you want.

It is no surprise that archeologists report that the wind caves were used by Native Americans for shelter.  Although it is difficult for the untrained eye to find it, there is evidence scattered around the various caves here.

When you are finished looking around, find the trail that goes down one of the drainages on the west side of the formations.  This is the return trail and will pass by the second set of wind caves.

The second wind caves are on the right side of the trail and below the first set of wind caves.  When finished visiting these formations, continue following the trail you were on which eventually meets up with the trial you came in on and descends back into Fish Creek Wash.

These Wind Caves are not the only ones found in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.  There are several other places where the marine beds of the Imperial Formation have been exposed to the slow but never-ending process of erosion of the wind.  There are also wind caves near the Calcite Mine (see Calcite Mine Road Trip) and all around that area of the Truckhaven Rocks.  There are also wind caves near The Slot.