Red Canyon and Gucci Spring

DAY THREE HUNDRED AND THIRTY SEVEN

Some days I have no idea where I'll end up when I set out to hike and today was one of those. I had several ideas about place and I ended going to none of them. For some reason I was drawn to head down Interstate 10 heading toward Arizona. There were options on a number of outings that I've done but just not this year. The Lost Palms Oasis, Victory Palms or Carey's Castle were possibilities. I chose none of them. Instead I headed out to an area south of the Orocopia Mountains. I don't know why. That's just where I ended up.

It is important that you pay close attention to where you're driving down here. There's something about live ordnance that could really wreck your day.

I decide to drive back near this giant sand castle and see what's around.

A 4WD is pretty much necessary to get access to most of the places around here.

But there are some places even a Jeep can't go. The canyon ends pretty soon here at a dry sandstone waterfall that I will not attempt to climb alone. I think it's climbable but, in case it's not, I like having a spotter. So I'm off to somewhere else.

There are a ton of little canyons in these mountains so I'll have to be coming back again but today is just an exploratory trip, anyway.

I hike up a steep old Jeep trail and look down on where I came from.

There is no real place that I have to go and see but I can tell there are a couple of old foot paths that lead out of other canyons that may be worthy of future exploration.

It's obvious that I'm not the first explorer in these parts.

After taking in the view I decide to head off someplace else.

Now this is a place I just have to check out.

After a hike up a wash I come to the site of Gucci Spring. I think Prada Spring and Dolce and Gabbana Spring are right around the corner.

The water is cold and clear.

The white minerals left on the surface by the water looks almost like a thin layer of snow.

Looking around a bit I come upon a trail leaving the spring and heading east. The earth here has a rich brown color that looks like milk chocolate.

The trail continues onward but to where? When was the last time this trail was in regular use and where did the trail users live? I will definitely be coming back here. In just a short afternoon I found several interesting canyons and a couple of trails that I never knew existed. Imagine what I might find in a weekend.