This was our final day in Agua Caliente Regional Park, and we determined to take in a little hiking in the area. Paul checked out our maps. We considered a couple of places, but decided to go up to one of historic significance – Box Canyon.
There are probably dozens of Box Canyons in California; this one is a colorful ravine through the Mecca Hills at the east end of the Coachella Valley. The sides are formed by upturned strata – twisted, buckled and eroded. They stretch for about 8 miles along the canyon, which is part of a metamorphic zone associated with the nearby San Andreas Fault. These rocky formations take on the look of petrified tree trunks (IMHO).
The Southern Emigrant Trail and the Butterfield Overland Mail Stage Route once traversed this arduous trail. 
low mountain pass. From the overlook at the Box Canyon, we could spot two routes etched into the earth. The track left by the Mormon Battalion, created in 1847, is the higher one; the Butterfield Stage found an easier path in 1858 and is the bottom one.
Of greater historical significance is that General Kearny and the “Army of the West,” led by Kit Carson, passed through Box Canyon a few days before the battle at San Pasqual. (This conflict was the deadliest battle of the Mexican War in California.) The trail was later called the Southern Emigrant Trail because of the many prospectors and settlers who traveled the route on their way west after 1847.
We hiked along the trail and were presented with obstacles this rocky ridge represented for travelers.
The following website tells quite a bit about the Mormon Batalion and has a map that shows the entire trail –The Trail
(this march was called the longest infantry march in history!)
After our hike on the Emigrant Trail we returned to the rig and enjoyed a nice salad. Shortly after our lunch we headed out on a 1.5-mile hike here at Agua Caliente. We started at the “end” of the trail, but figured we would have no problems – only 1.5 miles, it couldn’t be too rough.
(Famous last words) Not far along on the path we encountered boulders higher and more challenging than those we found on the hike to the Palm Oasis up in Anza-Borrego Park.
At some point, we lost the path (not a hard thing to do among rocks and boulders – no evidence of a “trail.” So we climbed more and more rocks, looked around, tried to figure out where in the name of goodness we were, and then finally decided to head down the mountain and hope for a path along the base. Neither one of us had any desire to be out there in the mountains in the dark! Thank God, we finally found the path and decided to take it back the same way we came. Not far along the path we ran into a young man and woman who have hiked the trail before. They were headed opposite to where we decided to go, but they’ve been on this trail before, so hopefully they knew where they were going!
We made it back to the “end of the trail” and figure we probably walked 3 miles or close to it. We were hot and decided to head to the thermal pool. We grabbed our swimsuits and headed to the pool –
only to find out that the pool was closed for the day! Oh well, we returned back to the rig and enjoyed hot showers in our own comfortable shower!
A good supper and lots of gratitude of a wonder-filled day!
