Overview

Calico Hills Loop Trail is 6.5-mile hike that circumnavigates the Calico Hills. The hike can be considered a series of trail segments that start and stop at any of 6 trailheads (3 along the Scenic Loop Road and 3 in Calico Basin). Most of the loop runs on easy, gently sloping trails, but there are a few steep parts, some off-trail in a wash, and the Ash Canyon segment requires a fair bit of Class-2 and Class 3 scrambling getting down and around boulders and pour-overs.

Views from many parts of the loop are grand, with those on the west side of the hills spreading out across all of Red Rock Canyon, and those on the east side looking southeast across Calico Basin and points south. For hikers who have only driven along the Scenic Loop Road, this hike offers an up-close and personal encounter with the Calico Hills that is quite different from the road-side perspective.

Link to map.

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about hiking in the desert, ...this hike is fairly safe and usually not far from a road or trailhead. Ash Canyon requires a bit of Class 3 scrambling, so be extra careful when high enough to fall and get hurt.

While hiking, please respect the land and the other people out there, and please try to Leave No Trace of your passage. This is a long hike, so be sure to bring what you need of the 10 Essentials. The Ash Canyon segment of the loop goes into the La Madre Mountain Wilderness Area, so pay particular attention to respecting the land.

The Hike - Red Spring to Calico I

From the Calico Overlook Trailhead adjacent to the picnic tables (Table 1, Waypoint 01), the trail runs south on the Calico Overlook Trail, staying on the dirt outside the wooden fence that surrounds the Red Spring area.

The trail runs south past Red Spring and merges with an old road (Wpt. 02) that climbs steeply to the top of the ridge (Wpt. 03) ahead. Along the old road, several use-trails cut off into the boulders, but it is easier to stay on the old road, bending to the right near the top, and climbing onto the saddle (Wpt. 03). This is the least pleasant part of the entire hike, so it is good to get it out of the way early.

The saddle (Wpt. 03) provides great views north across Calico Basin to Kraft Mountain, Gray Cap Peak, and off to high peaks in the La Madre Mountain Range. From the saddle, a spur trail runs east along the ridgeline to a highpoint, which provides slightly better views than does the saddle. Also from the saddle, hikers can take a spur trail southwest onto the sandstone to a nice overlook at the edge of the cliffs with views to the south.

Hiking down the south side of the ridge, the immediate goal is to reach the huge boulders in the bottom of the canyon. Several use-trails cut off to the right, all of which lead to the huge boulders. The first option is to turn right about 20 yards below the saddle. This option stays high under the cliffs and is the shortest option.

It might be easier, however, to stay on the old road as it runs down and left, and then bends back to the right. At the bottom of the hill, use-trails run up into the boulder field.

The boulder field (Wpt. 04) is criss-crossed by use-trails, but the route winds through the boulders heading west, staying close under the cliffs and above the wash.

Beyond the boulders, the use-trails converge and wrap around the south end of the Calico Hills as a single trail, following along the wash and now heading up the canyon until dropping into and crossing the wash (Wpt. 07).

The Calico Hills Loop Trail crosses the wash, although many footprints continue up the wash. Rather, this trail climbs along the west edge of the white sandstone spire, and then along the left edge of a second sandstone outcrop to a rocky knob (Wpt. 08). There are several use-trails in this area, but all seem to converge on the knob. Through this area, staying to the left on higher use-trails seems to be easier.

Beyond the rocky knob, the trail drops into the canyon, but not to the bottom, then traverses the hillside above the wash. Eventually the people and railings at Calico I Trailhead come into view, and the trail starts climbing onto the next ridge.

As might be expected for a heavily used area, there are many use-trails on the steep, rocky hillside, both above and below the main trail, so hikers are forced to pick their poison as they climb onto the ridgetop and a junction (Wpt. 09) with a spur trail that runs up the ridgeline to Calico I Trailhead. There are many use-trails in this area, but trails staying low are better unless hikers want to exit the trail system to the parking lot.