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Submission
Good for camping, we disperse camped 5min before the ropes canyon. No reservation needed.
How does a person (ahem other reviewer) rate a wilderness as 1-star because it's inaccessible and someone was killed being in the "wilderness". We need to have a better review system because that's a silly review for a beautiful place.
There is great hiking in the Box Canyon area of the Mecca Hills Wilderness. Probably the most popular is Painted Canyon. To get there take 66th Ave. east from Mecca, which turns into Box Canyon Road at the east edga of town. The signs warn about Box Canyon Road being closed, which is true, but it is closed just after the Painted Canyon Rd turnoff. The Painted Canyon Rd is a gravel road and is marked for 4 wheel drive only. Previously 2 wheel drive cars were able to traverse the road all the way to the Painted Canyon Trailhead but since the recent flooding this is no longer possible. They can get most of the way but the last 1/2 to 1 mile has soft, deep sand, so you will see them parked along the side of the road.
Even though the Box Canyon Road is officially closed, it is possible to follow a rough, sandy 4x4 trail to get to popular hiking areas in Box Canyon. Don't be fooled at the road closed sign, where there is still pavement, it soon ends and is 4x4 only!
This is a great place in Mecca, California to find the craziest experiences that California has to offer. Talking about secluded slot canyons and pure wilderness as far as the eye can see. It’s very beautiful any season. You won’t be disappointed because it’s so wild that you can even veer of the unmarked trail and discover new worlds and new canyons. It’s not a chocolate factory but it’s as close as you’ll get to one with all the brown topography and the chocolate Hills.
