How to Survive Getting Lost in the Desert: Vasquez Rocks Hike

This hike was one of the most eventful hikes that I have ever done. I don’t mean that in the normal, there were really cool rocks (even though there were), I mean it in the sense that we got into some dangerous situations that we were not prepared for. Just like with Joshua Tree, I wanted to hike within an ecosystem that I was not used to. So my friend and I made the hour drive North East from LA to Agua Dulce on a rainy Sunday afternoon. We passed giant fields of oil drills as we weaved in and out of the canyons. Since the rain was just a sprinkle, we didn’t worry too much about rock slides or anything of the like as we drove to our destination. 

We were aiming to do the Vasquez Rocks hike. The name may not sound familiar, but it’s more than likely that you’ve seen these rocks before. If you watch the Big Bang Theory or have seen classics like Star Trek or Blazing Saddles, the desert location that they filmed in was along the Vasquez Rocks trail. Other people have commented that there are information pamphlets that are left near the trail head, but we didn’t see any. We didn’t even see a map. All that was located at the dirt parking lot was an American Flag being kept behind glass. We did see a cow next to the entrance though, so that was exciting. The parking was free and there were two lots that were easy to find. Not many people know about the second lot so if it’s crowded do not worry, just drive through the first lot and down the road until you hit the second one. Keep in mind that the trails close at 7pm and that the parking lots are dirt so it’s very possible that your car could get stuck- plan accordingly.

Our journey started to the right of the parking lot, but we went to the left first because we wanted to play on the rocks and walk along the Pacific Crest Trail. The rocks were huge and jagged, but they were so smooth. I had never seen anything like them. While the ones at Joshua Tree were round rocks piled on top of one another, the Vasquez rocks jetted out of the ground at sharp angles that revealed their different sediment layers. Something that makes these rocks especially unique is that they are from prehistoric times. It was about 25 million years ago that rapid erosion and uplift along the San Andreas Fault caused their creation. Then, in 1873 and 1874 a bandit by the name of Ticurcio Vásquez used the rocks as his own personal hideout from the police. Since then the rocks have forever been tied to his name and legacy.

After spending lots of time climbing the rocks and letting my spirit become one with Cheryl Strayed’s along the PCT, we made our way back to the parking lot to begin our trek. The first part brought us up and over a steep hill. There was some scrambling that needed to be done, but nothing serious. It’s important to note that that hill became our beacon for the rest of the trip. The steep decline on the other side led into a forest of different types of cacti. I had never seen these cacti before so of course, to make sure they were sharp, I needed to test them…that was a mistake. They were cacti plants that had what seemed like normal leaves, but what I didn’t realize was that those leaves came to an extremely sharp point at the end. Lesson learned. So we weaved in and out of the winding trail going up and down hills. Technically we were doing a 6 mile loop backwards, but there were no maps in the parking lot and the only trail sign we saw pointed us to this one. Since it was raining, there were very few people on the trail, but I’ve been told that it usually gets very crowded. We did see two parents and their teenage daughter entering behind us, but we lost them as we got farther into the hike.

This trail was so poorly marked that we had to make a lot of off-hand decisions about which route to take whenever there was a split. It was exasperating because whenever there was a marker, we were not in a location that made us question our route. At one point we followed a local who was walking his dog, but we ended up losing him since apparently he was the speed walker’s equivalent of Usain Bolt. As we got deeper and deeper into the trail, the rain got heavier and heavier. We made our way to a steep uphill portion of the hike. My friend went first, but the rain had turned this portion of the trail into mud so after a few steps she would slide back down. Multiple tries later, she decided to take a breather and I stepped in. Just as I was about to make it to the top, I slipped. Out of instinct I grabbed onto the plant beside me for balance, but unfortunately for me, that plant was a cactus. Thus, I whipped my hand back in revolt and fell down the hill. After inspecting the damage to my hand/arm and taking out a few cactus spines, we continued along a different route that seemed like it could merge back with the other one. It did not.

We were hopelessly lost with dark clouds closing in. Whenever we tried to turn around and head back, we ended up walking in a circle or getting even more lost. I really cannot stress how horribly marked this place was. Finally we arrived at a sign, but instead of it being a helpful trail sign that pointed us back to safety, it stated the beginning of a wildlife preserve and showed pictures of animals on it. Fun fact that I discovered later: there is a known mountain lion that roams around that area. So that was the last straw. Together we made the decision to go off path and cut through the cacti to get back to that first hill we climbed over because we knew we had to get out of there fast and do what we could to avoid that wildlife area. It took a bit of hopeful thinking and determination, but we got our bearings and used the giant rocks that we could see as guides to figure out our direction.

After a little while, we emerged out of the cacti infested desert hiking area and made it to that first hill. We cheered as we ran up and over it. We were so proud of ourselves because, even though we got ourselves into a tough situation, we were able to stay calm and figure out how to handle it. To make the decision to go off trail, you really have to trust yourself. Trails exude safety because they allow you to rely on something else to guide you, but when you leave them to go off on your own, you then have to rely on yourself. My friend and I debated for a little bit if leaving this comfort zone was what was best for us, but good things can happen when you leave your comfort zone. For us, that meant finding our way back to safety. I don’t suggest doing this unless it is extremely necessary because it can get you into a lot of danger, but if it is something you must do, remember to trust yourself because you never know what might come of it.

As we made our way to the parking lot, which was now in view, we heard cheers coming from people behind us. It was the two parents and their teenage daughter that we saw at the beginning of our hike. Apparently they had gotten lost as well and were feeling very lucky to have made it back before the storm got any worse or before they were eaten by a mountain lion. I heard the daughter mutter ‘thank God’ under her breath in an exasperated tone. At this point the rain had turned into torrential downpour so seeking shelter in the car was a godsend. I was a bit worried that the car would get stuck in the muddy parking lot, but we sailed out of there no problem. We were tired, we were drenched, and we were hungry, but we were proud. I learned just how important it is to be prepared for your hike, especially when it is done in a foreign location, but I also learned that, even though I get lost driving on the highway, I’m not totally helpless when the stakes are raised.

To read about my adventures in different climates, check out my winter hike in New Hampshire in the link below!