Goat Canyon Trestle

WALKIN’ THE TRACKS!
Did you know the Goat Canyon Trestle is the largest wooden railroad trestle in the world? You heard it right, in the world! The trestle is made out of redwood beams, and is over 600 feet long and over 180 feet high!
STATS:
Distance: 16 miles Roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 600 ft
Difficulty: Intermediate
Terrain: Uneven & rocky
History:
At the time it was built the Carrizo Gorge Track in the southern portion of Anza Borrego was called the «impossible railroad» due to the fact that it required the construction of 17 tunnels and numerous trestles to negotiate the foreboding terrain. This engineering marvel was completed in 1919 with the final spike being driven by railroad owner John D. Spreckels on Nov.15, 1919. The trestle is 630 feet long and 186 feet tall and spans Goat Canyon.
Carrizo Gorge is in San Diego County in the extreme South end of Anza Borrego State Park, Carrizo Gorge Wilderness is a narrow strip of land that is a watershed of the gorge, and is located adjacent to it in the Jacumba Mountains. Carrizo Gorge Wilderness has Anza Borrego state park bordering it on the East side and McCain Valley BLM recreation area on the West. Carrizo Gorge in Anza Borrego State Park is where the Goat Canyon Trestle can be found.
Although there is virtually no elevation gain, the trek is fully exposed, there are no shade trees, no boulders to hide from the sun, no water on the route. Plenty of water, windbreaker and sun screen is strongly advised. In addition, there are no facilities at the trailhead, nor onroute. In addition, bring your passport (and visa) if you are not a US citizen. Bring your driver’s license for ID. You will drive through a Border Patrol station on the way back.
* Trestle bridge has not been maintained for some time, if you decide to walk on the bridge do it at your own risk and WATCH your footing!
* The trailhead area is adjacent to a nudist community, you might see naked people in the area.
Me and The Crew followed the tracks that meandered through a canyon, and passed through numerous tunnels and smaller trestles. Scattered along the way were old broken down train cars. Unfortunately, some of the cars were littered with graffiti. Cars that were left behind on and off the tracks were in pretty good shape, considering the length of time they have been sitting around.
IN A TOOT:
I’ve had this hike on my wish list for several years, and was fortunate enough to hike it with The Crew on my birthday weekend. Loved climbing aboard the abandoned trains, checking out the interiors, and hikin’ on the tracks without worrying a train would be coming. Can’t wait to go back again.
DISCLAIMER:
Hiking is not something that can be taken lightly. It can be life-​threatening as you see and hear on the news, people die or get lost all time. Please, if you are going to hike, never go alone and prepare for the worst, hope for the best. Remember when going for a hike, no matter how short you think it may be, always be prepared. Carry at least two liters of water for every five miles (more if the weather is warm), protein bar, nuts, and electrolytes. Wear sturdy lug sole shoes and protective clothing. Some areas the weather can change quicker than a fireman can put on his gear. It is also very important, always always always let a family member or friend know where you are going and when you expect to be back. Lastly, have fun when you hike it up.

Carrizo Gorge is the railroad that the Goat Canyon Trestle is apart of.
Miles hiked: 14 miles total
Date hiked: January 10, 2016
Started from: Ocotillo, Mortero Wash Trailhead
The actual wooden trestle, constructed in 1919, is an amazing piece of structure. It’s magnificent! I can’t really give too great of directions to get to the trestle, there are a few ways to get to it, also people hike in, mountain bike in, and I even found an article where the guys motorcycled in!
We didn’t do any major rock scrambling and we hiked the tracks for a good 3 – 4 miles to get to the trestle. We went through numerous train tunnels, walked across many smaller bridges, and finally we walked across the Goat Canyon Trestle, and even explored the caved in train tunnel to the left of it.
We took 2 Jeeps and 4 wheeled it out to the tracks, then hiked in. So much history here! Such an awesome hike and experience. If you ever see a group hike or mountain bikers headed out to the trestle, definitely jump on the opportunity to join in! We met some mountain bikers who biked in from Jacumba side, they even went through a tunnel that sounded like it was over a mile long!

You’re all going along thinking you’re in pretty good shape even though even an alien landing from outer space would recognize these are the ravings of a madman, the physical manifestation of delusion. But you don’t know this. Until you actually put your bad fit self in a situation that’s all like, surprise!
You aren’t!
I know of what I speak. And I have no truck with my travelling companion yesterday. I have only him to thank and myself to blame. Him for the idea of the adventure and me for letting myself go all to seed. Note to self.
I don’t think I’ll get hate messages for writing this little experience up like I’ve heard folks get for disclosing the details of hidden hot springs or other hard to access secret treasures. The Trestle isn’t a secret. From the footprint count in the dust and the recounting of staff at the Jacumba Springs hotel — this adventure has been christened and logged by many before us. So this report is more for those who do not know, with a twist for which only the (fool)hardy need apply.
The Trestle is located about 8 miles in from where the train tracks cross the Interstate near Jacumba. The old for the time being out of service San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railroad tracks running once upon a time from San Diego north to the Trestle then through Ocotillo on its way to El Monte and the SP main line. Folks mostly access the Trestle this way, I hear. We, however, being the we that we are, elected to get there by the overland route.
Drop one car at the I-​8 crossing that you get to by way of the road doubling back from the Jacumba exit south of the highway and in sight of The Fence (about 90 miles east of San Diego) then get back on the highway headed east. Exit I-​8 at Ocotillo and follow S-​2 past the windmills and the border check-​point and take your first left, that Earth tells is called Nortero Canyon Road (the sign at the junction with S-​2 says Montero Wash) and follow the main unimproved track (with a high-​clearance truck please) through loose sand and washes to the tracks where you pause for a moment wondering how you’ll get across, then with courage and voiding your car-​rental contract across the tracks, then west by southwest for three more miles. Park. Drink a ton of water. Pack two tons more. Then off you go, pretties, up and over that steep-​ass mountain right in your face within the first fifteen minutes going all, crap, I thought I was in shape.
Three and a half miles from the «trailhead» which is pretty much just a dead end in a sandy wash where you park and pick your way then up cairn by cairn over a very dry mountain to the crest the other side of which and far far below you lies the tracks again (they loop) and the Trestle.
If you go when we went you’ll be blessed by the desert bloom, which lasts for only a couple of weeks until what had been blooming isn’t anymore and exists solely to stick you and make your legs bleed with nary a flower to say thank you.
About three and a half miles up and over the mountain and down to the Trestle. Lunch. Sit in the shade of the abandoned hopper car and play if I gave you 500 dollars would you climb the rickety ladders on the Trestle with Bruce who looks like he’s going to say yes and you’re all dammit. Then he doesn’t and you’re still up a bottle of whisky from the bet before where he was all snakes what snakes there won’t be snakes. Rattle rattle. Whisky for me.
First across the 200-​foot high 600 long scary feet across Trestle followed by eight miles of flat walking back to where the tracks cross beneath I-​8 where you left your take-​out car then back to get the first one and off to San Diego you go. Nine hours total with obligatory rests in tunnels and exploring weird random abandoned railcars with French Canadian signs inside how in the world did these get here.
This is a day well spent. Your annoying wheezing and so many stops on the way up ostensibly to take in the view but who are you kidding go with a patient friend like Bruce. Life is short. Be deliberate. Seek its Trestles.