Martinez Canyon Trail access

[kevinkinser]

For the last four or five years, my wife and I have driven our jeep up close to the Martinez Canyon trail head, set up camp, and done a few days of hiking. Last time was a year ago. Tried to do it again yesterday, and our route in was blocked. We have gone from vanburen st, through the date farm, and onto a jeep trail that works pretty well. But now the date farm is marked with no trespassing signs, and has gates and rocks blocking the way in we usually take. We drove around for a couple of hours looking for another way in, but couldn't find anything. So what gives? How do I get in to the trail head now?

[KathyW]

Many of the section lines in that area of the Coachella Valley are public roads, but not always maintained by the County. That does not mean that gates do not get locked to protect crops. You might want to check with the County to see what roads are public roads. The County Road Book is now online; so this might help too:

http://countyofriverside.maps.arcgis.co ... 92672d624f

[KathyW]

Yes, new gates and some nice improvements to the farmland in that area. It would take some research to see if there is some kind of easement or right of way through that area that allows public access to Martinez Canyon.

The new gates might be related to theft (copper from pumps and crops).

It does look like that gates are on the boundary between private land and public land administered by BLM, but I could be reading the map wrong and you'd have to be a surveyor to know for sure. A lot of the land between the farmland and the National Monument in that area is administered by BLM. In addition a big chunk of the private holdings of undeveloped desert land that are in that area where sold for conservation in the last few years.

Maybe BLM will be able to clarify the access situation.

Map (some changes have taken place since this map was drawn): http://www.cvmshcp.org/Plan%20Documents ... s/d2-1.pdf

[bluerail]

This is really a drag. That dirt road is priceless the canyons a long way down that road.
Maybe bolt cutters at the pumping station ? IM KIDDING! That gate used to never be chained, then access switched to the farm. I know they used to have problems with homies doing target practice back there ..and the dumping. I'd probably go so far as to go up and try to find someone to ask.if no luck then the blm. the canyons a long enough day hike as it is..a great place to camp and goof around. Maybe Hal knows something? He goes back there a bit

[kevinkinser]

I just spoke with the BLM people -- they are aware that a private landowner has locked the gate access and are working on a solution. But they don't have one yet. From what they said, it looks like road access to the trail head is not currently available and no timeline for when or whether it will be again. Hopefully it can be resolved soon. But who knows...

[KathyW]

My guess is that there is a 30' wide public right of way along Van Buren all the way to the land owned by the USA and it has been blocked off, but I could be wrong.

[bluerail]

maybe trying some one there at the farm? i used to ride back there some and there were different access point from their roads. I know its awkward driving around in a vehicle searching..

[halhiker]

There's a way around the closure for now. It's not as good as the normal way and requires more clearance than your typical SUV or Subaru but at least it works until the powers that be—the BLM or the county—get our right-of-way back open. It's on Avenue 66 between the Fish Trap parking area and Van Buren.

http://goo.gl/9rgOS2

[Florian]

The spot that Hal marked is the way i've always driven to Martinez Canyon. Is there a different way?

-Florian

[scottmac]

The spot that Hal marked is the way i've always driven to Martinez Canyon. Is there a different way?

Ditto.