Marine reefs, lake deposits, and silt from the ancient Colorado River delta formed these badlands, layer upon layer, over the last 5 million years. Then earthquakes tilted and exposed these layers like the pages of a book. Finally, over the last 500,000 years or so, erosion sculpted intricate canyons, reefs and caves into these desolate badlands.
I camped about 200 feet north of this cache on the evening of 3/23/01. The views overlooking the Carrizo Badlands at sunset, then again at sunrise, were breathtaking as the shadows deepened and colors and textures changed.
I left in the cache a log, 2 pens, a new in-the-box printer cable, a 3-diskette set of Lion King Print Studio (my kids have FINALLY outgrown it – a great program), and other neat surprises.
Because you’re in the badlands (essentially mud hills), the vegetation is sparse. The cache is in a plastic shoebox with a white top. Because the white top stands out like a sore thumb in the sunlight, I’ve covered it with rocks and branches from dead agave.
If you camp here, you can be assured of being alone with only the stars. Orion, Taurus, Gemini, Leo, Cassiopeia, Virgo, Hydra, Hercules, Lyra, Scorpius, Sagittarius all wheeled overhead the night I spent here. The wind died at sunset bringing absolute quiet - not a sound. The lights of Ocitillo twinkled far away in the east. Warm breezes lulled me to sleep - a spectacular orange and pink sunrise greeted me upon awakening.
For more information about the area, see The Anza-Borrego Desert Region by Lowell & Diana Lindsay.