Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
We hiked the mysterious Ghost Mountain Trail to find remnants of the old Yaquitepec. It’s an abandoned home, owned by Marshall South and his family.
They lived off the grid in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, and we wanted an adventure. We got that plus learned more about the park’s history.
I’ll tell you about our experience, what to know and expect, and share personal photos from our trip. You’ll want to see this one for yourself!
Getting There
We were van camping in Anza-Borrego and then went to the visitor center to get maps and info.
From the visitor center, we took the S-3 to Highway 78. Then we took the S-2 to Blair Valley and turned onto a dirt road.
It took us about one hour to get to the trail. On the map, you can see the main road and all these little roads branching off.
The drive took us through beautiful landscapes, where we pulled over to take pictures. I don’t think most people know how beautiful and spacious this park is.
We passed campgrounds and little towns. What a peaceful area!
Driving the Dirt Roads
When we finally turned onto the dirt road leading to the trail we found a sign. It read: Welcome to Little Blair County Cultural Preserve.
The road started out pretty solid, but eventually led us into deep sand in some areas. The ranger at the visitor center had warned us about this.
When other vehicles met us on the narrow road, one had to pull over to the side to let the other pass.
Without having a four-wheel drive, it would be difficult to reach the trail. Some areas look nice and flat, but I wouldn’t risk it.
So make sure your rig can handle this. Otherwise, you might get stuck.
And it’s out in the middle of nowhere, and we didn’t run into other vehicles that often. But we did have cell phone reception.
Finding the Trailhead
We had passed the road we were supposed to turn onto and ended up at the Morteros trail. We missed our turn.
When we turned around to go back, we saw a little sign. So, look out for them because they can blend into the scenery. The roads don’t have many markings, so we got confused while driving to the trailhead.
Good thing we had the maps because the trail was a little tricky to find—at least, it was for us.
When we finally got there, we parked next to the two other vehicles. We had found the mysterious trail!
Hiking Ghost Mountain Trail
At the trailhead, they have a couple signs with one pointing to the trail. It’s about 1 mile to reach the Yaquitepec, with a gain of over 400 feet in elevation.
Another read that we were entering a sensitive archaelogical area. Bascially you don’t want to disturb or touch any artifacts or historic areas. You could get arrested and penalized.
The sun shone brightly in the afternoon and the temperature was a pleasant 70° in the winter.
I wore a sun hat because the sun’s rays were still strong. I packed a jacket, water, snacks, and my usual hiking stuff—just in case.
The Unmarked Trail
We made our way on the trail, which was steep and narrow. It was unmarked, like the ranger said, but we could see footsteps from other hikers.
I took pictures of the beautiful plants along the way. It was a wonderful day for a hike on this ghostly path.
And I did have to catch my breath on the switchbacks. And all these desert plants flared up my allergies…ugh!
We ran into some other hikers who were on their way down. They told us about all the barrels at the site and how they couldn’t believe someone was once living up there.
After climbing the mountainside, we finally reached the top. Beautiful views of the valley stretched out for miles.
Then we looked around for those barrels and saw remnants of the old Yaquitepec.
The Yaquitepec
There were few remains of the Marshal South home tucked into the mountain. They had a big open property for his pioneer lifestyle.
He built a house in the 1930s and lived there with his family until 1947. They named their home the Yaquitepec.
They had no electricity or water. The ranger told me that the Native Americans who lived in the area questioned why he would build his house there.
Whenever he needed water or supplies, he had to trek up and down Ghost Mountain. She said there were more accessible places in Anza-Borrego that were far from humans.
I couldn’t imagine doing that trek all the time. But hey, I bet he was in great shape from the workout!
Marshal South Home Remains
South’s dream of living off the grid didn’t pan out, so eventually the family had to leave.
Part of the house frame, an old mattress, and other things remain. We couldn’t quite make out what things were, but we could tell he made an adobe home out of this mountain.
And we saw some barrels, like those hikers told us. There were also some old, rusty cans on the side of a large rock.
As we explored, two other hikers appeared from the other side of the mountain. They didn’t seem interested in the abandoned Yaquitepec.
Ghost Mountain Views
I overheard them raving about the views while looking through binoculars. They were quite beautiful.
Mountains in the far distance looked like they were painted with precision. For that reason, I can see why Marshal South chose to build a home here.
Ghost Mountain is such an intriguing place.
As we wandered back down the mountain, I thought about all the other historic treasures in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park I have yet to discover.
And that’s what’s so fun about exploring the desert and the Wild West—and traveling in general. It’s fun to encounter things you haven’t seen before.
Day Use Nearby
After our hike, we were pretty famished. So we got in the van and drove away from the mountain, but it was still in view.
We headed back the way we came and didn’t go too far. We found an area with fire pits and pulled over.
Before our little trip, we had grabbed some food from one of the grocery stores. We planned to cook after hiking.
So this is something you can do after exploring the mountain too. There are many places where you can relax nearby.
A Dispersed Camper
We were far from some of the other vehicles doing some dispersed camping. Let’s just say we were day camping, or stopped for day use.
As we were cooking, a man rode up on his bicycle.
“What are you doing here? When did you get to town?” he asked.
“Hi, we’re just passing through… We just hiked Ghost Mountain,” I said.
Then he told us about some places he had explored in the desert. With such joy, he said he stays here all the time.
He and his friend had been camping there for a few days, so they were happy to see other people.
I don’t blame him! It’s such a quiet and relaxing place to enjoy.
After that, we returned to the RV park for another lovely night under the stars. Maybe one day we’ll rough it in the desert.
Travel Notes
Although we’d been in Anza-Borrego many times, we stopped at the visitor center before going on our adventure. This is a great place to learn about hikes and get trail updates.
I talked to a friendly ranger who gave me maps. Looking at the map, I said the Ghost Mountain Trail looked short. But she warned that it wasn’t a stroll in the park.
It’s unmarked and uneven, so bring water. You’ll never know what could happen.
Wear sun protection, even in the cooler months, she advised. I always carry a small backpack, no matter how short the hike is.
Final Thoughts
Hiking Ghost Mountain Trail was a great experience. The area is fun to explore, especially if you like discovering historic sites like the Yaquitepec.
I plan to return to see more of the desert. Maybe I’ll find more interesting relics just like this!
More Travel Adventures
I have more related posts that might interest you on my blog. You might want to check them out.
- For more things to do in the area, check out my post on Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
- We like staying at Borrego Palm Canyon, a clean state campground in Anza-Borrego.
- Palm Canyon Hotel & RV Resort is another place in which we like to stay in the park with a fun Western theme.
I’d love to hear about your travel adventure stories!
Originally published: March 22, 2025
