GPS Co-Ordinates: 33.28103236675462, -116.0963487625122

It’s not a big ride, but if you’re in the Anza-Borrego area and fancy a big-tralie friendly side trip, the Calcite Mine Road may be your cup of tea. As a one of the most accessible rides in the area, the Calcite Mine Road offers some of the most representative scenery and geology in this patch of California. The destination itself is a tench calcite mine, which during World War II was only site in the United States providing optical-grade calcite crystals for use in gunsights. The manmade trenches are still plainly visible and plenty of calcite shards are to be found. More natural is the rill and gully erosion the area demonstrates, and wind cave pocketed rock.

Be sure to share the enjoyment of this area with the many hikers also partaking of this route.

If you’re looking for something less tame in a ride, we’d recommend the not-so-big-bike-friendly Palm Wash on your way out. That should give you your fill of deep sand for a while.