Burro Schmidt Tunnel
Hike Review
I visited this tunnel 4 years ago and the tunnel itself was just the same as before.
Unlike 2021, the parking lot was absolutely packed with OHVs and folks enjoying a break from off-roading.
There were no amenities as before—no toilet, trash, or water.
With more people, Cassie and I did not have my experience of being completely alone in the tunnel as we ended up behind a family walking through. They kicked up so much dust that we did not particularly enjoy our walk through the tunnel.
On the way back, we decided to hike up and over the hill that the tunnel burrows through, which was a mistake as the trail down is slippery, it was incredibly windy, and the views were not good enough to make up for the downsides.
What I Learned
On our way through the tunnel, we saw a family of rats (a mother and her two youngins) hiding in a crevice in the middle of the tunnel. I wonder what they eat—maybe the mom commutes a quarter mile to grab food that humans inadvertently leave behind at the parking lot?
.8 miles, 23 mins, 240ft of ascent
What Happened
Cassie and I arrived at Burro Schmidt Tunnel after enjoying the easy off-road trails from Highway 14. The roads were totally washboarded, but it’s still more fun than Highway 5.
When we arrived, we found parking in one of the last remaining places where my car could fit. We grabbed a flashlight and a headlamp and carefully entered the tunnel as it has a really short opening.
The walk wasn’t too bad until we turned into a smaller tunnel to investigate what was there. When we got back to the main tunnel, we were behind a small family, which meant hailing a lot of dust. We knowingly turned into another dead-end tunnel to give a bit more space between us and the other family.
When we got to the end of the tunnel, we enjoyed the fresh air (even though it was windy) and sunlight. We then decided to skip the tunnel to hike back over the hill to Ramona.
The hike turned out to be more than we bargained for. First of all, it was a very windy day, so when we crested the hill, we were pummeled by the biting wind. We then had to search for the trail leading downhill, and when we found it, it turned out to be a sandy/slippery mess where I lost my balance halfway through (no damage except for a bruised ego).
When we got back to the parking lot, some of the OHVs were replaced by off-road vehicles, and the parking lot seemed even more full. We quickly made our exit and searched for a quieter spot where we could make lunch and eat in relative peace.
