El Camino del Diablo, a remote drive in Arizona

El Camino del Diablo ("The Devil's Highway") is a very exciting and historic journey through the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, USA along the Mexican border. This is not a trip to take in the summer. This is a trip for those well experienced in back country travel only.

El Camino del Diablo

The historic drive is 209km (130 miles) long running from Ajo to Yuma, along the southern border of the United States through some of the most remote and arid terrain. Travelers have used the route for centuries to cross the harsh Sonoran Desert. It has earned its name as the most deadly immigrant trail. This ancient trail has claimed the lives of over 2,000 people.
The road follows a vast area with both rugged mountains and flat desert terrain. It’s gravel all the way. Detailed planning and advanced preparation is essential for this track. The journey has no potable water, crosses through active military bombing ranges, contains unexploded ordinance, heavy illegal immigration and smuggling traffic, abandoned mine shafts, and some very deadly wildlife. Never drive this trail alone.

Be prepared, this road is not for the faint of heart or ill prepared. One mistake can have serious consequences. The road is extremely rough in some places. The road still remains an adrenaline-pumping journey and is definitely not for the faint of lungs, heart, or legs. It should only be driven in 4x4 high-clearance vehicles. This is definitely not a Sunday drive. No emergency or tow services are available, and visitors use the trail at their own risk. The journey takes travelers through a landscape of organ pipe cacti, drifting sand dunes and ancient lava flows. Besides the inherent risk of remote travel in extreme temperatures, travel along El Camino del Diablo remains extremely dangerous. The ride is rather remote, so you need to be prepared. Visitors should bring along much more water than necessary and tell people in advance where they are planning on going and how long they expect to be gone. Due to the remoteness of the area, take special care to ensure that your vehicle is ready for the trip.
Pic: By DiverDave - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=37547445