Deer Creek Canyon - 9/15/25

Entering the high walls of Deer Creek Canyon

Herd of 15 burros inside the high walls of
Deer Creek Canyon

Deer Creek in Canyon

Impressive walls of the Canyon

Tortoises are burrowing Everywhere

Fleabane Road is an abandoned dirt road that turns to the right as you climb Lee Canyon Road from I-11. At around 8.9 miles, where a ridge juts out from the right, you can turn and find a good place to park. There are various directions you can hike from here and, today, three Wanderers, headed across Lee Canyon Road, dropped into the wash and took a straight trajectory across the foothills of the Spring Mountains. As the crow flies, only 1.5 miles of desert / burro trail hiking will take you to the lower portion of Deer Creek Canyon and a wonderful burro trail that leads gently down into the canyon. (There is a 4 mile approach road that will get you there, as well, if you have a proper vehicle.)

Hiking across the Desert

Solo Burro

Although there is a main burro trail that is nicely less undulating, we skirted around the ends of ridges and climbed in zigzags to get across the desert. There are an abundance of vague burro trails and we were almost never without some kind of path. 

Hiking across the hills and Arroyos

More burros in front of Toiyabe Peak

Long burro trail entrance to Canyon

About half way across to the canyon, we spotted our first burro. This area below the Spring Mountains could be known as "The Zoo." There are always many animals that roam the desert here because there are many springs. And, Deer Creek Canyon holds water for most of the year within its wash. Today was no different, we spotted "George" out on his lonesome. He snorted at us as we hiked by about 200 yards away. No worries. We aren't dumb. We kept our eyes on him and made sure that he was staying on his side of the line. As we climbed the last couple of ridges, we spotted a few more burros. They camouflage themselves among the Joshua Trees very well. We arrived on the top of the last ridge and crossed the rim trail to reach the edge of the canyon.

Sue hiking one of the burro trails in the Canyon

Burros and lizards greet Us

 At this spot, the canyon was extremely wide with the approach road running around two large vertical rock columns and into the narrow part of the canyon. The burro trail, inviting hikers as well, started its descent here.

Unusual rock Formation

Line of burros exiting Canyon

The Wanderers in the high walls of the Canyon

 We couldn't wait to descend into the mysterious canyon on its long diagonal path. At the bottom, we continued to follow the wash, road and/or the main burro trail leading up as the canyon narrowed with high walls. We continued to see burros. Burros in pairs and trios. Burros solo. And, the most exciting, burros in a small colorful herd. The small herd of burros numbered around 15 and were of every burro color imaginable! One burro was even a two-tone. Its front legs and head were one color and its body and back legs were another color. We spooked them a little when we quit waiting for them to move out of our way. They headed in a line up the side of the canyon on another diagonal trail. The rock walls had become very tall.

Burros still Exiting

Hiking up the canyon Creek

Soon, we came to where the water of Deer Creek Canyon appeared from the ground. In the beginning, the water was green with toxic algae and we passed a recently deceased burro laying in the mud. I don't know if the two facts are related. There was no predation. We hiked up beside the babbling brook and took in the gorgeous views.

Deer Creek 

Secondary Deer Creek Canyon
Junction

Sue in the Deer Creek Wash

Not far up the canyon, the secondary Deer Creek Canyon entered from the left. There was no water in it here, but the large rock entrance to it was beautiful. After wandering on up the canyon a little bit, we returned to this junction for our break. Afterwards, we started back on the main burro trail. This trail ended up to be the same trail that the line of burros had taken earlier. We were happily hiking up the gentle slope when we heard very loud automatic gunfire. On alert, we scampered up a little more to see that a man was set up in the shade with his camp chair and cooler shooting some kind of machine gun at the wall "near" where we were climbing. There were two burros just ahead of us, as well.

Deer Creek Canyon

Burros leading us Out

We hid behind a large rock outcrop until we could assess the situation. We got his photo and license plate and tried to get his attention to make him stop while we passed by out of the canyon. I guess he had ear plugs in. He couldn't hear us nor was he close enough to see us waving our arms. We took an unplanned left and scrambled up the canyon wall on a steep and rarely used burro trail. He couldn't see us from this point so we were safe ... except for a possible ricochet.

Down canyon from top of Escape Route

Herd of burros milling about on the canyon Rim

Starting back over the Desert

He stopped. Maybe he saw us. Idk. He drove away and we rested from our skidaddling up the slope. Next, we changed our trajectory to the trailhead 1.5 miles away ... as the crow flies. Enjoying the desert terrain, and the many more burros we saw along the way, the gunfire was soon out of our minds. Ending our track on some of the main burro trail, we dropped into the Lee Canyon wash. This was, by far, the most exciting hike we have done this summer! Yes, I came home and reported the man with the gun. A "wow, wow, wow" day!

Stats: 5.6 miles; 1120' gain; 5.5 hours

Heading into a small Canyon

Down canyon to the DNWR

Sue and Susan enjoying the Morning

Using the main burro trail to Return

Main burro trail / Lee Canyon wash Junction