How to hike to the Goat Canyon Trestle, the world's largest wooden trestle
Hike in from Mortero Palms in Anza-Borrego: about 5.5 miles round trip with 2,200 feet of climbing and real rock scrambling. Go October to April, look but don't walk on it, and skip the railroad-track route, which crosses private property.
- Built
- 1932-33
- Size
- ~200 ft high
- Legal hike
- 5.5 mi, 2,200 ft
- Season
- Oct-Apr
After Tunnel 15 collapsed
Roughly 600-750 ft long, all redwood
Round trip from Mortero Palms
Avoid May-September heat
The short version
- The Goat Canyon Trestle, built in 1932-33 after Tunnel 15 collapsed, is described as the world's largest all-wood trestle: roughly 600 to 750 feet long and about 200 feet high.
- It's redwood, built with a curve to stand up to the gorge's winds, on the old San Diego and Arizona Railway, nicknamed the 'Impossible Railroad.'
- The legal way in is from Mortero Palms in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park: about 5.5 miles round trip, 2,200 feet of gain, rated strenuous.
- The route along the railroad tracks from Jacumba crosses private railroad property posted 'No Trespassing.'
- Avoid May through September: the desert is dangerously hot and there is almost no shade.
Deep in the Carrizo Gorge, near the Mexican border, a curved wooden railway bridge about 200 feet tall stands in the middle of the desert with no trains on it. The Goat Canyon Trestle is one of the most surprising sights in San Diego County, and getting there is a real adventure. Here's the history, the legal route, and how not to get yourself fined or rescued.
Why it's out there
The San Diego and Arizona Railway was finished in 1919 and called the 'Impossible Railroad' for the terrain it crossed. In March 1932, earthquake damage collapsed Tunnel 15 in the gorge, so the railroad built around it: a redwood trestle, chosen over steel because the gorge's swings in temperature would fatigue metal, and built on a curve to resist high winds. Wikipedia lists it at 597 to 750 feet long and 186 to 200 feet high, the world's largest all-wood trestle. Revenue trains stopped in 2008, and the line is owned by the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System.
Route
Pins are approximate. The trailhead is reached on unpaved roads; a high-clearance vehicle is recommended. Sources: Modern Hiker and OpenStreetMap, checked October 6, 2026.
See these on the full San Diego mapThe two routes people take
| Mortero Palms (state park) | Railroad tracks from Jacumba | |
|---|---|---|
| Round trip | About 5.5 miles | About 16.5 miles |
| Climb | About 2,200 ft, with scrambling | About 1,200 ft, gentle grade |
| Legal? | Yes, inside Anza-Borrego Desert State Park | Crosses private railroad property with 'No Trespassing' signs |
| Access | Unpaved roads; high clearance recommended | Sandy road off I-8 |
- Difficulty: Modern Hiker rates it strenuous, with a rocky climb out of the palms and boulder-hopping up dry falls. Allow most of a day.
- Getting there: the trailhead is reached via Highway S2 and unpaved roads (Dos Cabezas Road). Low-clearance cars may struggle.
- Water: carry at least 3 liters per person and sun protection. There's no water at the trailhead.
- Phone signal: don't count on it. Tell someone your plan, and consider a satellite messenger.
- Season: October through April. Summer temperatures in the gorge are extreme.
Making a desert weekend of it? Anza-Borrego's dark skies are spectacular: see where to watch the Geminid meteor shower, and whether El Niño could bring a spring superbloom.
SOURCES
Everything above traces back to one of these. Follow them — if one has changed and we haven't, that's our mistake, not yours.
- BackgroundGoat Canyon Trestle
Wikipedia · Checked October 6, 2026
History, dimensions, redwood construction, MTS ownership, 2008 end of service
- BackgroundGoat Canyon Trestle via Mortero Palms
Modern Hiker · Checked October 6, 2026
Route stats, difficulty, access roads, season, no walking on the trestle
- BackgroundGoat Canyon Trestle Hike Guide
Hiking Guy · Checked October 6, 2026
Railroad-route distance and private-property warnings, water and signal advice