The Camino del Diablo: Arizona’s Historic and Harrowing Desert Crossing
Of all the routes that cut through the unforgiving landscapes of Arizona, few are as storied—or as feared—as the Camino del Diablo, or “The Devil’s Highway.” Winding through the barren Sonoran Desert, this historic trail has claimed countless lives and witnessed centuries of hardship, hope, and human endurance.
Once a perilous passage for Indigenous travelers, Spanish missionaries, Mexican traders, and American pioneers, the Camino del Diablo is a stark reminder of the risks taken in pursuit of faith, fortune, and freedom.
An Ancient Indigenous Pathway
The origins of the Camino del Diablo trace back long before the Spanish arrived in North America. Indigenous peoples, particularly the Tohono O’odham, navigated this stretch of desert using intimate knowledge of its scarce water sources and seasonal rhythms.
These early desert dwellers moved across the Barry M. Goldwater Range and the Cabeza Prieta Wilderness, establishing foot trails between springs, mesquite groves, and shaded arroyos. Their route would later guide European explorers seeking passage through this vast and waterless region.
Spanish Missionaries and the Trail of Trials
The name “Camino del Diablo” was first recorded in the 18th century, when Spanish missionaries and settlers began using the trail as a shortcut between Sonora, Mexico, and California’s coastal missions. The route shaved hundreds of miles off longer paths through New Mexico or northern Arizona—but came with deadly consequences.
Travelers had to endure over 125 miles of dry desert, where summer temperatures soared above 110°F (43°C), and reliable water sources were nearly non-existent. The most feared segment, known as the Gran Desierto, tested even the most seasoned desert survivors.
Dozens—if not hundreds—perished along the way, their bones left to bleach beneath the sun. It was this brutal reputation that earned the trail its ominous name: “The Devil’s Highway.”
A Corridor of Commerce and Migration
Despite its dangers, the Camino del Diablo remained in use well into the 19th century. Mexican traders, gold seekers, and American pioneers continued to follow the path during the California Gold Rush and U.S. territorial expansion.
During the Mexican-American War, U.S. Army scouts and cartographers mapped portions of the route to support military movement and supply lines. In the decades that followed, it served miners, smugglers, ranchers, and even religious pilgrims.
The trail also became part of a cross-border migratory route, as families and individuals sought new opportunities in the American West—often braving the desert with little more than hope and courage.
Modern Access and Preservation
Today, the Camino del Diablo lies within restricted military lands and federally protected wilderness, preserving both its remote character and its deep historical significance. The route crosses the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, and Barry M. Goldwater Range.
Modern visitors can explore segments of the trail—but only with permits, proper planning, and desert survival knowledge. High-clearance 4WD vehicles, ample water, and satellite navigation are required, as help can be hundreds of miles away.
Despite its inaccessibility, the trail remains a destination for historians, desert enthusiasts, and solitude seekers, offering an intense glimpse into the harsh realities faced by those who came before.
The Desert Remembers
Throughout the Camino del Diablo, markers, gravesites, and abandoned water barrels stand as quiet witnesses to a painful past. Some segments remain lined with ancient petroglyphs, rock cairns, and sun-scorched crosses.
In this stretch of sun and silence, the desert reveals no mercy—but preserves every memory.
Arizona’s Camino del Diablo is not just a trail—it is a historical reckoning. It tells the story of a route forged in faith and desperation, etched into the very bones of the land, and still walked today by shadows of those who never made it through.
To journey it, even in thought, is to confront the extremes of human endurance and the eternal pull of the horizon.