Eagle Benchmark and Fish Benchmark

Jan 24, 2026 — Eagle Benchmark and Fish Benchmark are the two most notable summits within the Fish Creek Mountains, a small and remote desert range. In addition to these summits, I noted two unnamed peaks farther south and figured including them would make for a nice loop. Access to the area can be achieved from the north or south along a graded road (reasonable clearance still required) that parallels an active railway. I drove in from the north via Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

I believed my intended route was within the safe confines of the Fish Creek Mountain Wilderness, but I neglected to realize that a small land parcel within the wilderness area is shared with the US military, specifically designated as the Carrizo Impact Area. The Carrizo Impact Area is a former U.S. Navy bombing range used during the mid-1900s. The area is closed to the public because of the danger from unexploded ordnance. It has been classified as a high-hazard area but a low priority for cleanup because the site is extremely remote. For desert explorers, this makes the Carrizo Impact Area a place to avoid entirely due to the very real risk of buried explosives. Oops.

Another thing to note is that the road leading out to my parking spot is well-known to gun enthusiasts as a shooting range. While I didn’t see anyone way out here along the road, stray bullets firing into the open desert is something to consider on the hike back.

I crossed the railroad tracks and headed through the open desert in search for a reported old trail at the northern toe of the mountains. While it was a bit beaten up, I found it without issue and was able to follow it up the slope and all the way to a pair of old mine shafts. The trail ended here, so I continued south through a rocky gully in order to emerge at the northern end of Eagle Benchmark.

I took the Class 2 northern ridgeline to the summit of Eagle Benchmark, the range high point. I could see the various unnamed northern peaks of the range that I ended up snagging a few days later. I noted I could head east to gain Fish Benchmark, but I had my mind set on grabbing those other two little peaks to the south. I recommend not doing so since shortly past here my route entered the Carrizo Impact Area. There are no negative signs, of course, and even maps don’t display the boundary in most cases, so it feels fair that I missed this fairly important land designation. Either way, the east fast of Eagle Benchmark is very steep, so I recommend dropping south along the ridgeline and into to the wash below.

Keeping the route legal would then require finding your own way up to Fish Benchmark, whereas my route continued generally southeast. I followed an animal trail up and over a minor ridge, then down into another drainage. I took this to the northern base of Peak 1996 at the junction with Barrett Canyon (the canyon that drains from Fish Benchmark). From here, I hiked up the steep, Class 2 slope to the high point.

Onward to Peak 1886, a pleasant hike with exceptional views to the sandy expanse below and Fish Benchmark in the distance, nothing exceeding light Class 2. I was enamored by the landscape, and spent a few moments doing some research on the Fish Creek Mountains while on the summit. It was here I learned about the Carrizo Impact Area’s existence, so I hurriedly abandoned my rare chill time on Peak 1886 and dropped north back into Barrett Canyon. The canyon ascended gradually toward a saddle on the east side of Fish Benchmark, and had some Class 2/2+ boulder-hopping. Upon reaching the saddle, I made an ascending traverse to the Fish Benchmark summit.

For my descent from Fish Benchmark, I dropped north into an obvious drainage. A steep slope took me down into the rocky watercourse, but I stuck just to the right of it on easier terrain for a while before finally getting funneled in. While not terribly tedious if you are into desert boulder-hopping, compared to the trail ascent at the start of the day, this was a lot more work. I made it back into the open desert and headed back to my car.