Story and pictures by Mike Bennett The Desert View tower and boulder park In-ko-pa trail – Jacumba California, 91934 –
Me and my babe love to go to Mexico at least once every three months. We usually just go to Mexicali, but this time I talked her into going to Tecate instead so we could stop and see the Desert View tower.
Just off Hwy 8 between Mexicali and Tecate, there’s a tiny town called Jacumba that had big dreams of becoming a border crossing. When we got to the tower we were greeted by the really sweet dogs that live there. My babe is a huge sucker for doggies, so she loved that. We checked out the little gift shop, which reminded me of Village fest for some reason, then paid the small admission and started climbing up the spiral stairs to the top. If you like funky folk art, the first four levels are a gallery of sorts mixed with old relics from the great depression. Once you get to the top, there’s a bell you can ring. Of course I rang it three times. Look for the series of numbers carved into wood near the ceiling.
You’ll also see the legend to show you which number corresponds to the landmarks you’re viewing. The panoramic view is truly incredible. I wish I would have taken grandpas binoculars. You can see the old stagecoach roads, the Salton Sea, the Mexican border and beyond. I can’t even start to imagine how our trip would have been in a stagecoach.
The Tower was built in 1922-23 by Burt Vaughn in celebration of the railroad workers who had blasted their way through this area. In the early 1930s, W.T. Ratcliffe, an unemployed engineer, started carving rocks. Ratcliffe spent 25 years carving the animal sculptures in the boulder park adjacent to the tower. This boulder park is an attraction all by itself. Kids love it!
Climb up, under and over this winding trail and watch for hidden sculptures. You’ll discover new ones around every corner. My favorite is the big skull. The owners kept telling us about how invigorating the springs were, so we took this mini bump and grind trail to see the springs. I’ll just say I was a tiny bit disappointed, but too out of breath to care.
The Desert View tower and boulder park is a shining example of roadside Americana, and a must see part of history for Coachella and Imperial Valley residents. For directions and more info, call (619) 766-4612 or google it. Drive safely and enjoy the view.
