The Mid Hills to Hole-in-the-Wall trail is a serious 8-mile desert hike that rewards your effort with genuinely striking scenery. You’ll start from either the Mid Hills Campground entrance or about a mile west of Black Canyon Road on Wild Horse Canyon Road’s south end. The route itself descends 1,200 feet total through a landscape that changes as you go, which keeps things interesting even on a long walk.

The first section takes you through washes lined with barrel and cholla cacti — dense enough that you’re genuinely threading through a maze rather than walking an obvious path. Then you pass through an area that burned in the Hackberry Fire, which looks completely different from the cactus sections. As you approach Hole-in-the-Wall, the white deposits of the Opalite Cliffs start showing up, and they actually do sparkle in the sun when the light hits them right. It’s one of those details that makes the hike feel less routine toward the end.

The main challenge here is navigation. Dirt roads and cattle trails cross through constantly, and this isn’t a well-groomed path with obvious markings everywhere. You’ll need to watch for trail route markers carefully and have a map with you — this really isn’t a trail to wing it on. You might also see cattle grazing along the way since this crosses a grazing allotment, though they’re generally unbothered.

Your dog can come along but must stay on leash the entire way. The terrain is uneven, rocky in spots, and exposed to sun, so bring plenty of water for both of you. The good news is that the landscape is dramatic enough that the difficulty feels worth it, and you won’t see many other people out here, especially if you go in the cooler months. Just remember to pack out everything you pack in, including any waste from your dog.