This trailhead is located near the trailhead to Barker Dam. If you want, you can hike the flat 1/2 mile connector trail if you don’t care to drive over to the other trailhead. This is an easy 3-mile out and back to the remains of the Wall Street Mill. Many hikers also include a short detour to explore the ruins of the Wonderland Ranch.
From the trailhead, follow the wide sandy path eastward. After about .1 of a mile, you will reach a junction, off to your left you will spot the ruins of the Wonderland Ranch. It is hard to miss, as its remaining walls are bright pink. Feel free to explore the ruins, just leave any of the artifacts, such as tin cans or other items, there. There is a trail heading north that will take you into the Wonderland of Rocks but instead look for the trail heading eastward. You should pass by the ruins of an old truck, slowly rusting under the desert sun.
Once you rejoin the main path, it will keep working its way eastward. You should now be able to see an old windmill used to draw water from underground. There used to be another historical artifact located along the trail, but vandals damaged it and the NPS removed the original and replaced with a metal version. This was a stone marker that William Keys inscribed the following:
Here is where Worth Bagly bit the dust at the hand of W. F. Keys, May 11, 1943.
Key served seven years at San Quentin Prison before being paroled. With the help of Earl Stanley Gardner, author of the Perry Mason novels, Keys was able to prove the killing was in self-defense and was pardoned. The trail will turn northward, and the Wall Street Mill will be a short distance away.
While the mill itself is fenced off to both preserve it and keep visitors safe, you can still see most of the equipment. There is a nice information sign nearby that explains how the mill worked. You can also find another abandoned car nearby as well. Once you are done exploring the area, retrace your route back to your car. Round-trip the hike is about 1.9 miles along and is relatively easy.
I am an avid peak bagger, sometimes backpacker, and former sea kayaker living in San Diego. In 2019, I became the third person to complete the San Diego 100 Peak Challenge. Not stopping with that accomplishment, I set my sights on the harder San Diego Sierra Club 100 Peak list, which I completed in 2021. In addition, I have conquered several Six-Pack of Peaks challenges (SoCal, San Diego, Central Coast, and Arizona-Winter). Beyond attempting the San Diego Sierra Club 100 Peak list a second time, I am looking forward to exploring new summits and new adventures across the southwest.