EXPLORING SAN DIEGO COUNTY AND BEYOND BY LENS
  • Exploring San Diego
  • Day Trips
    • Campo >
      • The Campo Stone Store
      • Campo Pioneer Burial Plots
      • Mystery Rock
      • Rail Road Trestle HWY 94
      • Southern Terminus PCT
      • WWII Pow Chapel
      • Incinerator Camp Lockett
    • Cuyamaca Forest >
      • The Airplane Monument
    • Old Hwy 80 >
      • Boulevard >
        • Masonic Hall Ruins
    • Carlsbad >
      • Mount Calavera
    • Descanso >
      • Ellis Wayside Rest
    • Downtown San Diego >
      • The Old San Diego Jail Cells
    • Escondido >
      • Lake Hodges Dam
    • Jacumba >
      • Mica Gem Mine
      • Carrizo Creek Area
      • Goat Canyon Trestle
      • Happy's Place
      • Jacume
      • Round Mountain
      • Table Mountain
      • Union 76 Sign
      • Valley of The Moon and Vicinity >
        • Border Marker 231
        • Cabin Ruins
        • The Carpet Cave
        • Elliott Mine
        • Smugglers Cave
        • The Antenna Ruins
    • Jamul >
      • Jamul Cement Works
      • Mt. McGinty
    • La Jolla >
      • Kayaking La Jolla
      • Photos La Jolla
      • Sunny Jim Cave
    • Julian >
      • The Warlock Mine
    • Mission Trails Regional Park >
      • Flooding Mission Trails
      • Tree Frogs Season
    • Mountain Springs >
      • Devils Canyon
      • Happy's Camps
      • The Sheep Pens
    • Mount Laguna Area >
      • Pine Valley >
        • Secret Canyon Trail
      • Laguna Meadows >
        • The Pioneer Cemetery
      • Garnet Peak
      • The Pioneer Mail Trail
      • The Pump House
    • Point Loma >
      • Battery E Control Station
      • Bennington Memorial
      • Sea Caves Point Loma
    • Solana Beach >
      • Annies Canyon Trail
  • Forgotten Places
    • Ruin Rancho San Diego
    • Abandone Builldings Lake Morena
    • Abandoned Homestead Site
    • Abandone Home Stead 2
    • The Hidden Cave
    • Bankhead Springs Ghost Town
    • The Forgotten Tunnels
    • Buckman's Springs
    • Old Mines Various
    • Pirates Tower
    • Ghost Signs
    • Manhattan AZ Set
    • School Mine
  • Local WaterFalls
    • Mildred Falls
    • Kitchen Creek Falls
    • Orinoco Creek Falls
    • Three Sisters
    • Storm Canyon Waterfall
    • The Devils Jumpoff
    • Cold Stream Falls
    • Cedar Creek
    • Miadenhair Falls
    • Lake Hodges Falls
    • Waterfalls of Oak Canyon
    • Waterfalls of Cottonwood Creek
    • Green Valley Falls
    • Waterfalls of Chariot Canyon
    • Pinto Canyon Falls
  • Rock Art
    • Anza Borrego 2 Rock Art
    • Cave with No Name
    • Initiation Cave
    • The Lizard Man Cave
    • Petroglyph Site
    • Pictographs November 2012
    • Strange Petroglyphs in Imperial County
    • Rock Art Northern San Diego 1
    • Rock Art Site 2
    • Rock Art Site 3
    • Rock Art Various
    • Unknown Rock Art San Diego County
    • Vallecitos Rock Art
    • Milling Sites >
      • Cuayamaca Ovals
  • Beyond
    • Arizona >
      • Yuma >
        • Bridge to Nowhere
        • Castle Dome Ghost Town
        • Yuma Territorial Prison
    • Imperial County >
      • Anza Borrego >
        • Andrade Canyon
        • Carrizo Mountain
        • The Domelands
        • The Slot
        • Morteros Palms to Goat Canyon
        • Sunrise Butte
        • Yuha Basin
        • Mud Caves
        • Rock House Valley
        • Upper Myers Valley
      • Salton Sea >
        • Mud Volanoes
        • The Old Health Spa
        • Salvation Mountain
    • San Gabriel Mountains >
      • The Bridge to Nowhere
  • The Spooky Side
    • Dead Man's Point
    • Mount Pisquah
    • Pioneer Park
    • Witches Tower
    • Haunted Locations >
      • Hangar One Miramar
      • Julian Hotel
      • Queen Mary >
        • First Class Swimming Pool
        • Water Tight Door 13
      • Vallecitos Stage Station
    • Graves >
      • Grave of Kate Morgan
      • Graves Under San Diego Ave
      • Lady in White Grave
      • The Lonely Grave of Amos Buckman
      • The Forgotten Grave of John Helm
      • Whaley Grave
      • Yankee Jim
  • Hollywood F
  • New Page

The Carpet Cave
Vicinity of Valley of The Moon, Jacumba Ca.​
​

Picture
A very large wind cave with carpet floor, candles and a chest.
I have been to Valley of The Moon and had heard of Carpet Cave, but had no Idea where it was located. Hiking with The Jacumba Hikers we actually visited the cave. It is no wonder I never found it, this cave is really hidden. The cave is located on top of the one of the many giant piles of rock that tower over the valley floor, even knowing which peak, it is still quite hidden. You must climb up a crack in the face, pass a hairy overhang, going under a boulder on a cliff face and through a talus tunnel to reach this place.
Picture




​The Name Carpet Cave comes from the fact that some one actually hauled up a huge piece of carpet and laid it down on the floor of the cave. I would imagine itt would have to be some climbers. This view is looking northward. The cave is of the same type as Smugglers Cave, a hollowed out wind cave. Though this one is on top of a peak, and a lot harder to find and get to.
Picture
A long way down,
Here I am looking southward to the entrance, and no not the lit opening which is a straight plummet to the valley floor below. Look to the left that is where the talus tunnel is at. Notice the scraped up appearance of my legs, this is more about carrying an expensive camera with me.
Picture
Basic goods.
Picture
The tight squeeze
The Chest contains some basic goods,there are candles, lighters, etc.The talus tunnel is not to confining but you will be crawling through part of it.
Picture
Off of the Talus Tunnel before you reach carpet cave is another wind cave, this one at this time has a small cairn of rocks within it.
Picture
The challenge is finding it, here's a photo of a small section of the area,a hint the peak is not in this photo however there are countless more.
This Particular hike was done with The Jacumba Hikers.
Video Climbing to Carpet Cave, there are 2 bad areas not in the Video, was hand holding the video and needed both hands to negotiate them. The Overhang is at the beginning where everyone is waiting. A lot of people just turn back. The second is the ledge where there is an obvious gap in the video. People ask me for directions on how to get to this cave, the video shows why I don't give directions.
I apologize for not give out directions to most of my trips, trails change and I do not have the time to keep the site always updated. My hikes also span from the easy to the extreme, a lot of places do not even have trails, as well as extreme conditions. Some sites need to be protected as they are fragile and historically sensitive. So if you decide to hike some of these areas, do your research and know your limits, have the proper provisions .Every year many hikers die  from not understanding these Simple Rules. San Diego County and surrounding areas are diverse in climate and terrain. Remember if you do decide to Hike do your research, carry the essentials and do so at your own risk.  An alternative is to join one of the many hiking groups such as meetup or on facebook ,as well as other social sites. Not only is there safety in numbers but a pooling of knowledge. 
  • Exploring San Diego
  • Day Trips
    • Campo >
      • The Campo Stone Store
      • Campo Pioneer Burial Plots
      • Mystery Rock
      • Rail Road Trestle HWY 94
      • Southern Terminus PCT
      • WWII Pow Chapel
      • Incinerator Camp Lockett
    • Cuyamaca Forest >
      • The Airplane Monument
    • Old Hwy 80 >
      • Boulevard >
        • Masonic Hall Ruins
    • Carlsbad >
      • Mount Calavera
    • Descanso >
      • Ellis Wayside Rest
    • Downtown San Diego >
      • The Old San Diego Jail Cells
    • Escondido >
      • Lake Hodges Dam
    • Jacumba >
      • Mica Gem Mine
      • Carrizo Creek Area
      • Goat Canyon Trestle
      • Happy's Place
      • Jacume
      • Round Mountain
      • Table Mountain
      • Union 76 Sign
      • Valley of The Moon and Vicinity >
        • Border Marker 231
        • Cabin Ruins
        • The Carpet Cave
        • Elliott Mine
        • Smugglers Cave
        • The Antenna Ruins
    • Jamul >
      • Jamul Cement Works
      • Mt. McGinty
    • La Jolla >
      • Kayaking La Jolla
      • Photos La Jolla
      • Sunny Jim Cave
    • Julian >
      • The Warlock Mine
    • Mission Trails Regional Park >
      • Flooding Mission Trails
      • Tree Frogs Season
    • Mountain Springs >
      • Devils Canyon
      • Happy's Camps
      • The Sheep Pens
    • Mount Laguna Area >
      • Pine Valley >
        • Secret Canyon Trail
      • Laguna Meadows >
        • The Pioneer Cemetery
      • Garnet Peak
      • The Pioneer Mail Trail
      • The Pump House
    • Point Loma >
      • Battery E Control Station
      • Bennington Memorial
      • Sea Caves Point Loma
    • Solana Beach >
      • Annies Canyon Trail
  • Forgotten Places
    • Ruin Rancho San Diego
    • Abandone Builldings Lake Morena
    • Abandoned Homestead Site
    • Abandone Home Stead 2
    • The Hidden Cave
    • Bankhead Springs Ghost Town
    • The Forgotten Tunnels
    • Buckman's Springs
    • Old Mines Various
    • Pirates Tower
    • Ghost Signs
    • Manhattan AZ Set
    • School Mine
  • Local WaterFalls
    • Mildred Falls
    • Kitchen Creek Falls
    • Orinoco Creek Falls
    • Three Sisters
    • Storm Canyon Waterfall
    • The Devils Jumpoff
    • Cold Stream Falls
    • Cedar Creek
    • Miadenhair Falls
    • Lake Hodges Falls
    • Waterfalls of Oak Canyon
    • Waterfalls of Cottonwood Creek
    • Green Valley Falls
    • Waterfalls of Chariot Canyon
    • Pinto Canyon Falls
  • Rock Art
    • Anza Borrego 2 Rock Art
    • Cave with No Name
    • Initiation Cave
    • The Lizard Man Cave
    • Petroglyph Site
    • Pictographs November 2012
    • Strange Petroglyphs in Imperial County
    • Rock Art Northern San Diego 1
    • Rock Art Site 2
    • Rock Art Site 3
    • Rock Art Various
    • Unknown Rock Art San Diego County
    • Vallecitos Rock Art
    • Milling Sites >
      • Cuayamaca Ovals
  • Beyond
    • Arizona >
      • Yuma >
        • Bridge to Nowhere
        • Castle Dome Ghost Town
        • Yuma Territorial Prison
    • Imperial County >
      • Anza Borrego >
        • Andrade Canyon
        • Carrizo Mountain
        • The Domelands
        • The Slot
        • Morteros Palms to Goat Canyon
        • Sunrise Butte
        • Yuha Basin
        • Mud Caves
        • Rock House Valley
        • Upper Myers Valley
      • Salton Sea >
        • Mud Volanoes
        • The Old Health Spa
        • Salvation Mountain
    • San Gabriel Mountains >
      • The Bridge to Nowhere
  • The Spooky Side
    • Dead Man's Point
    • Mount Pisquah
    • Pioneer Park
    • Witches Tower
    • Haunted Locations >
      • Hangar One Miramar
      • Julian Hotel
      • Queen Mary >
        • First Class Swimming Pool
        • Water Tight Door 13
      • Vallecitos Stage Station
    • Graves >
      • Grave of Kate Morgan
      • Graves Under San Diego Ave
      • Lady in White Grave
      • The Lonely Grave of Amos Buckman
      • The Forgotten Grave of John Helm
      • Whaley Grave
      • Yankee Jim
  • Hollywood F
  • New Page