With over 100,000 square miles in California, there are many different landscapes to explore. While most people associate the Golden State with its famous beaches, it also boasts mountains and deserts. This special place in the desert attracts many San Diego locals and tourists each year. It’s Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, filled with great activities, attractions, and beautiful scenery around almost every corner.
About Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
At 600,000 acres, Anzo-Borrego Desert State Park, known to locals as Anza-Borrego, is California’s largest state park. The park’s name comes from Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza and a combination of the Spanish word for bighorn sheep. Borrego. Featuring 500 miles of dirt roads and 12 natural areas, it offers an up-close look at California’s desert gems.
Anza Borrego is a must-do day trip from San Diego for adventurous tourists and locals alike. It’s adjacent to the community of Borrego Springs, making it the perfect combination for a weekend getaway from just about anywhere in Southern California. Anza Borrego is a place San Diego locals often enjoy and we can provide these recommendations.
plan your visit
There are several routes from San Diego to the Visitor Center, depending on your starting point. All the views are beautiful, the journey takes about 2 hours and can be reached by any vehicle. The Montezuma Valley Road Overlook is a picturesque stop along SR 22 just before heading toward Borrego Springs. On one trip, we were lucky enough to see a few elusive bighorn sheep on the side of the road.
The park is located on the eastern side of San Diego County, but also extends into parts of Imperial and Riverside counties. The drive passes through the peninsula’s mountain range, with stunning views of the Colorado Desert Bowl. Once you enter the park, you pay a $10 per day fee at one of several locations.
You will need a car to visit Anza Borrego, but many of the backcountry and off-road sections will require a four-wheel drive vehicle. The Visitor Center provides maps detailing the types of roads in the park. The weather in Anza Borrego varies due to the park’s size and varying elevation changes. It’s best to be prepared for temperature changes and wind patterns. Other hes are ideal to visit in three seasons, as summer is hot and dangerous.
Start at the visitor center
Your first stop when visiting Anza Borrego is the Visitor Center, where knowledgeable rangers will provide maps and information. Inside the center, there are exhibits detailing the history and environment of the desert. There is also a 15-minute film titled. A year in the desert. Outside the center, walk the paths through the adjacent desert gardens and see some of the flora found throughout the park. Includes desert native shrub species, cacti, and spring blooming wildflowers.
Hiking through slot canyons and more
If you’re looking for a unique experience, a slot canyon is a must-see. This trail descends a 2-mile dirt road suitable for two-wheel drive vehicles. Use the visitor center’s map and GPS to guide you to this elusive spot. This hike has an elevation of 50 feet, features 40-foot-tall canyon walls, and has the option of a 1-mile short version or his 2.3-mile loop. The coolest part of the hike is the section where you have to squeeze through a narrow section of the canyon wall.
Another popular trekking trail is the 3-mile round trip Borrego Palm Canyon Trail, accessible from the end of the campground’s main road. Imagine seeing a forest of palm trees in the middle of the desert. A 1.5-mile trail leads to overlooks of palm trees that have recovered from past fires.There are six other self-guided spots in the park nature trail You can enjoy the desert scenery. These are just a few of the more than 90 hiking trails of varying lengths and skill levels found in Anza Borrego.
Watch the sunrise or sunset at Font’s Point
Font’s Point offers stunning views of the Borrego Wastes and the Salton Sea, making it an ideal spot to watch the sunrise or sunset. After a 4-mile deep sandy drive to the point, it’s a short walk to the viewpoint. This tour is only suitable for four-wheel drive vehicles, but is still quite a bumpy ride. It’s well worth the trek to see the perfect shades of purple and orange as the sun bathes what is known as “California’s Grand Canyon.” His 4 million year geological history of the area is on display in its original state.
Side trip to the Salton Sea
California’s largest lake, the Salton Sea, is a great detour outside the park. This low-lying salt lake is 55 miles long and 25 miles wide, with approximately 210 miles of shoreline. Although the sea is saltier than the sea, it is rich in fish that are food for migratory birds. Visitors can enjoy a variety of geological and volcanic features that emerge from a magma chamber 227 feet below sea level.
Appreciating wild flowers
Every spring, the Anza-Borrego Desert becomes an oasis of wildflowers. Flowering begins in late February or early March. In addition to the different types of cactus flowers, there are also flowers such as pink sand verbena, red chuparosa, and yellow brittlebush. The park provides up-to-date wildflower information, a wildflower hotline, and visitor center observation maps on its website. Guests are asked to follow the Leave No Trace principle and not step on or remove the flowers. If you don’t mind the crowds, seeing Anza Borrego during its “super bloom” is a breathtaking experience.
camping overnight
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is so vast that it may take several days to explore. It is also designated as a Dark Sky Park, so you can see the best night sky. Anza-Borrego is considered a camper’s paradise, as it offers free distributed camping anywhere in the backcountry. In addition, there are five established campgrounds and eight primitive campgrounds.
Established campgrounds include Borrego Palm Canyon, Tamarisk Grove, and Horse Camp (horses and RV/trailer allowed). Primitive campsites are Sheep Canyon, Mountain Palm Springs, and Bow Willow, with vault-only restrooms. Campsite reservations are available seasonally from October to April. Nearby Borrego Springs offers additional lodging options.
Agua Caliente County Park It is my top choice as it is the largest park and has most of the facilities. There are over 130 sites with full and partial hookups, tent sites, group areas, and seven camping cabins. The highlight here is the three natural pools that supply the park’s mineral water. Agua Caliente is most popular in the winter, so reservations tend to fill up quickly.
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is a desert wonder that draws visitors from all over Southern California. With plenty of hiking, camping, and stargazing, this park is magical day and night.If you’re lucky, you might be able to catch a glimpse of this somewhat elusive sight. Borrego themselves. This is a place we often return to to be alone in the desert.
