The Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is a hidden gem in California due to its somewhat unfortunate location, which places it outside the paths of mainstream tourism. As a result, it’s somewhat overshadowed by other popular desert destinations in the state such as Palm Springs, Joshua Tree National Park, and Death Valley.
In fact, it shares some landscapes with Death Valley, as well as the climate, to the extent that it’s often referred to as the “other Death Valley.” Let’s explore how to plan a visit to the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and how to incorporate it into a West Coast itinerary.
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What is the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park?
The Anza-Borrego Desert State Park covers an area of over 237,000 hectares and is the largest state park in California and the third largest in the United States. Therefore, it’s not managed by the National Park Service but by the California Department of Parks and Recreation. It was established in 1933.
It’s named after Juan Bautista de Anza, a Spanish explorer who led an expedition from Mexico to San Francisco in 1775-76, and the Spanish word “Borrego,” which means “sheep,” referring to the desert bighorn sheep that inhabit this region. The route followed by Anza traversed a significant portion of the present-day park.
This desert region was originally inhabited by the Kumeyaay Native Americans (also known as Diegueño); numerous archaeological sites and rock paintings within the park are still silent witnesses to their presence and cultural heritage.
How to Get There
The park is located in San Diego County within the Colorado Desert, between the Salton Sea and the city of San Diego. Here are the travel times from major cities in California:
- From San Diego: about 1 hour and 50 minutes
- From Los Angeles: about 2 hours and 40 minutes
- From Palm Springs: about 1 hour and 30 minutes
The reference point to reach the park is its Visitor Center located near the town of Borrego Springs. Every tour of this area should begin with a stop at this visitor center, which is unique for being partially built underground. Here, you can not only learn about the park’s history and activities you can undertake, but also gather all the necessary information to safely organize your visit.
If you’re traveling along the Montezuma-Borrego Highway, don’t miss a stop at the Montezuma Valley Overlook. From here, you can observe the spectacle of the valley below and get a taste of what to expect when visiting the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park area.
Tickets, Hours and Information
Given the vastness of the park that includes various towns and roads, there isn’t a specific entrance fee to pay for visiting the attractions in the area.
Only in some cases, there’s a “day use” fee for using designated parking areas. An example of this is the need to pay $10 to access the Borrego Palm Canyon Loop trail, the Hellhole Canyon Trailhead, and the Slot Canyon Trail that we described earlier. You can check the list of sites where payment is required on this page of the official website.
The Visitor Center is accessible only on weekends from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, while most of the trails and main viewpoints can be accessed from sunrise to sunset.
Things to do in Anza Borrego Desert SP
Most of the trails and viewpoints in the park are accessible only after driving on stretches of dirt roads. A 4×4 vehicle is therefore necessary to reach most of the trails and viewpoints. If you have any doubts, you can ask the park staff who will be able to advise you.
However, you can still use this handy table from the official park website for a quick overview of road conditions and the vehicles required to navigate them.
Fonts Point
It’s the most beautiful and appreciated viewpoint in the entire area. Unfortunately, to reach it, you need to drive about 4 miles (one way) on a dirt road, and for this reason, it’s highly recommended to have a suitable vehicle due to the presence of sand and potholes along the route.
The beginning of the dirt road, which coincides with the dried bed of a river, is located about 12 miles from the Visitor Center, which is just over a 15-minute drive, along the course of Hwy S-22, also known as the Borrego Salton Seaway.
The viewpoint is a short distance from the parking area. The best time of day to observe the panorama is definitely at sunrise and sunset when the interplay of light and shadows on the Borrego Badlands below adds an extra touch of color to the area. During the day, the landscape may appear more faded and certainly less exciting.
This viewpoint is named after Father Pedro Font, the official chaplain of Juan Bautista de Anza’s expedition.
Galleta Meadows Sculpture
When talking about Galleta Meadows, we’re referring to a series of over 130 gigantic metal sculptures that are scattered throughout the town of Borrego Springs. Certainly, the most photographed one is the massive statue depicting a dragon seemingly emerging from the ground. It’s more than 14 feet tall and over 330 feet long.
We owe these sculptures to the initiative of Dennis Avery, who wanted to incorporate some artworks into his property. He entrusted the creation of several sculptures to the artist Ricardo Breceda, who over time continued this work, filling the area with animals and real or fantasy characters made of metal.
Underneath each statue, you’ll find a plaque indicating the order number of creation. This is also a great place for stargazing, as Borrego Springs is part of the Dark Sky Community. Once the sun sets, you can expect to enjoy the extraordinary spectacle of the night sky in all its glory.
Split Mountain e Wind Caves
A dirt road south of Ocotillo West known as Fish Creek Wash (accessible only by a 4×4) runs through the high walls of a mountain that was split into two parts by a violent earthquake millions of years ago.
Besides offering you the opportunity to observe the unique panorama that has formed, this road will take you to the trailhead (a little over a mile and a half long) leading to the famous Wind Caves.
Once you embark on the trail, you can view from above the captivating rock formations called Elephant Knees and the stunning valley below. After reaching the Wind Caves, you’ll witness a series of sandstone rock formations that have been sculpted by weathering to create actual cave-like structures. From a distance, it might almost appear like you’re observing a science fiction village.
Sandstone Canyon
It’s a canyon where you can drive inside, provided you have a 4×4 off-road vehicle. To reach Sandstone Canyon, you’ll need to continue driving along the course of Fish Creek Wash (the same road you took to get to the trailhead for the wind caves described earlier) for a little over 12 miles until you see a small brown sign indicating the beginning of Sandstone Canyon.
One of the defining features of this canyon is the so-called mudstone, which creates a landscape with a distinct appearance from the usual sandstone, taking on more intricate shapes and patterns.
Hills of the Moon
In this case as well, reaching this attraction is only possible with a 4×4 vehicle, as you’ll need to drive within the dry riverbed: the San Felipe Wash, which joins the Buttes Pass in the Borrego Mountains. If you have the appropriate vehicle, you’ll be able to reach the area that can be admired from the Fonts Point overlook.
Once you reach your destination, you’ll have no doubts about why they chose this name to describe this particular area of the park.
Anza Borrego State Park Trails
Here is a selection of the main hiking trails in the area.
- Palm Canyon Oasis: This is one of the few areas in the park that requires a fee to visit. You’ll need to pay $10 to access the parking area (Borrego Palm Canyon Campground), from which a trail of just under 3 miles round trip starts. It’s undoubtedly the most popular trail in the entire park, partly due to its easy access. The trail will take you to walk inside a wide canyon (where it’s not uncommon to spot some desert bighorns) until you reach a true desert oasis populated by California fan palms, creating a picturesque sight.
- The Slot: This trail passes through one of the few slot canyons in California. To reach the parking area, you’ll need to drive a stretch of dirt road (about 1.8 miles), the entrance of which is along Highway 78, a little less than 15.5 miles from the Visitor Center. Walking inside the slot canyon isn’t difficult, but it’s certainly a technical route that requires some experience and the ability to navigate through narrow passages and climbs. Once you reach the area where the canyon walls widen, you’ll be able to observe characteristic formations of striped rock in various shades of red, reminiscent of the landscapes of Old Paria and Painted Hills.
- Hellhole Canyon Trailhead and Maidenhair Falls: It is located south of the Visitor Center, about a 5-minute drive away. The parking area is along Montezuma Valley Road. The trail is quite similar to the Borrego Palm Canyon trail, with the added feature of two small waterfalls. The trail is not challenging but rather long, covering a distance of approximately 5 miles round trip. Just pay special attention after reaching the palm trees because the path becomes more difficult as you approach the small waterfalls due to large rocks present, and the trail markings you’ve followed up to that point become less recognizable.
- Cactus loop trail: If you’re particularly interested in discovering the various varieties of cacti within the park, this is certainly a recommended hike. The trailhead is located near the Tamarisk Grove Campground, just over 13 miles from the Visitor Center. To complete the loop trail, you’ll need to walk about 0.6 miles.
Places to Stay near the Park
There are many lodging options in the area, with the most popular ones being in the town of Borrego Springs due to its proximity to most of the attractions. There are several solutions you can find within the city, and among the best options, I highlight:
- Palm Canyon Hotel and RV Resort
- Borrego Springs Resort and Spa
- Borrego Valley Inn
- Borrego Springs Motel
Alternatively, you can also consider the towns located near the park based on the main directions you are following in your itinerary, such as Julian (famous for its bakeries and excellent apple pies), and certainly Palm Springs that has the most extensive hotel offerings in the area.
In alternativa cliccando sul link sottostante potrete scoprire tutti gli alberghi nelle vicinanze dell’Anza Borrego Desert State Park.
