What to See and Do |
Where to Stay |
Camping
California's Southern Desert
Following winter rain, the Southern California
desert is carpeted with tiny flowers, and then the cacti
come into bloom, adding to the pastel show of color. The
largest state park in the lower 48, Anza-Borrego's
600,000 acres include mountains higher than 6,000 feet,
palm covered canyons, badland areas, and some of the most
wondrous desert wildlife in all of California.
The park is less than two hours' drive from
San Diego, and 3.5 hours from Los Angeles. The town of
Borrego Springs is aurrounded by the park, and is the
access point for the park's attractions. The State Park
Visitor Center is located at the north end of Palm Canyon
Drive, the town's main street (County Road S-22). This
building is definitely the place to begin a visit to the
parkj. Kids will enjoy reading the park's Junior
Naturalist handbook, available here, and a short
trail leads through the desert in front of the center
which is buried in the desert landscape. Because of the
intense heat of the summer months, the park's
interpretive service starts in November and ends in May.
However, the park facilities are open year-round.
Anza Borrego is one of the world's foremost
fossil and bone yards. Thousands of fossils have been
collected in the park area, and are now catalogued and
stored in the fossil library. Most are fossils of small
(and some very, very small) animals. However, more than
100 species of large animals have been unearthed in the
park, including the giant ground sloth, bison, llama,
ancient dog, American lion, zebra, horse, dromedary
camel, mammoth, and many others. These animals thrived in
what is now the Borrego Badlands, where waving seas of
grass grew to the edge of a primeval sea.
Tours of the Daniel Laboratory and
the fossil library are offered during the prime season. A
score of other interpretation events take place on a
regular basis, including discovery hikes to the Coyote
Badlands, others at the 17 Palms Oasis, and
hikes through Box Canyon. Several driving tours to more
remote locations are accessible only by four-wheel-drive
vehicles.
Information Lines:
Visitor Center (760) 767-4205
Park Headquarters: (760) 767-5311
Campground Reservations: 800-444-7275
Wildflower Hotline: (760) 767-4684
What to See & Do
Scenic Areas & Park Trails
Hiking is a major activity in the park, and
there are several excellent trails to excplore. Many of
the park's million visitors each year take off across the
ridges, and through the more remote canyons. If you're
considering backpacking in the open desert, you should
notify the visitor center staff of your intentions.
The most popular section of the park is
Borrego Palm Canyon, which has its own campground.
A trail -- 3 miles round trip -- leads through the canyon
to a native palm grove and a stream whch runs year-round.
A brochure for this walk is available. and a slightly
longer alternate return trail provides fine views of the
Borrego Valley.
Tamarisk Grove, 13 miles from the
visitor center, contains additional trails, including the
short -- 1-mile -- Cactus Loop Trail which
provides panoramic views of San Felipe Wash and nearby
mountains. This trail starts across the road from the
Tamarisk Grove Campground. Another trail leads almost a
mile to Yaqui Well, a desert waterhole that
frequently attracts wildlife.
The Blair Valley and Bow
Willow areas of the park are located southeast of
Borrego Springs, on County Road S-2, south of Highway 78.
Blair Valley is a 28-mile drive from town, while Bow
Willow is another 27 miles south. Three short trails lead
through Blair Valley, including a hike to the remains of
an old home on top of Ghost Mountain, where two
writerss -- Marshal and Tanya South -- lived and raised a
famuily during the 1930s and '40s. Another trail
(Morteros) leads to granite boulders, where one can see
Indian grinding holes. The morteros in the rock are about
10 inches deep and 3 inches across. The third trail in
this area (Pictograph) leads 1 mile to pictographs
painted on a boulder by Diegjueño Indians. Farther
along the trail is Smuggler Canyon, and a waterfall, with
fine views of the Vallecito Valley and a restored stage
station.
For more information on the area, go to the
Borrego Springs
Page.
Camping
Three developed campground are found in the
state park, in addition to a group campground. Additional
primitive campgrounds are scattered around the park. Of
the two developed car campgrounds, Borrego/Palm
Canyon hhas an RV and trailer hookup campground that
does not permit tent camping. A campground without
hookups is also located in this area.
Tamarisk Grove Campground, south of
Borrego Springs, has tent and RV camping, without
hookups. Four other primitive campgrollund accommodate
trailers andRVs, and three are suitablefor tents and
pickup campers. Unlike most parks, this park has an open
wilderness camping policy.
One of the benefits for tent campers -- and
car campers as well -- is the park's open camping policy.
It's possible to drive along a sideroad, park beside the
road, and walk into the desert to camp. reservations for
open camping are not required. You just seek out a place
and set up camp for an unusual, private, overnight
experience.
To make reservations for the developed
campgrounds, phone 800-444-7275. When making
reservations, you'll save time by using the following
campground designations:
Borego/Palm Canyon Hookup Area
Borrego/Palm Canyon Non-Hookup
Area
Tamarisk Grove Campground
Vern Whitaker Horseman's Camp
(located north of town in Coyote Canyon)
For overnight accommodation in Borrego Springs and
nearby Julian,
go to the Borrego
Springs Page.
© 1997/2005 - Fraser Bridges
