Anza-borrego Desert State Park Slot Canyon

• Anza Borrego Desert State Park Visitor Center
• Anza Borrego Desert State Park Campgrounds
• Anza Borrego Desert State Park Climate
• Anza-borrego Desert State Park Slot Canyon
• Clark Mountain Anza Borrego Desert State Park
• Anza Borrego State Park California

The Slot Trail in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is a short but very enjoyable hike. Essentially named The Slot, this thin siltstone gulch gives a standout amongst the most energizing climbs in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. This 0.8-mile trek is topped off with an entry underneath a gravity-challenging rock traverse. Desert Slot Canyons – South Anza Borrego State Park region, just off County Road S-2 east of the ‘badlands overlook' view point is a whole network of narrow walkways & skinny canyon trails to explore. Some are so tight you have to turn side ways to fit through. There are more than one of these sandstone topless caverns.

by Will
(California)

Anza-Borrego DSP CA The Slot. Difficulty: Moderate Distance: 1.5 miles Approximate Time: 1.5 hours. There are a few so called slot canyons in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, but The Slot of Borrego Mountain Wash is the most accessible. At the narrowest portion it is about a foot wide with boulders wedged between the walls towering above your head. The slot is an easy yet super fun and unique hike in Anza Borrego. There are many other things to do here such as exploring the Galleta Meadows of giant metal sculptures, hiking to these super cool Wind Caves or watching the sunset from one of the best viewpoints in the park, Fonts Point.

Borrego Springs, in Southern California between San Diego and the Salton Sea, is surrounded by the wilderness of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and makes a perfect base camp for exploring the park. There's an abundance of interesting features like palm oasis, waterfalls, slot canyons, Native American petroglyphs and grinding holes, rare elephant trees, badlands, and countless fascinating geological formations. A number of excellent hiking trails in the park show off the outstanding scenery. A handful of these trails start within walking distance of town, at the state park visitor's center off Palm Canyon Drive.

The town of Borrego Springs has much to offer too. There are golf courses, tennis courts, jeep tours, bicycle tours and rentals, and don't miss Galleta Meadows - it's hard not to. You'll spot magnificent life sculptures throughout town and in the open desert. Keep your eyes peeled for prehistoric animals, some that called Borrego Valley home millions of years ago. There are dinosaurs, woolly mammoths, saber-tooth cats, giant tortoises, monstrous birds, and even a dragon like serpent.

Lush green groves of citrus trees and palms can be found on the outskirts of town. Borrego Valley produces delicious dates, oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, and lemons - all of which are sold at roadside stands and at every Friday mornings farmer's market held at Christmas Circle in the center of town. The farmer's market also has an abundance of other fresh produce, seafood, honey, jams and jellies, flowers, and fudge. Don't miss it as there's more variety of produce here than what the local grocery store carries.

Elevation: 597 feet

Free Campsites: There are countless free campsites in and around Borrego Springs. Camping is allowed for up to 5 days at many of the Galleta Meadows sites, where you can camp among giant beasts made of metal. There is also camping at Clark Lake and at the Peg Leg Smith Historical Marker northeast of town.

Borrego Springs Map

Borrego Springs RV Camping Journal

March 20th, 2013

With the recent burst of color from the yellow wildflowers that are now covering the desert, it's obvious that spring is here! Many of the cacti are just beginning to bloom too. The ocotillo are blooming with red flowers. Some of the creosote bushes are showing their yellow flowers. It's a beautiful time to be in the desert!

Recreation: Not only is there water for the palm and citrus groves, there are several springs up in the mountains that sustain lush palm oasis. I've discovered from experience that there is nothing more beautiful than a waterfall in the desert. You'll have to lace up the hiking shoes to have the same experience, but it's well worth it.

There are two hikes that take you to paradise: Borrego Palm Canyon Nature Trail and Maidenhair Falls Trail up Hellhole Canyon. I highly recommend doing both, but if it's too hot to handle, then Borrego Palm Canyon is shorter and easier at 3 miles roundtrip. This hike leads you to one of the largest oasis in the United States, with over 800 native palms. You'll find refreshing shade among the palms and a 15 foot waterfall among the giant boulders. Cool off and enjoy this watery paradise!

The hike up Hellhole Canyon to Maidenhair Falls is more difficult at 6 miles roundtrip, and requires some rock scrambling to reach the falls. It might feel like a hellhole starting off on a hot day, but once you reach the cool spring water it feels like heaven. You'll come to some giant boulders and will have to look closely to find the falls – just

The Anza Borrego Foundation offers educational hikes, tours, classes, and lectures in the state park. Many of these are free of charge and are led by volunteer naturalists. A full schedule of activities can be picked up at the state park visitor's center off Palm Canyon Drive.

Peacefulness: Borrego Springs and Borrego Valley are extremely peaceful. Traffic is very light in and around this small community. There isn't much air traffic either, just a few small planes and a military jet or helicopter now and then.

Weather: There are regular bouts of wind here, and it's almost always out of the west. When these winds occur, which is every few days, they typically come with 20-30 mph gusts. I did have 50 mph gusts with a couple of these systems, and one wind whopper which brought 100 mph gusts! A couple storms brought some light rain and a dusting of snow to the mountain tops, which was lovely. The most recent storm occurred about a week ago and it brought a spectacular full rainbow to my campsite!

Three weeks ago temperatures were cooler with lows in the 40s and highs about 70. It's warmed up in the last couple weeks to 50s and 60s for lows, and 80s and 90s for highs. I've had lots of sun with only a few cloudy and partly cloudy days.

Orientating the RV east/west is pretty much mandatory here, as this situates the rig parallel to the wind, which blows from the west. Here's why...

Borrego Springs Wind & Dust Storm Video

I was told that spring was the windiest time of the year in Borrego Springs. They weren't joking. This storm brought 100 mph gusts that lowered my 5th wheel 3 inches on one side as it blew the sand and pebbles from underneath my jack stand. It also ripped my already damaged awning (which was retracted and not out), and blew a roof vent cover off. I'm just happy my RV remained in the upright position! Here's the video...

Wildlife: Jackrabbits love it here. Same for coyotes, which love to eat the jackrabbits. At my campsite I saw quite a few coyotes strolling by and could often hear their yippings in the mornings or evenings. For birds I saw roadrunners, hummingbirds, gambel's quail, ravens, turkey vultures, mourning doves, and eagles. Other wildlife included bighorn sheep rams and canyon tree frogs in Hellhole Canyon during my hike. I also saw ground squirrels, a few bats, and several lizards large and small.

Cell Signal: Excellent Verizon cell signal in and around town. Once you leave Borrego Valley to explore Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, cell service is pretty much zilch.

Water/RV Dump: Potable water and RV dump stations can be found at:

Anza Borrego Desert State Park Visitor Center

• Palm Canyon Campground: In Anza-Borrego Desert State Park just west of town off Palm Canyon Drive
• Palm Canyon Resort: At the west end of town off Palm Canyon Drive
• Springs at Borrego RV Resort: At the northeast end of town off Di Giorgio Road

RV Solar: 98% sun in Borrego Valley

Borrego Springs Campsite Rating: 10 out of 10. It can be windy at times, but this truly is a desert paradise. Borrego Valley is extremely peaceful, the scenery is magnificent, recreation is boundless, and Borrego Springs just has that friendly small town appeal. It's a winter home in heaven, and although I didn't stay till summer, summer may be elsewhere!

Anza Borrego Desert State Park will blow your mind. It's one of the most remarkable wilderness areas in the United States. A mix of natural beauty, vastness, relative obscurity, and a challenging, rugged landscape makes this an outdoor playground to intrigue the most jaded of park visitors.

This guide offers a general introduction to the park, as well as some suggestions for starting your adventures in Anza Borrego, including lodging, camping, offroad adventures, and more. For more detailed information on trails, camping, and other destinations, check out the list of the additional resources at the end of this intro guide.

As backup when your off-the-grid, get our free printable version of the guide here.

Anza-Borrego Adventure Topics

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in a big place. It's 915-square miles in size and can be explored via 500 miles of dirt roads, rugged four-wheel-drive routes, and many miles of hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian trails. More than 200 species of wildflowers bloom in the desert, and wildlife is plentiful: bighorn sheep, coyotes, lizards, rattlesnakes, foxes, bobcats, cougars, and many species of birds, including roadrunners.

The park offers numerous possibilities for outdoor adventure and recreation, with popular activities including offroading, hiking, camping, and mountain biking. A portion of the Pacific Crest Trail, which runs from Mexico to Canada, passes through Anza Borrego. In the spring, tourists flock from all over Southern California to see the desert wildflowers blooms.

The park is mostly on the eastern side of San Diego County, with portions touching Imperial County to the East and Riverside County to the North. It typically takes a couple of hours to get to Anza Borrego from San Diego or the Inland Empire.

Getting Oriented in Anza-Borrego

Due to its size and the ruggedness of the landscape, deciding where to start exploring in Anza-Borrego can be daunting. A good first base of operations is the town of Borrego Springs. I tend to think of Christmas Tree Circle, a large roundabout in the center of Borrego Springs as my central point of reference for the area.

The Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Visitor Center is located just on the outskirts of town and offers informative exhibits on the park's natural history, brochures, and maps of the park, and knowledgable rangers who can answer your questions.

The vistor's center is located at 200 Palm Canyon Dr, Borrego Springs, CA 92004. You can also call 760-767-4205 or visit the park website for information.

It's worth noting that adjacent to the visitor's center is the Borrego Palm Canyon Campground and Borrego Palm Canyon Trail, both managed by the state park service. You could visit Anza Borrego and just hit the visitor's center, Borrego Palm Canyon campground, and trail, and have a terrific trip (throw in some dining in town to keep it civilized.)

A quick note on dogs. They aren't allowed on trails, wilderness areas, or flower fields. Also, be aware that desert cactuses drop some nasty spines on the ground that can wreak havoc on dogs' paws. Seriously, it isn't pretty. I've seen people and dogs get some nasty injuries from cholla in particular. And please DON'T leave dogs in cars alone. Cars can heat up rapidly in the desert, which can be deadly for animals trapped inside.

Borrego Springs Restaurants and Hotels

About the food, there are several good restaurants in Borrego Springs worth mentioning. I've eaten at Red Ocotillo, Carlee's, and Kesling Kitchen, and can recommend them all. I haven't eaten at Carmelita's Mexican Grill or Coyote Steakhouse, but I hear they are solid eateries. There are tons of places to camp in Anza Borrego, but if you are looking for a hotel to serve as a basecamp, there are several in Borrego Springs.

My family and I have stayed at Palm Canyon Hotel and RV Resort several times and really enjoyed it. The name of the resort doesn't do it justice. It's well maintained and has a cool vibe — kitschy retro chic? The hotel is old-west themed and you can rent vintage RVs for a glamping experience.

I can't vouch for it personally, but people say good things about the Borrego Valley Inn, an adults-only hotel managed by the same company as the Palm Canyon Hotel and RV Resort. If you're looking to really step it up a notch (maybe impress a romantic interest, for instance), La Casa del Zorro Resort and Spa is a posh oasis to return to after a day of desert adventuring.

Another major factor to consider when first planning a visit to Anza Borrego is the seasons. To sum it up, summer might kill you. Seriously. Anza Borrego is brutally hot in summer, with average daily high temperatures over 100 degrees between June and September. It's not unheard of for summer daytime temperatures to soar past 120 degrees.

Basically, I consider October through April to be Anza Borrego season. That said, the Anza Borrego Foundation has put together a page offering guidance on visiting the park in summer. Even visiting in the cooler months, it's important to keep some basic safety precautions top of mind. Bring LOTS of water and drink it. Make sure you have adequate sun protection, including things like hats, sunglasses, sunblock, and shade.

Also, note that cellular service in Anza Borrego is spotty at best. So bring a paper map or an electronic one that doesn't require an Internet connection. To that end, see the end of this post for some helpful guide books and maps that will come in handy when you're navigating the off the grid. Bringing a compass isn't a bad idea either.

Anza Borrego Camping

While a visit to Anza Borrego can be a day trip from San Diego or the Inland Empire, the park is designated as an International Dark Sky Park and it's well worth planning an overnight stay at a campground to admire Anza Borrego's star-filled night sky.

California State Parks manages three campgrounds where sites can be reserved online: Borrego Palm Canyon Campground, Tamarisk Grove Campground, and Vern Whitaker Horse Camp. The park services charges day use fees for Borrego Palm Canyon, Tamarisk Grove, Bow Willow, and Horse Camp campgrounds.

The park also maintains several primitive campgrounds that are first-come, first-served. These include Bow Willow, Mountain Springs, Blair Valley, Yaqui Well, Yaqui Pass, Culp Valley, Sheep Canyon, Arroyo Salado, Mt. Palm Springs, and Fish Creek primitive campgrounds. All of the campgrounds offer vaulted toilets, except Yaqui Pass. Only Fish Creek and Sheep Canyon sites have fire rings. Ground fires are prohibited, so you'll need to bring a firepit with you if you'll be staying in one of the campgrounds with no fire rings. Here a few options for firepits.

Beyond the formally designated campgrounds mentioned above, you can camp pretty much anywhere in the park. There are two simple rules. You can only park one car length off the road, whether you camp right next to your car or hike further from the road. And you can't camp within 100 yards of any water source, which typically means a stream. It goes without saying, but avoid trampling vegetation or otherwise damaging the landscape.

Visit the OSC complete guide to Anza-Borrego camping for more detailed information.

Anza Borrego Hikes

You've hit up Visitor's Center and you know where you'll be staying at night. Now what? There are so many options for things to do in Anza Borrego, how to choose? A low-key hike is a good way to get started.

Anza Borrego offers so many hiking trails that picking one can be tough. Here are a few trails that are relatively easy to locate, fairly short, and offer a taste of what makes Anza Borrego so special.

Borrego Palm Canyon Hike

Borrego Palm Canyon Hike is located just west of the town of Borrego Springs. The mellow hike is a 3-mile out-and-back that brings hikers to a surprisingly lush grove of palm trees fed by a mountain stream. There's plenty of parking (for a fee) and restrooms at the trailhead. The area is managed by the state park service. Map trailhead location

See our Borrego Palm Canyon Trail Guide for more information.

The Slot Hike

Anza-Borrego offers a number of slot canyon hikes, and one of the most popular is known simply as The Slot. The hike is about a mile long out-and-back, and winds through a deep and extremely narrow canyon (just wide enough at points for a single person to pass). Squeezing through the slot is definitely an adventure and a fun way to experience the maze-like quality of Anza Borrego's desert canyons.

For more information, visit our guide to the slot canyon trail.

The Wind Caves Trail

The Wind Caves Trail, located on in the eastern portion of Anza Borrego, south of the outpost of Ocotillo Wells, has a lot to offer. The 1.5-mile round-trip hike starts off with a steep climb out of Fish Creek Wash then climbs gradually for a total ascent of about 250 feet to the Wind Caves. The caves are bored into sandstone formations by the wind, hence the name. The views from the Wind Caves of the surrounding badlands are spectacular.

To get to the trailhead, get off Route 78 in Ocotillo Wells onto Split Mountain Road and travel about 8 miles south to where the road splits off on the right to Fish Creek Wash. Pass Fish Creek Campground on the left after 1.4 miles and continue another 2.8 miles through a deep and winding wash canyon to the hike trailhead on the left. The road through the canyon is sandy and fairly rugged in places. A high clearance all-wheel drive vehicle is suggested at a minimum, though an actual four-wheel-drive would be preferable. Map trailhead location

See our Anza Borrego Wind Caves Trail Guide for more information.

Dirt Road Adventures

There are some gnarly offroad trails in Anza Borrego, but there are also plenty of places to explore that don't require a lifted Jeep. Here are several options for exploring off the pavement.

Fonts Point Trail

Fonts Point Trail brings you to just below Fonts Point (GPS: 33.257846, -116.233367), an outlook that offers sweeping views of the Borrego Badlands, the Vallecito Mountains, and Borrego Valley. The trail starts from S22, where it crosses a wash about 12 miles east of down Borrego Springs, just after the 29-mile marker. Follow the wash 4 miles to where the road ends at a turn around (GPS: 33.257881, -116.2334150). Walk about 5 minutes up the hills near the parking area to Fonts Point.

It's possible to make this drive in a 2-wheel-drive car, but check with the rangers at the visitor's center about road conditions, as wind and rain could make it a harrowing journey. Four-wheel-drives should have no problems. It's also a nice mountain bike ride, if it's not too sand blown. Map trailhead location

Anza Borrego Desert State Park Campgrounds

Exploring Blair Valley and Little Blair Valley

The dirt roads of Blair Valley, where the primitive campground mentioned earlier is located, are fun to explore by car. There are actually two valleys here, Blair Valley and Little Blair Valley, with roads bisecting both. You can get into the area by exiting the S2 on either Blair Valley Road (GPS: 33.045904, -116.413310) or Little Blair Valley Road (GPS: 33.037342, -116.410510).

These quiet, undeveloped valleys, situated at an elevation of about 2,500 feet, offer interesting hiking and are great places to camp. If you decide to stretch your legs, one spur of the road takes you to the trailhead for a 1.8-mile out-and-back trail. The trail ends near rocks where ancient Kumeyaay Indians drew pictographs thousands of years ago. Little Blair Valley and Blair Valley roads form a loop, so you can enter on one and exit the area on the other if you don't feel like backtracking.

For more information on camping and hiking in the area, visit our Blair Valley guide.

Getting Oriented in Anza-Borrego

Due to its size and the ruggedness of the landscape, deciding where to start exploring in Anza-Borrego can be daunting. A good first base of operations is the town of Borrego Springs. I tend to think of Christmas Tree Circle, a large roundabout in the center of Borrego Springs as my central point of reference for the area.

The Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Visitor Center is located just on the outskirts of town and offers informative exhibits on the park's natural history, brochures, and maps of the park, and knowledgable rangers who can answer your questions.

The vistor's center is located at 200 Palm Canyon Dr, Borrego Springs, CA 92004. You can also call 760-767-4205 or visit the park website for information.

It's worth noting that adjacent to the visitor's center is the Borrego Palm Canyon Campground and Borrego Palm Canyon Trail, both managed by the state park service. You could visit Anza Borrego and just hit the visitor's center, Borrego Palm Canyon campground, and trail, and have a terrific trip (throw in some dining in town to keep it civilized.)

A quick note on dogs. They aren't allowed on trails, wilderness areas, or flower fields. Also, be aware that desert cactuses drop some nasty spines on the ground that can wreak havoc on dogs' paws. Seriously, it isn't pretty. I've seen people and dogs get some nasty injuries from cholla in particular. And please DON'T leave dogs in cars alone. Cars can heat up rapidly in the desert, which can be deadly for animals trapped inside.

Borrego Springs Restaurants and Hotels

About the food, there are several good restaurants in Borrego Springs worth mentioning. I've eaten at Red Ocotillo, Carlee's, and Kesling Kitchen, and can recommend them all. I haven't eaten at Carmelita's Mexican Grill or Coyote Steakhouse, but I hear they are solid eateries. There are tons of places to camp in Anza Borrego, but if you are looking for a hotel to serve as a basecamp, there are several in Borrego Springs.

My family and I have stayed at Palm Canyon Hotel and RV Resort several times and really enjoyed it. The name of the resort doesn't do it justice. It's well maintained and has a cool vibe — kitschy retro chic? The hotel is old-west themed and you can rent vintage RVs for a glamping experience.

I can't vouch for it personally, but people say good things about the Borrego Valley Inn, an adults-only hotel managed by the same company as the Palm Canyon Hotel and RV Resort. If you're looking to really step it up a notch (maybe impress a romantic interest, for instance), La Casa del Zorro Resort and Spa is a posh oasis to return to after a day of desert adventuring.

Another major factor to consider when first planning a visit to Anza Borrego is the seasons. To sum it up, summer might kill you. Seriously. Anza Borrego is brutally hot in summer, with average daily high temperatures over 100 degrees between June and September. It's not unheard of for summer daytime temperatures to soar past 120 degrees.

Basically, I consider October through April to be Anza Borrego season. That said, the Anza Borrego Foundation has put together a page offering guidance on visiting the park in summer. Even visiting in the cooler months, it's important to keep some basic safety precautions top of mind. Bring LOTS of water and drink it. Make sure you have adequate sun protection, including things like hats, sunglasses, sunblock, and shade.

Also, note that cellular service in Anza Borrego is spotty at best. So bring a paper map or an electronic one that doesn't require an Internet connection. To that end, see the end of this post for some helpful guide books and maps that will come in handy when you're navigating the off the grid. Bringing a compass isn't a bad idea either.

Anza Borrego Camping

While a visit to Anza Borrego can be a day trip from San Diego or the Inland Empire, the park is designated as an International Dark Sky Park and it's well worth planning an overnight stay at a campground to admire Anza Borrego's star-filled night sky.

California State Parks manages three campgrounds where sites can be reserved online: Borrego Palm Canyon Campground, Tamarisk Grove Campground, and Vern Whitaker Horse Camp. The park services charges day use fees for Borrego Palm Canyon, Tamarisk Grove, Bow Willow, and Horse Camp campgrounds.

The park also maintains several primitive campgrounds that are first-come, first-served. These include Bow Willow, Mountain Springs, Blair Valley, Yaqui Well, Yaqui Pass, Culp Valley, Sheep Canyon, Arroyo Salado, Mt. Palm Springs, and Fish Creek primitive campgrounds. All of the campgrounds offer vaulted toilets, except Yaqui Pass. Only Fish Creek and Sheep Canyon sites have fire rings. Ground fires are prohibited, so you'll need to bring a firepit with you if you'll be staying in one of the campgrounds with no fire rings. Here a few options for firepits.

Beyond the formally designated campgrounds mentioned above, you can camp pretty much anywhere in the park. There are two simple rules. You can only park one car length off the road, whether you camp right next to your car or hike further from the road. And you can't camp within 100 yards of any water source, which typically means a stream. It goes without saying, but avoid trampling vegetation or otherwise damaging the landscape.

Visit the OSC complete guide to Anza-Borrego camping for more detailed information.

Anza Borrego Hikes

You've hit up Visitor's Center and you know where you'll be staying at night. Now what? There are so many options for things to do in Anza Borrego, how to choose? A low-key hike is a good way to get started.

Anza Borrego offers so many hiking trails that picking one can be tough. Here are a few trails that are relatively easy to locate, fairly short, and offer a taste of what makes Anza Borrego so special.

Borrego Palm Canyon Hike

Borrego Palm Canyon Hike is located just west of the town of Borrego Springs. The mellow hike is a 3-mile out-and-back that brings hikers to a surprisingly lush grove of palm trees fed by a mountain stream. There's plenty of parking (for a fee) and restrooms at the trailhead. The area is managed by the state park service. Map trailhead location

See our Borrego Palm Canyon Trail Guide for more information.

The Slot Hike

Anza-Borrego offers a number of slot canyon hikes, and one of the most popular is known simply as The Slot. The hike is about a mile long out-and-back, and winds through a deep and extremely narrow canyon (just wide enough at points for a single person to pass). Squeezing through the slot is definitely an adventure and a fun way to experience the maze-like quality of Anza Borrego's desert canyons.

For more information, visit our guide to the slot canyon trail.

The Wind Caves Trail

The Wind Caves Trail, located on in the eastern portion of Anza Borrego, south of the outpost of Ocotillo Wells, has a lot to offer. The 1.5-mile round-trip hike starts off with a steep climb out of Fish Creek Wash then climbs gradually for a total ascent of about 250 feet to the Wind Caves. The caves are bored into sandstone formations by the wind, hence the name. The views from the Wind Caves of the surrounding badlands are spectacular.

To get to the trailhead, get off Route 78 in Ocotillo Wells onto Split Mountain Road and travel about 8 miles south to where the road splits off on the right to Fish Creek Wash. Pass Fish Creek Campground on the left after 1.4 miles and continue another 2.8 miles through a deep and winding wash canyon to the hike trailhead on the left. The road through the canyon is sandy and fairly rugged in places. A high clearance all-wheel drive vehicle is suggested at a minimum, though an actual four-wheel-drive would be preferable. Map trailhead location

See our Anza Borrego Wind Caves Trail Guide for more information.

Dirt Road Adventures

There are some gnarly offroad trails in Anza Borrego, but there are also plenty of places to explore that don't require a lifted Jeep. Here are several options for exploring off the pavement.

Fonts Point Trail

Fonts Point Trail brings you to just below Fonts Point (GPS: 33.257846, -116.233367), an outlook that offers sweeping views of the Borrego Badlands, the Vallecito Mountains, and Borrego Valley. The trail starts from S22, where it crosses a wash about 12 miles east of down Borrego Springs, just after the 29-mile marker. Follow the wash 4 miles to where the road ends at a turn around (GPS: 33.257881, -116.2334150). Walk about 5 minutes up the hills near the parking area to Fonts Point.

It's possible to make this drive in a 2-wheel-drive car, but check with the rangers at the visitor's center about road conditions, as wind and rain could make it a harrowing journey. Four-wheel-drives should have no problems. It's also a nice mountain bike ride, if it's not too sand blown. Map trailhead location

Anza Borrego Desert State Park Campgrounds

Exploring Blair Valley and Little Blair Valley

The dirt roads of Blair Valley, where the primitive campground mentioned earlier is located, are fun to explore by car. There are actually two valleys here, Blair Valley and Little Blair Valley, with roads bisecting both. You can get into the area by exiting the S2 on either Blair Valley Road (GPS: 33.045904, -116.413310) or Little Blair Valley Road (GPS: 33.037342, -116.410510).

These quiet, undeveloped valleys, situated at an elevation of about 2,500 feet, offer interesting hiking and are great places to camp. If you decide to stretch your legs, one spur of the road takes you to the trailhead for a 1.8-mile out-and-back trail. The trail ends near rocks where ancient Kumeyaay Indians drew pictographs thousands of years ago. Little Blair Valley and Blair Valley roads form a loop, so you can enter on one and exit the area on the other if you don't feel like backtracking.

For more information on camping and hiking in the area, visit our Blair Valley guide.

Exploring Coyote Canyon and Collins Valley

The Coyote Canyon area, which includes the popular Collins Valley makes up about a large portion of the park. The canyon, which can be accessed from Borrego Springs or Anza (from the northwest) runs for about 35 miles, offering numerous adventures for hikers, mountain bikers, equestrians, and off-road enthusiasts. Access to the deeper parts of the canyon requires hiking, biking, or bringing a high-clearance, 4-wheel-drive vehicle. For more information check out our guide to Coyote Canyon.

Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area

If you are looking for a more aggressive off-road adventure, Ocotillo Wells SRVA might be what you're looking for. This portion of Anza-Borrego offers 85,000 acres of desert that is open for off-highway exploration and exploration. This area is popular among motorcycling and ATV enthusiasts. within the boundaries portrayed on the park map are operated by California State Parks. The state park service offers a map of this dedicated off-roading area here.

Guided Offroad Tours of Anza Borrego

California Overland is an offroad/overlanding outfitter based in Borrego Springs that offers a variety of single and multiday excursions. They typically bring a telescope and astronomer on the overnight trips, so you can wrap in stargazing as well. Tours can be booked through their website at CaliforniaOverland.com or by calling 760-767-1232.

Metal Sculptures

Anza Borrego Desert State Park Climate

The landscape around Borrego Springs is home to strange metal denizens. More than 150 metal sculptures by the California artist Ricardo Breceda roam Anza Borrego, including dinosaurs, wild ponies, scorpions, and a massive sea serpent. Not to keep you in town and out of the backcountry for too long, but these are worth a look — and a selfie. The most impressive of the sculptures are located in and around Galleta Meadows, just to the north of downtown Borrego Springs. To get there, head north on Borrego Springs Road from Christmas Tree Circle in town and go for two miles, where you'll start seeing the sculptures. Map it

Desert Wildflowers

If you live in Southern California for a while, you've heard the term 'super bloom.' This refers to years when heavy winter rains result in an explosion of wildflowers in the desert. In fact, flowers bloom every spring to varying degrees, and Anza Borrego is a terrific place to see desert blooms.

The tricky part is navigating the crowds and figuring out precisely where in the park the flowers will be blooming. The crowds can be hard to avoid, but here are some tips: 1) Visit in late February or April, as March is typically the peak tourist season; 2) Get out early in the day before the mid-day/afternoon rush, and 3) stop by the state park visitor's center or call this hotline to find out what part of the park is in bloom during your visit: 760-767-4684

Erosion Road Tour

Anza-borrego Desert State Park Slot Canyon

Maybe you don't feel like hiking or anything else strenuous for that matter. Hey, we're not judging. Try the Erosion Road Tour, a 21-mile road tour of some of the geological wonders of Anza Borrego. The park service has put together a list of cool things to see in the badlands area of the park along Highway S-22 as it heads east out of Borrego Springs. Stops along the tour include Borrego Badlands Overlook, Coyote Mountain, Truckhaven Rocks, and the Calcite Mine Overlook, among other things. This PDF guide from the park service gives locations and background on the stops. For more information on off-roading and overlanding safely, visit our sister site, Ordealist.

Clark Mountain Anza Borrego Desert State Park

Additional Resources

For more in-depth information, here are a few other great resources for exploring Anza Borrego:

Video Version of this Guide

Desert Gear Guide

Exploring the desert is safer and more comfortable with the right gear. Check out our Desert Gear Guide

Anza Borrego Desert State Park Website

Official California State Parks website for the park.

Anza Borrego Visitor's Center

Great place to get up-to-date information on road conditions, campgrounds, closures, wildflowers, wildlife, and much more. Definitely worth a visit at 200 Palm Canyon Dr, Borrego Springs, CA 92004. Or call at 760-767-4205

ReserveCalifornia.com

Anza Borrego State Park California

Online reservations website for Anza-Borrego campgrounds that take reservations.

ABF.org the website of the Anza Borrego Foundation offers terrific resources on the park, including visitor guides, events information, and conservation activities.

Free Printable Anza Borrego Quick Start Guide

Get the free printable version of this OutdoorSocal.com guide. We'll email you the PDF.