Anza-Borrego Desert State Park®
200 Palm Canyon Drive Borrego Springs CA 92004
Visitor Center:
760-767-4205
| Park Headquarters:
760-767-5311
1932 - 2007
Celebrating 75 years
this information is provided as a public
service of the
Borrego Springs
Chamber of Commerce & Visitors' Bureau
click
here for the official
state park website
GENERAL PARK INFORMATION
 With
over 600,000 acres, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park® is the largest
state park in California & the largest desert state park in the
United States. 500 miles of dirt roads, 12 wilderness areas
(comprising 2/3 of the park) and 110 miles of riding and hiking
trails provide visitors with an unparalleled opportunity to
experience the wonders of the
Colorado Desert. The park name is derived from a combination
of the name of Spanish explorer
Juan Bautista de Anza and the Spanish word "borrego,"
referring to
bighorn sheep. The park features washes, wildflowers, palm
groves, cacti and sweeping vistas. Visitors may also have the chance
to see
roadrunners,
golden eagles,
kit
foxes,
mule deer and
bighorn sheep as well as
desert iguanas,
chuckwallas and four species of
rattlesnake.
 Location:
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park® is located on the eastern side of
San Diego County,
with portions extending east into
Imperial County and north into
Riverside County. It is about a two-hour drive from San
Diego, Riverside, and Palm Springs.
Many visitors approach from the east or west via Highways S22 and
78. From the coast, these highways descend from the heights of the
Peninsular range of mountains with spectacular views of the
great bowl of the
Colorado Desert.
Highway S2 enters the park from the
south off of Interstate 8.
Detailed driving
instructions.
Visitation:
Averages 600,000 people per year.
Visitor Center:
760-767-4205 | Park
Headquarters: 760-767-5311
Seasons/Climate/Recommended Clothing: Seasonal temperatures can be
extreme. Layered clothing is always advised. Carry plenty of
water in your vehicle and while hiking.
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The Visitor Center is open:
dawn until dusk
Oct - May, everyday
June - Sept, weekends & holidays only
The Visitor Center is state-of-the-art and uniquely situated under a
desert garden at the west end of Palm Canyon Drive in Borrego
Springs. From the parking lot take the walkway past the
flagpole.
Stop by to pick up
information on wildflowers, visit the award wining museum, see a
free slide show or video program, or peruse the wide selection of
publications on the park's natural and cultural resources at the
bookstore.
 Visitor
Center: 760-767-4205
 Desert
Garden:
A desert garden just outside the Visitor Center building provides a
quick look at some of the vegetation in the 600,000 acre park, with
the species identified. The garden also includes a pupfish pond.
Wildflowers:
Wildflowers
usually begin blooming in January and reach their peak in March. The
success of each year's wildflower bloom is dependent on a variety of
factors, including rainfall, temperature and winds.
Wildflower Notification:
If you want to be sure to visit
the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park®
at the best time for flower viewing, send a self-addressed postcard
to:
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park®,
200 Palm Canyon Drive, Borrego Springs, CA 92004. We will return
your card a couple of weeks prior to the year's expected bloom peak.
For an up-to-date wildflower recording, call 760-767-4684.
 Wi-Fi
Service:
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park offers AT&T Wi-Fi Service!
This service enables park visitors with wireless enabled
laptop computers or personal digital assistants (PDAs) to
access the Internet. You can access this service if you are
within a 150 foot range base of the Ranger's Office. For
more information about this service please see
January 19, 2005, News Release.
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There are three developed campgrounds in the Anza-Borrego Desert
State Park®:
Borrego Palm Canyon and
Tamarisk Grove & Horse Camp (an equestrian camp
located at the mouth of Coyote Canyon).
To reserve campsites
 call
800-444-7275 or go
on-line at
There is also a small campground at Bow Willow. Ask
park staff about the rules for backcountry camping.
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Use extreme CAUTION
Unless visitors know the park very well, or carry
detailed maps, it is wise NOT to venture too far from vehicles or
from marked highways or roads. Getting lost is one of the easiest
things to do in the desert. It is always wise to ask a ranger
or a park volunteer about desert hazards and to make sure someone
else knows where you are going.
More on Desert Safety
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|
The Wonders of
Anza-Borrego
Desert State Park
