Anza-Borrego Desert State Park was on my radar for a while, but I had yet to visit. So, this past fall, I finally took action and gathered some friends for an adventure in the desert. Here’s how we spent a warm weekend in this expansive, rugged, and otherworldly place where beauty and mystery abound.
An Introduction to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Located in southeastern California, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park was established in 1933 and is currently headquartered in Borrego Springs. Its name is derived from Juan Bautista de Anza, a prominent Spanish explorer and military commander, and Borrego, the Spanish word for bighorn sheep, many of whom reside within the park.
At first glance, the landscape may seem barren and empty. After all, it’s California’s largest state park, with 600,000 acres of the Colorado Desert contained in its borders. However, look closer and you’ll see that it’s a truly diverse place with slot canyons, badlands, palm oases, and wildflowers. It’s also an International Dark Sky Park and a premier location for stargazing. There are boundless ways to explore Anza-Borrego and while we weren’t able to experience it all, we got a pretty good taste of what it has to offer.
Friday
Arrive at Borrego Palm Canyon Campground
After a three-hour drive from Los Angeles, we arrived at Borrego Palm Canyon Campground in the mid-afternoon (note: each campsite reservation includes the fee for one vehicle – additional cars cost $10 each). Overall the campground is fairly picturesque. While you can see the tops of several Borrego Springs buildings to your east, simply turn away from them to soak in both the desert expanse and the mountains towering above you. For the best views, book a site on the edge of the campground. The amenities were also impressive. You’ll find surprisingly clean coin-operated showers, flush toilets, picnic tables with awnings, fire pits, and grills.
Once everyone arrived, we cooked a simple dinner and sat around a campfire, talking and enjoying the dancing flames. However, we didn’t stay up too late, as we knew we had a full day ahead of us tomorrow.
Saturday
We woke up to the sunrise Saturday morning, excited about the adventures planned for the day. After a light breakfast, we packed our hiking gear and snacks and headed out.
Borrego Springs
Before starting our hike, we stopped off at Borrego Springs. It’s the main commercial hub of the area and the only town in California completely encompassed by a state park. Interestingly, the Borrego Days Desert Festival was also going on when we visited. An annual event with an air show, live music, and plenty of vendors, we spent a few minutes exploring and checking out the festivities before stopping by the Bighorn Fudge Company for some decent coffee and pastries and driving to the slot.
Hike Anza-Borrego’s Slot Canyon
About 20 minutes outside of Borrego Springs, you’ll reach the trailhead for Anza-Borrego’s slot canyon. While a majority of the drive follows paved roads, the last 1.8 miles is on dirt. Most cars should have no issues though as long as you drive carefully. Parking can fill up fast, but luckily when we went we easily found a spot. And in terms of amenities, you’ll find restrooms but no trash cans or water, so be sure to pack everything you need before heading out. After paying the $10 cash-only fee (more on costs at the bottom) and packing our bags, we started on our hike.
The slot is truly a natural wonder. Walls as high as 100 feet surround you as you wind your way through this narrow crack in the Earth’s surface. At some points, you even have to turn sideways to navigate through the canyon. After about half a mile, the walls widen and open up into a wash. At this point, you can turn around and work your way back through the slot to your car for an easy, 1-mile hike. However, we opted to add on the West Butte Trail, turning our journey into a 4.6-mile loop. After hiking along the wash for about 2 miles, we started ascending Borrego Mountain.
The incline was very exposed, and we had to hold on to our hats so they wouldn’t fly off of our heads, but the views were incredible. We could see for miles, including Borrego Springs and the surrounding mountain ranges.
After climbing for about three-quarters of a mile, we reached a trail junction. While you can take a quarter-mile spur trail to the top of Borrego Mountain, we were pretty spent and decided to continue ahead instead. Now descending, we hiked for another mile, finally reaching our cars and completing the loop.
Tired from our hike, we bought some cold drinks in town and then took a mid-afternoon siesta at our campsite. Then after a few hours of rest, we headed out to Fonts Point to witness arguably the best sunset in the entire Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
Sunset at Fonts Point
The drive to Fonts Point is an adventure in itself, and an all-wheel drive car with high clearance is required. You first will drive to the Fonts Point Trail Junction, which is easy to miss as there is only one sign indicating where to turn. You then head south along a dirt road for four miles, with several especially sandy and rough sections. After a bumpy ride, you’ll reach a small parking area just a short walk from the viewpoint. Once we arrived, we set up a picnic and got ready for a show.
The highlight of Fonts Point is the Borrego Badlands below you. At one time completely underwater, this geological wonder is what makes this view one of the best in Southern California. The different shades of brown, red, and orange that paint the wrinkled canyons and arroyos, mixed with the golden hour light, create some of the most extraordinary textures and shadows in the state. And far in the distance, you can see the light shimmering off of the Salton Sea.
We spent a good hour here, soaking up the views in the dying light before driving back to our campsite for dinner.
Marveling at the Anza-Borrego Night Sky
After dinner and before bed, we spent some time stargazing at our campsite. Since Anza-Borrego is an International Dark Sky Park, we knew that the night sky would be impressive. Even with the light from neighboring campsites and nearby buildings, the sky above was filled with thousands of twinkling stars – we marveled at the beauty above us that we rarely experience in the city. It was the perfect way to end the day.
Next time I come, I would love to drive out a section of the desert that’s completely dark for even better views.
Sunday
With the weekend coming to a close, we made a quick breakfast, packed up our things, and said goodbye to our campsite. But before heading home, there were a few more places we wanted to visit.
Galleta Meadows Sculptures
Around Borrego Springs you’ll find the Galleta Meadows Estate, home to about 130 metal sculptures scattered throughout the park. These art installations are the work of Ricardo Breceda, who was commissioned by local philanthropist and landowner Dennis Avery to add beauty to the desert landscape. Luckily, they are free, open to the public, and most are accessible with a two-wheel drive car. We spent the late morning driving around to see a few in person.
We first headed about five minutes north of Borrego Springs to visit a larger-than-life cricket and scorpion caught in the middle of a standoff. Up close, the attention to detail and metalwork of these structures is extraordinary.
We then drove past a lone elephant and a camel feeding her young calf before heading to the sea dragon. This slithering serpent spans across the road and is one of the most impressive of all the structures.
Finally, we headed about five minutes south of town to witness two dinosaurs fighting to the death. Note that the drive to these sculptures will require a high-clearance vehicle. After taking some pictures, we left for our last stop of the trip.
Apple Pie in Julian
In the Cuyamaca mountains west of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is the charming mountain town of Julian. A stark change from the desert, the wind was brisk and I had to put on a sweatshirt for the first time all weekend. Here, you can explore old gold mines, check out historic buildings, hike on several trails through pine and oak trees, and enjoy the fresh mountain air. However, we stopped off to enjoy some of the town’s famous pies.
We headed to Julian Pie Company and waited in line for about 20 minutes on a Sunday afternoon before reaching the counter. I stayed with a classic and ordered their apple pie. And let me tell you, it was well worth the wait. The crust was perfectly flaky, the apples were delicious, and the filling was a nice balance of tart and sweet. I will definitely stop off here next time I’m in the area.
After eating our pies and soaking in the mountain town, we finally said goodbye to Julian and headed home.
Cost Breakdown
While most of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is free to visit, several areas require a day use fee. You can find more information by clicking on the fee schedule dropdown on the park’s website. Also, You only need to pay once, even if you visit multiple sites that require a fee. Just be sure to show proof of purchase.
Here is the cost breakdown for the weekend, not including gas, food and drinks, and camping supplies.
Total: $89.99
It was an unforgettable weekend in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, and I hope that you’re inspired to visit this beautiful place. If you’re feeling called to connect with nature but not sure where to start, then contact us! From personalized trip planning to help embarking on your outdoor journey, click below and fill out the questionnaire for a free consultation! We are so excited to help you live out your dream outdoor adventure!
