Anza-Borrego Desert State Park - Come for the wildflower bloom, stay for the scenery
For those interested, here is a list of my gear that I have found works well for me. This is, of course, an affiliate link and your enjoyment of these may vary:
The Beauty of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
200 Palm Canyon Dr
Borrego Springs, CA 92004
760-767-5311
anzaborrego@parks.ca.gov
Agency: California State Parks
Other Links:
The Anza-Borrego Foundation
The Anza-Borrego Natural History Organization
Encompassing 600,000 acres, Anza-Borrego Desert SP is one third of San Diego County. While mostly desert, there are a few places in the higher elevations that have some pine trees and have seasonal snowfall. A large draw for visitors is the annual spring wildflower bloom, which is especially powerful after a wet winter. There is also an extensive trail system for OHV, as well as a great variety of hiking trail of all difficulties. The area is so large that driving long distances is necessary to see the popular locales within the park, such as Fonts Point or Borrego Palm Canyon.
Bighorn Sheep in Anza Borrego
People come to see the peninsular bighorn sheep, which are pretty hard to spot, even when you are on top of them. But you are likely to see cacti, groves palm trees near springs, ocotillo, eagles, deer and greater roadrunner.
If you head out there, be prepared for wide weather and temperature fluctuations, lots of wind, bring plenty of water, and make sure your vehicle is sufficiently fueled, for the service stations can be few and far between.
Features: Wildlife, Hiking, Camping, Horseback Trails, RV/Trailer Camping, Picnic Grounds, OHV trails
Peaks: Villager Peak, Ghost Mountain, Whale Peak, Granite Mountain, and many others.
Wildflower Bloom
For the wildflower bloom, the website that I always check is the Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association (ABDNHA). They regularly update their observations of the wildflower bloom situation and include recent pictures and descriptions, as well as current locations of blooming flowers.
Another resource is the Wildflower Telephone Hotline at 760-767-4684.
The Anza-Borrego Desert State Park page includes information about the Wildflowers and includes a map.
