Anza Borrego is a part of the Colorado desert in Southern California. Located between San Diego and Los Angeles. The park’s name is from a combination of the name from 18th century Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza and borrego, the Spanish word for sheep. The state park consists of 585,930 acres (237,120 ha) that encompasses about one-fifth of San Diego County’ total area. Anza Borrego is the largest state park in California and is a frequented by botanists, photographers, astronomers, and biologists for it’s unique location and diverse ecology and geology.
Anza Borrego is host to an amazing display of wild flowers each year, depending upon rainfall and condition. The unique combination of sun, soil, wind, water, temperature and elevation allows for the possibility of amazing springtime blooms and displays of color. From late February through March, it is common can find blossoms carpeting almost the desert floor.
The state park is also a popular location for star gazes and astrophotographers. The remote location, some two hours east from San Diego, and dry desert air allows for some amazing night time displays most notably during the yearly Perseid and Leonids meteor showers. If you are a star gazer, plan early as the campgrounds will fill up early, so plan your trip early.
The state park surrounds the town of Borrego Springs and offers access to the Salton Sea to the East. The location is a popular spot for 4×4’s as it boasts hundreds of miles of back roads and trails for exploration. The park also boasts a large variety of wild life, and for a lucky few, the opportunity to spot a few of the shy desert Big Horn Sheep on your adventures.
Anza Borrego Map
Anza Borrego Points of Interest
 Peg Legs Lost Gold"Back in the 1960s. Desert Magazine published a letter by a person who claimed to have found Peg Legs Lost Gold or treasure in the… |
Anza Borrego Wild Flowers
 Desert Five-Spot (Eremalche rotundifolia)The Desert Five-Spot (Eremalche rotundifolia) is a striking annual wildflower commonly observed in Death Valley National Park, particularly during favorable bloom years following sufficient winter… |
 Desert Primrose (Oenothera deltoides)Desert Primrose photographed in Anza Burego, CA Classification (Taxonomy) Oenothera deltoides belongs to the evening primrose family and is classified as follows (using a combination… |
Anza Borrego Persons of Interest
 Adolph RuthThe disappearance and death of Adolph Ruth in the Superstition Mountains of Arizona in 1931 is one of the most enduring mysteries associated with the… |
 Charles CluskerCharles Carroll Clusker (1810–1915) was a Kentucky-born American adventurer, Mexican-American War veteran, prospector, and folk figure best known for his highly publicized but ultimately unsuccessful… |
 Thomas Long SmithThomas Long Smith known as "Peg Leg Smith" image from a woodcut in Hutchings' California Magazine, October 1860 Early Life and Beginnings Thomas Long Smith,… |
Anza Borrego Campgrounds
 Anza Borrego State Park CampgroundSan Diego California Campgrounds Anza Borrego State Park Campground, located in southern California, is the largest state park in California, encompassing over 600,000 acres of… |
Borrego Palm Canyon CampgroundSan Diego California Campgrounds Borrego Palm Canyon Campground is a popular camping destination located within the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in Southern California. The park… |
Culp Valley Primitive CampgroundSan Diego California Campgrounds Culp Valley Primitive Campground is a campground located in Anza Borrego State Park in San Diego County, California. Anza Borrego is… |
Tamarisk Grove CampgroundSan Diego California Campgrounds Tamarisk Grove Campground is a popular camping destination located in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California. The campground is situated in the… |
Yaqui Wash Primative CampgroundSan Diego California Campgrounds Yaqui Wash Primative Campground is a dispersed camping area located within Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California's largest state park. Nestled in… |