How big is Anza-Borrego Desert State Park?

More than 600,000 acres, or roughly 1,000 square miles. It is the largest state park in California and the third largest in the United States, spanning parts of San Diego, Riverside and Imperial counties.

How much does it cost to enter Anza-Borrego?

Day use is $10 per vehicle, collected at the Visitor Center, developed campgrounds and several popular trailheads including The Slot and Hellhole Canyon. The park has no entrance gates and much of it can be accessed without a fee.

When is wildflower season at Anza-Borrego?

Annual wildflowers can appear from January through mid-April, with peak bloom most often between late February and early April. Timing varies year to year based on rainfall and temperature.

Is Anza-Borrego a Dark Sky Park?

Yes. The park was designated an International Dark Sky Park in 2018 at Silver tier. Borrego Springs, the town at its center, has been an International Dark Sky Community since 2009, the first in California.

Do I need four-wheel drive at Anza-Borrego?

Not for the paved roads, the Visitor Center or the main campgrounds. The vast majority of the park's roughly 500 miles of dirt roads do require a high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicle.

Is Anza-Borrego Desert State Park open at night?

Yes, the park is open 24 hours a day, year-round. The Visitor Center is open daily 9am to 5pm October through May, and weekends and holidays only June through September.

Andrea McKenna • October 26, 2026

Brice Weaver Portraits is booking holiday photo sessions!

Local award-winning photographer brings a less traditional approach to Christmas cards and family portraits

Borrego Springs photographer Brice Weaver is opening bookings for holiday portrait sessions, inviting families, couples and individuals to step away from the traditional Christmas-card pose and try something a little more creative.

Weaver is encouraging clients to bring their own ideas — whether funny, nostalgic, quirky or deliberately over the top — or work with him to develop a concept for the session.

“Who says holiday photos have to be traditional?” Weaver wrote in announcing the sessions.

The approach fits a photographer whose work has ranged well beyond conventional portraiture.

Weaver is a Borrego Springs-based photographer whose work explores landscapes, people, wildlife and the relationship between place, memory and time. His photography has taken him from Mount Everest Base Camp to the waters off Guadalupe Island, where he photographed great white sharks.

He began working seriously with photography after purchasing his first DSLR in 2016. His work has since received international recognition, including first place in the International Photography Awards' Analog/Film Architecture category, as well as honors from the Tokyo International Foto Awards and other competitions. Weaver is also a Certified Professional Photographer through Professional Photographers of America.

Much of his fine-art work focuses on landscapes, abandoned spaces and environmental storytelling, portrait photography is also part of his professional practice. His photography business offers portrait, headshot, corporate and commercial photography services.

Weaver has also become involved in Borrego Springs' creative community. He works with the Borrego Springs Film Festival, where he assists with organizing and producing the event in addition to photographing the festival.

His connection to the desert is reflected throughout his work. In an earlier interview with the Borrego Sun, Weaver described being drawn to Borrego Springs for its silence, open space, light and sense of time — qualities that continue to influence his photography.

For the holiday season, however, the emphasis is on having some fun.

Rather than limiting sessions to standard seasonal backdrops and poses, Weaver is offering clients the opportunity to create something more personal for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's — including concepts developed collaboratively with the photographer.

The finished photographs can be used for family portraits, holiday cards or simply as something memorable from the season.

Holiday sessions are now being booked through Brice Weaver Photography.

More information about Weaver and his work is available through Brice Weaver Photography.

Learn More About Borrego Springs

Akrofest Brings Precision Aerobatics to Borrego Springs

By Andrea McKenna • October 26, 2026

Pilots take to the skies over Borrego Valley Airport for IAC Chapter 36’s annual fall competition The skies over Borrego Valley Airport came alive October 23 and 24 as Akrofest 2026 brought competitive aerobatic pilots, specialized aircraft and a full ground crew to Borrego Springs for two days of precision flying. Hosted by International Aerobatic Club Chapter 36 , Akrofest is one of two aerobatic competitions the chapter holds each year in Borrego Springs. Chapter 36, based at Borrego Valley Airport, has promoted precision aerobatics through competition, coaching and camaraderie since 1975. The chapter says its spring and fall contests are normally among the largest regional aerobatic competitions in the country. This year’s event was directed by Bryan Jones , with registration and practice beginning Thursday, October 22, followed by competition Friday and Saturday. Pilots gathered for mandatory morning briefings before flying began each day, and the weekend concluded with an awards banquet at Borrego Springs Resort. Built for Aerobatics Borrego Valley Airport has long been a destination for aerobatic pilots. The competition box sits immediately alongside the airport’s approximately 5,000-foot runway, allowing pilots, judges, volunteers and spectators to remain close to the action throughout the contest. Unlike an airshow, competitive aerobatics is about precision. Pilots fly prescribed sequences of loops, rolls, vertical lines, turns and other figures while judges on the ground evaluate how accurately each maneuver is performed. The 2026 contest offered all five power categories — Primary, Sportsman, Intermediate, Advanced and Unlimited — as well as corresponding glider categories and a Four Minute Free program. Saturday’s posted flight order included competitors in the Sportsman, Advanced and Unlimited categories.

In Memory of Joan Delores Rosen

By Martin, Dirk and Marika Rosen • October 26, 2026

Joan Delores Rosen, 95, Remembered for a Life of Art, Adventure and Conservation

BSFI Free Movies -- NOVEMBER 2026 at BSPAC

By Matt Bosson, BSFI • October 25, 2026

All screenings are held on Wednesday evenings at 7pm at the Borrego Springs Performing Arts Center, 590 Palm Canyon Drive, Borrego Springs, CA 92004 . Our full schedule for 2026 is posted on the BSFI website: www.borregospringsfilminstitute.org . Please check the website for the most up to date information.

Introducing Galeria el Patio

By Sally Walsh, Art Critic • October 24, 2026

Learn More About Borrego Springs

Overnight microgrid testing planned in Borrego Springs Oct. 26-29

By Alex Welling, MLS • October 24, 2026

SDG&E will conduct overnight testing of the Borrego Springs microgrid on Oct. 26, 27 and 29. The testing will require temporary power outages as crews confirm that the microgrid controller and supporting equipment can operate together as intended. Customers should prepare for: Up to two temporary outages of up to approximately 60 minutes between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m. on Oct. 26 Up to two temporary outages of up to approximately 60 minutes between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m. on Oct. 27 The possibility of a temporary outage between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m. on Oct. 29 We appreciate the community’s patience. This testing is an important step to help ensure the microgrid can operate as intended and help reduce the impact of certain outages in Borrego Springs. The microgrid improves community resiliency but cannot prevent every outage. Pruebas nocturnas de la microrred de Borrego Springs programadas del 26 al 29 de octubre SDG&E realizará pruebas nocturnas de la microrred de Borrego Springs los días 26, 27 y 29 de octubre. Las pruebas requerirán interrupciones temporales del servicio eléctrico mientras nuestros equipos confirman que el controlador de la microrred y los equipos de apoyo pueden funcionar juntos según lo previsto. Los clientes deben prepararse para: Una interrupción temporal de hasta aproximadamente 60 minutos entre las 11 p.m. y las 4 a.m. el 26 de octubre Una interrupción temporal de hasta aproximadamente 60 minutos entre las 11 p.m. y las 4 a.m. el 27 de octubre La posibilidad de una interrupción temporal entre las 11 p.m. y las 4 a.m. el 29 de octubre Entendemos que las interrupciones del servicio pueden afectar las actividades diarias y agradecemos la paciencia de la comunidad. Estas pruebas son un paso importante para ayudar a garantizar que la microrred pueda funcionar según lo previsto y ayudar a reducir el impacto de ciertas interrupciones del servicio eléctrico en Borrego Springs. La microrred mejora la resiliencia de la comunidad, pero no puede prevenir todas las interrupciones. Alex Welling, MLS Strategic Communications Manager, Major Projects, Wildfire & Operations