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.

Shandel Sutherland • April 16, 2024

The Artistry of Erin Hanson in Borrego Springs Area

Erin Hanson's Ocotillo Morning

In a recent YouTube video, Artist Erin Hanson offered an insightful peek into her creative journey, choosing the early hours before dawn in Borrego Springs as her canvas to capture the essence of ocotillos through her lens. These towering desert plants, with their distinctive spiky appearance, not only enhance the abstract beauty of her artwork but also play a pivotal role in the desert's ecological narrative.

What is an Ocotillo?

Ocotillo, scientifically known as Fouquieria splendens, is not your typical desert inhabitant. This unique plant stands out with its vase-like shape, consisting of up to 100 slender, thorny, gray stems that extend from its base like a bouquet of nature's wands. These stems, reaching heights between 8 to 20 feet, create a striking silhouette against the desert sky, reminiscent of an artist's abstract interpretation of the natural world. The ocotillo's ability to perform photosynthesis through its greenish stems is a remarkable adaptation, with its small, rounded leaves being drought-deciduous, meaning they fall off soon after the winter rains cease, leaving behind spines that were once their petioles (leaf stalks).

Ocotillo, scientifically known as Fouquieria splendens

This plant is not just a visual marvel; it's also a beacon for pollinators, thanks to its bright scarlet flowers that bloom in showy clusters, creating a spectacle of color that contrasts beautifully with its arid surroundings. The ocotillo's presence in rocky deserts from western Texas to southern California and into Mexico underlines its adaptability and the pivotal role it plays in its ecosystem, attracting hummingbirds and other pollinators that are vital for the desert's biodiversity.

Erin Hanson's choice of the ocotillo as a subject not only highlights the plant's aesthetic appeal but also emphasizes the interconnectedness of art and nature, inviting viewers to appreciate the subtle intricacies of the desert landscape through her artistic lens.

Who is Erin Hanson?

Erin Hanson's journey into the world of art began at a young age of eight. As a teenager, she honed her skills at a mural studio, painting monumental works on canvas. After pursuing a degree in Bioengineering, she found herself drawn back to painting, inspired by the vibrant landscapes she encountered while rock climbing in Red Rock Canyon, Nevada. Since then, she has dedicated herself to creating one painting every week, becoming one of the most prolific artists of our time. Erin's unique style, known as Open Impressionism, has garnered her worldwide recognition and a legion of followers.

Inspirations from Red Rock Canyon:

The rugged cliffs of Red Rock Canyon served as the backdrop for Erin Hanson's artistic awakening. The vibrant colors and bold lines of the desert landscape inspired her to develop her own painting techniques, resulting in the birth of Open Impressionism. Her paintings, characterized by thick, blocky strokes of paint and vibrant hues, capture the essence of the desert in a way that is both striking and evocative.

Transforming Landscapes into Art:

Erin Hanson's artistic journey has taken her to some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. From the Colorado plateau to the wine country of California, she has captured the beauty of nature in all its glory. Her paintings, with their bold colors and dynamic brushstrokes, transport viewers to a world of endless possibilities and breathtaking beauty.

Adventures in National Parks:

Erin Hanson's love for the outdoors is evident in her paintings, which often depict scenes from national parks and wilderness areas. Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, and the Grand Canyon have all served as inspiration for her iconic works. Her paintings, with their vibrant colors and dynamic compositions, capture the spirit of these majestic landscapes and invite viewers to experience the wonder of nature firsthand.

Borrego Springs: A Canvas for Creative Inspiration

As the sun comes up in Borrego Springs, it shines on the tall ocotillos and lights up the creativity of artists like Erin Hanson. This desert place is a great source of inspiration, turning the scenery into endless opportunities for art. We appreciate Erin Hanson for letting us into her artistic world through her video, social media, and website. She helps us see Borrego Springs in a new and exciting way.

Shop Erin Hanson Prints

SAVE THE DATE!: ARTTALK with artist ARhAyas PSonn AllureA

By Elizabeth Rodriquez • November 11, 2026

Join the artist ARhAyas PSonn AllureA for ARTTALK on Saturday, November 21 at 3pm at The Gallery at The Palms to converse about his assemblage collages relating to the erasure of Goddess wisdom and its metamorphosis to time present. Refreshments will be served for your enjoyment. The Gallery at The Palms is located at 2220 Hoberg Road, Borrego Springs, Ca. 92004

Photographs and Memories: Imperfect and Authentic

By Brice Weaver • November 8, 2026

By: Brice Weaver www.briceweaverphotography What happens when a photograph becomes your only memory of something you experienced? I recently came across an Instagram video of a woman looking through photographs with her husband, who had apparently suffered a brain injury affecting his memory. The photographs captured their first dance together. As they looked through them, she gently asked whether he remembered certain moments. I found myself thinking about that video long after watching it. For her, those photographs were connected to experiences she could still remember. For him, they offered a visual record of moments he could no longer recall. We take photographs assuming we’ll remember the moments surrounding them. But what happens when we don’t? What happens when a photograph becomes our only connection to an experience, a person, or a particular time in our lives? And what happens when that photograph has been altered so extensively that it no longer represents what actually occurred? We’re living in a time when artificial intelligence can generate convincing images of events that never happened. Digital editing allows us to remove people, replace backgrounds, alter expressions, and reconstruct scenes until they bear little resemblance to the original moment. Much of the debate surrounding AI-generated imagery focuses on creativity, copyright, and whether these images should even be considered photography. But I think there’s another question we aren’t discussing nearly enough. What happens when the photographs we create today become the memories someone depends on tomorrow? Now Imagine looking through your own photographs decades later, unable to distinguish which details were genuine and which had been added, removed, or generated. Human memory is already imperfect. We forget, reconstruct, and sometimes unintentionally change our recollections. Photographs have traditionally provided an external reference, even if that reference was never entirely objective. If we begin treating every photograph as something to be perfected rather than preserved, what happens to that relationship? That short video brought the issue into a much more human perspective for me. The couple wasn’t discussing photography, artificial intelligence, or photographic ethics. They were simply looking at pictures, trying to reconnect with moments from their lives. You don’t need photographs to show a better version of your life. You need them to show the life you actually lived. We spend so much time asking how to make photographs look better. Perhaps we should spend more time asking what we need them to remember. As AI and digital manipulation become increasingly sophisticated, where do you draw the line between improving a photograph and changing the history it represents?

Studio 628 Opens the Season with “Mixed Tempos”

By Andrea McKenna • November 1, 2026

Six artists come together for a collective exhibition Check out the most recent review by Art Critic, Sally Walsh Gary Henderson Interiors Studio 628 will celebrate its season opening with Mixed Tempos, a collective exhibition featuring Kevin Goddess, Victoria Johnson, Kippi Leonard, Robert Landry, Wil Gardner and Marcy Gregory. Mixed Tempos at Studio 628 & Galeria el Patio 622 Palm Canyon Drive, Borrego Springs CA. Show goes through November, Gallery Hours Friday-Sunday 1:00-4:00 PM. Bringing six artists together in one exhibition, Mixed Tempos offers visitors an opportunity to explore their work and welcome the return of the local gallery season. The evening will also include a sneak preview of Galeria el Patio, adding another reason to stop by and see what’s ahead. Community members and visitors are invited to join the celebration, enjoy the exhibition and spend an evening connecting with Borrego Springs’ arts community.