Andrea McKenna • June 3, 2026

From a Baseball Field to Camp Borrego: A Story from the Anza-Borrego Foundation Blog

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ABF’s latest blog explores the surprising chain of events that led to the creation of Camp Borrego.

The Anza-Borrego Foundation (ABF) regularly publishes stories about the history, conservation, education, and people connected to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. One of the latest entries in its blog series, Moments in Time with Dave Van Cleve, shares how an unexpected conversation ultimately led to the creation of Camp Borrego.


Dave Van Cleve has deep ties to Anza-Borrego. He served as superintendent of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park beginning in 1989 and later oversaw six additional state parks, including Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. After retiring from state service, he worked with The Nature Conservancy and helped add more than 1,000 acres to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.


According to Van Cleve, the idea for Camp Borrego began during a meeting about a drainage project at a baseball field at Cuyamaca Outdoor School. While discussing the project, he raised the possibility of creating an outdoor school experience in Anza-Borrego. Educators told him that sixth-grade outdoor education opportunities were already well established, but suggested that a fifth-grade program in the desert could fill an important need.


Van Cleve brought the idea back to ABF, where staff began working through the challenges of transportation, housing, meals, staffing, and program development. With approval from the park, an area in Borrego Palm Canyon became the home of Camp Borrego. Early students stayed in camping tents before the facilities evolved to include Gers and later yurts.


For the first several years, the program was offered free of charge through grants and private donations. During its first decade, Camp Borrego served more than 300 students annually from 10 to 11 schools. Today, the program continues to serve Borrego Springs students while ABF works toward expanding educational opportunities in the future.


The story is a reminder that some of the most important community programs begin with a simple conversation and a willingness to act on an opportunity. Readers interested in Anza-Borrego history, conservation, and education can find this and many other stories on the Anza-Borrego Foundation blog, which is updated regularly with new articles and insights from those who have helped shape the park.

Check out the ABF Blog

 




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