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.

San Diego County District 5 Supervisor Jim Desmond • August 19, 2026

Supervisor Jim Desmond Opposes Proposed Transmission Route Through ABDSP

Supervisor Jim Desmond Opposes Proposed Transmission Route Through Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

San Diego County District 5 Supervisor Jim Desmond is opposing the current alignment of the proposed Golden Pacific Powerlink, a 500-kilovolt transmission line that would cross parts of North and East County, including Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Desmond says the proposal raises concerns about wildfire risk, environmental impacts, private property and the lack of local control over the project. He is encouraging residents to submit comments during SDG&E’s stakeholder feedback period and participate in upcoming public meetings.

Supervisor Jim Desmond’s email regarding the proposed Golden Pacific Powerlink:

8/19/2026

This year, the state announced the Golden Pacific Powerlink, a 500 kilovolt transmission line planned to run from the Imperial Valley across our region and north toward Orange County. To get there, the current alignment cuts through much of North County and runs straight through Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, our state's largest state park, on towers as tall as 200 feet.

I want to be clear with you. I do not approve of the current alignment, and I am going to do everything I can to stop it.

Since the announcement, I have heard from constituents across District 5 with serious concerns about wildfire risk, environmental damage and private property. The Anza-Borrego Foundation, the official nonprofit partner of the park, reached out to Supervisor Anderson and me directly. They asked for a chance to bring their concerns to the Board of Supervisors, and we organized a board letter to make that happen.

This week, that coalition presented to the Board. The Anza-Borrego Foundation, the Protect Our Communities Foundation, the Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce and the Chaparral Lands Conservancy all made the drive down from North and East County to tell us what this project would do to the communities and landscapes they represent. I am grateful they came, and I want to thank Supervisor Anderson for partnering with me on this.

Their concerns are legitimate and the state needs to address them.

Here is what troubles me most. This line runs through our backyard, but the electricity is headed north to serve other counties. San Diego County ratepayers would be on the hook for roughly 9 percent of a project that costs more than $1.6 billion, and we would live with every impact while receiving no direct benefit. The Sunrise Powerlink at least served San Diego County, and it did not cut through the state park.

And even though this alignment crosses unincorporated County land, the County has no say. Not a vote, not a permit, nothing. I have spent my time in office fighting for local control, and here we have none. That is exactly why our voices have to be loud somewhere else.

Here is how you can help.

SDG&E's stakeholder feedback period is open through early November, before the company files its formal application with the California Public Utilities Commission. Public comment now, before that filing, carries real weight.

Submit your comments through goldenpacificpowerlink.com
Attend an in-person open house on August 25 and 26, or October 13 and 14
Follow the coalition's work and sign up for updates at theabf.org

I will keep pushing. I hope the CPUC listens to the people who actually live here and moves this line off of our premier state park and away from our existing communities.

San Diego County District 5 Supervisor Jim Desmond
https://www.supervisorjimdesmond.com/

San Diego County District 5 Supervisor Jim Desmond · 1600 Pacific Highway, #335, San Diego, CA 92101, United States

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Learn More About Borrego Springs

A Yacht Club in the Borrego Desert

By Andrea McKenna • September 28, 2026

Borrego Springs Yacht Club Brings Model Sailboat Racing to Rams Hill Borrego Springs is home to an unusual desert pastime: model yacht racing. The Borrego Springs Yacht Club was founded in 2010 by Steve Luckman and Dennis Daoust. The club has grown to about 40 members and operates at a pond on the former nine-hole golf course at Rams Hill. Members race V32 sailboats, 32-inch non-motorized model boats controlled remotely through their sails and rudders. The boats were manufactured in California for decades but are no longer in production. Races typically draw 16 to 20 boats, with courses marked by duck decoys used as buoys. The racing season runs from November through May, although members can practice throughout the year. Six club events are held during the season, including Opening Day in November, the Pacific Cap in January, the Invitational in February, the Misplace Race in March, the Powder Puff in April and the Tequila Bowl in May. Winners receive trophies that are held until the next event. The club also maintains a palapa-style clubhouse and hillside seating overlooking the pond, providing space for members and spectators during race days. Membership was listed at $250 per year. The Borrego Springs Yacht Club offers a distinctive local version of sailing, combining competition, model boat craftsmanship and community activity in the desert. If you have any interest, contact Dennis Daoust at captain-havoc@earthlink.net .

Equitable Building Decarbonization Program

By California Energy Commission • September 23, 2026

The goals of the Equitable Building Decarbonization Program are to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in homes and advance energy equity. The Direct Install Program provides decarbonization retrofits to low- and moderate-income households. The Statewide Incentive Program incentivizes the increased adoption of low-carbon technologies. In addition to reducing GHG emissions, the Equitable Building Decarbonization Program will strive to encourage resiliency to extreme heat, improve indoor air quality, improve energy affordability, provide electric grid support, and increase payment of prevailing wage to the implementing workforce. Programs include: EBD Statewide Direct Install Program The Equitable Building Decarbonization Statewide Direct Install Program provides and installs energy-efficient upgrades to low-income households. EBD Tribal Direct Install Program The program will serve residential buildings owned or managed by a California Native American tribes, tribal organizations, or tribal members. EBD Statewide Incentive Program Loan loss reserve and interest rate buy downs to reduce the cost of loans for home energy retrofits that improve efficiency and reduce GHG emissions. Learn More: www.energy.ca.gov Contact: Equitable Building Decarbonization Program equitablebuildingdecarb@energy.ca.gov