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 4, 2025

In Memory of Nick Munro

Obituary: Nicholas Duncan Munro

In Loving Memory of Nick Munro (1994–2025)

Nicholas (commonly and lovingly referred to as "Nick") Munro, beloved son of Michael and Heather Munro and brother of Jess Munro of Calgary, Alberta, passed away in Borrego Springs, California, on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, at the age of 30 years.

Born in Victoria, British Columbia on January 29, 1994, Nick later moved with his family to St. Albert, Alberta when he was three years of age and on to Calgary at the age of five.

Nick attended Eugene Coste Elementary School, Harold Panabaker Junior High School, and Centennial High School all in Calgary. Later, Nick successfully completed a degree in Business at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, graduating in 2016.

Nick and Margaret Kulinski met in high school, sharing many meaningful years together; they married in 2022.

Nick was an avid fisherman, hunter and craftsman. He loved to be outdoors and spent many happy hours skiing and golfing. Nick was also a skilled self-taught mechanic with a passion for restoring and repairing cars. He was a very talented woodworker creating beautiful pieces of furniture as gifts to loved ones. Preparing meals for family and friends was also a pursuit that brought him much joy.

Creative and kind, Nick had a very upbeat and positive outlook. He called the Bow River in Calgary his "happy place" and would spend every possible hour floating and fishing.

Nick was diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis in 2023 which slowed him down considerably. However, he showed tremendous dedication to his recovery efforts, and a steadfast commitment to maintaining a positive, "can-do" attitude despite his physical challenges.

Nick leaves behind his grandmothers, Barbara Johnston (Ken) of Nanaimo, BC, and Maire Duncan of Victoria, BC; as well as many aunts, uncles and cousins in Airdrie, Vancouver, Montreal, St. Albert, Edmonton, Austin, London and Taiwan.

Nick was predeceased by his grandfathers, Don Munro and Hamish Duncan; and his grandmothers, Shirley Munro and Lorna Duncan.

The family will host a Remembrance of Nick's Life at Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club (12501 14th Street SW, Calgary, AB) on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at 4:00 p.m.

Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared and viewed with Nick's family at www.MHFH.com.

In living memory of Nick Munro, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes.