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 • May 27, 2026

Martha Deichler Highlighted for Community Leadership in Borrego Springs

SDVoyager feature recognizes the leadership behind the Borrego Springs Community Resource Center

Martha Deichler, executive director of the Borrego Springs Community Resource Center (CRC), was recently featured by SDVoyager for her years of service helping families, seniors, workers, and individuals throughout the community.

In the feature, Deichler shared how the CRC grew from a small food bank effort during the COVID-19 pandemic into a major hub for community support services. As unemployment and hardship spread through the area during the pandemic, local residents began turning to the food bank not only for groceries, but also for help navigating unemployment applications, vaccine appointments, Medi-Cal, transportation needs, and other essential services.

What started as emergency food assistance eventually evolved into the Borrego Springs Community Resource Center, which today offers a wide range of programs including food distribution, English and Spanish classes, citizenship classes, grief counseling, transportation assistance, computer literacy support, AA meetings, and caregiver training programs.

Deichler described herself in the article as a “connector,” someone who helps match people with resources, services, and support systems. Her background working in the school district and her ability to speak Spanish have helped her build trusted relationships with families throughout the community.

One program highlighted in the story addresses the growing need for caregivers for older adults who wish to remain in the area as they age. Through the CRC’s caregiver initiative, local residents can receive training and assistance connecting with In-Home Support Services (IHSS) opportunities, helping seniors remain independent while creating employment opportunities locally.

The article also emphasized the generosity of the community and the support that has allowed the CRC to continue expanding services over the past several years.

At 77 years old, Deichler shared that she has no plans to slow down, continuing her work to respond to the changing needs of the community and strengthen programs that help residents access food, healthcare, transportation, education, and support services.

The full SDVoyager feature can be viewed here:
Read the SDVoyager feature on Martha Deichler