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.

Cassie N. Saunders, County of San Diego Communications Office • August 28, 2026

New tool makes applying for benefits faster and easier

A new BenefitsCal feature called Truv now helps CalFresh, CalWORKs, Medi-Cal and County General Relief applicants save time, reduce paperwork and avoid mailing costs. The tool launched July 20, 2026, and verifies income and employment electronically during the e-application process.

How Truv Works

When applying through BenefitsCal, customers can securely sign in to their employer, payroll provider or financial institution. Truv uses secure, encrypted channels, and no information is shared outside the County of San Diego.

If the employer participates in Truv, the system automatically pulls available income and employment information. Applicants can then review and confirm the information before submitting their application.

“With Truv, it is easy for customers to opt in while applying through the online application tool BenefitsCal app,” said Alberto Banuelos, Interim Director of County Self Sufficiency Services. “It is a win-win, helping our customers save time and money and staff manage higher workloads.”

Why It Matters

Using Truv means customers don’t need to search for documents, manually enter income details or pay postage to mail paperwork. It also reduces the chance of manually entered errors.

Application processing timelines vary:

CalFresh reviews can take up to 30 days.
Medi-Cal reviews can take up to 45 days.

When income information is verified upfront, processing time can be shortened, helping eligible households get connected to critical resources faster.

Self-Sufficiency Services supports more than 1.2 million San Diego County residents by providing access to essential public safety net programs. With customer-focused tools, multilingual help and community partnerships, Self‑Sufficiency Services works to make applying for benefits easier, faster and more accessible.

Our mission is simple: to help people stay healthy, safe and on a path toward long‑term self‑sufficiency.

Cassie N. Saunders is a communications specialist with the County of San Diego Communications Office. Contact

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By Andrea McKenna • October 13, 2026

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