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 • June 29, 2026

Sal Carson’s “Borrego”: A Musical Tribute | Historic Borrego Sun

A glimpse into Borrego Springs' history through music and song.

In 1949, Sal Carson, Hoberg's resident orchestra leader, wrote a tune titled "Borrego." At the time, Hoberg's Desert Resort, now The Palms at Indian Head, was one of Borrego Springs' best-known destinations, welcoming visitors seeking the beauty and tranquility of the desert. Carson's role as the resort's orchestra leader placed him at the center of Borrego's early entertainment scene.

1949 was an important year for Borrego Springs. Along with the publication of the first issue of The Borrego Sun, Sal Carson's "Borrego" captured the beauty of the desert in song, preserving a musical snapshot of the community during its early years.

The song "Borrego" is a musical tribute to the desert. Its lyrics celebrate Borrego Springs through images of palm trees, blooming cactus, glowing campfires, colorful sunsets, and star-filled desert skies, capturing the beauty and peaceful character of the valley.

Sal Carson, known as "San Francisco's Music Man," enjoyed a distinguished career as a trumpeter, orchestra leader, composer, and entertainer. He performed with artists including Duke Ellington, Bob Hope, Frankie Laine, The Mills Brothers, Helen O'Connell, and Louis Prima. For six years, he also served as the musical leader of the San Francisco 49ers Football Team Band.

Together, the song and the events of 1949 capture an exciting chapter in Borrego Springs history, when the community was growing, welcoming visitors, and beginning to tell its story through music, tourism, aviation, and its newly established hometown newspaper.

BORREGO

Words & Music by Sal Carson

Desert palm trees gently sway,

As the sunset fades away,

Borrego,

Cactus in bloom,

Where days end too soon.

Glowing campfires slowly die,

As the starlight fills the sky,

Borrego,

Land that enchants,

Filled with gay romance.

Guitars are playing,

Hearts are saying,

Dear, I really do love you.

The night's ending,

Lips are blending,

Dawn comes soon to dim the moon.

Desert sunrise paints the sky;

And we'll never say goodbye,

Borrego,

Valley of fun,

Our place in the sun.

-----

These documents are part of the Borrego Sun materials acquired by Ram Media Foundation. Separately, The Borrego Sun archives are being preserved and digitized by the San Diego History Center, ensuring that decades of Borrego Springs history will be preserved for future generations.

To support the future of local media through Ram Media Foundation, please contact Andrea at andrea@rammediafoundation.org.

O Little Town of Borrego

Written and performed by Sherry Harapat (2023)

Borrego Ministers Association

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 .

The History of The Mall in Borrego Springs

By Andrea McKenna • September 22, 2026

Mid-century design and a community vision that began in 1965.

$1.6 billion, 150-mile power line gets strong pushback from residents

By By John Carroll / General Assignment Reporter & Anchor • September 18, 2026

People wearing yellow shirts, who are opposed to the proposed Golden Pacific Powerlink, are shown at San Marcos City Hall on Sept. 17, 2026 . Photo by: Carolyne Corelis /KPBS

Pegleg Pointers: A 1998 Look at the Pegleg Smith Liars Contest | Historic Borrego Sun

By Phil Brigandi • September 13, 2026

This column first ran ahead of the 50th annual Pegleg Smith Liars Contest in April 1998. Phil Brigandi, a longtime desert historian and four-time contest winner, died in 2019.

Borrego Springs and the Famous San Diego Chicken!

By Gabriel Wisdom, Ram Media Foundation • September 12, 2026

Borrego’s Bill Lawrence joined a sold-out San Diego History Center event celebrating Ted Giannoulas, The Famous San Diego Chicken, and the mascot’s remarkable 50-year legacy.

The Two Mile Radio Telescope on Clark's Dry Lake | Historic Borrego Sun

By Andrea McKenna • September 6, 2026

Learn about the historic Two Mile Radio Telescope on Clark's Dry Lake, built in 1961 for deep space research. Read more about its legacy!

Old Borego Open House Celebrates the Valley’s Historic Heart

By Martha Deichler • September 4, 2026

Please join the Civic Foundation for its annual Old Borego Days celebration No, Borrego is not misspelled in the title above. This is the way Borrego was spelled back in 1928, when the first post office opened in what is now called “Old Borego.” The site is located at 1580 Rango Way. Please join the Civic Foundation for its annual Old Borego Days celebration of the historic heart of the Borrego Valley on Sunday, November 8, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The turnoff from Rango Way will be marked with a sign. Please note that no restrooms are available. Visitors will be able to enter the old post office and general store, originally run by Eslie Wynn, and view a fascinating video from the 1950s extolling the virtues of life in Borrego Springs. One of the first homes in Borrego Springs will also be open for public viewing, offering a nostalgic look back at life in the community’s earlier years. In addition, Borrego Springs Elementary School fourth graders, who study California history, will have their essays on display. Three students will receive awards for their writing on “Borego Now and Then.” Old Borego Days Sunday, November 8, 2026 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. 1580 Rango Way, Borrego Springs