Anza-Borrego Desert State Park - A Day Trip from San Diego
Written: Apr 23 '06
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Pros: Beautiful landscape, no fees
Cons: The visitor center isn't near the entrance to the park, few marked trails
The Bottom Line: A great state park with beautiful desert views and great plant life.
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| modernmarvel's Full Review: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park |
I visited Anza Borrego State Park in April 2005 as a day trip from the San Diego area. I had heard it had some nice walking paths and I wanted my kids to check out the desert since we don't have those landscapes at home.
GETTING THERE
The trip to Anza Borrego took about 2 hours from the area north of San Diego where we were staying. On the way there, we stopped in Julian, which is a touristy town with some old false front buildings. On the way back we headed directly home and saved about half an hour. Route 78, which comprises much of the journey, can be very twisty with switchbacks and tight turns. There are also steep changes in elevation. While the drive is scenic, it can also be stressful and take longer than you would think just looking at the map. Timid drivers may not want to make the drive at night.
We entered the park long before we saw a visitor center. In fact, there was nothing to greet us except a sign. The visitor center is located in Borrego Springs, which is a town inside the park. For the first several miles, we saw nothing but desert landscape. There were some high hills, some at a 4,000 foot elevation, we learned later on. My kids saw cactus growing wild for the first time in many different forms. The cool thing about Anza-Borrego is that there are no limitation as to where you can go as long as you don't trample the plants. We pulled over a few miles into the park and walked around a bit so the kids could examine the plants and terrain. After that, we tried to find the visitor center.
My one complaint is that there were not more marked trails or points of interest along the roads to the visitor center. We would have appreciated more guidance as we made the over ten mile drive into Borrego Springs.
BORREGO SPRINGS
Borrego Springs is a town, population approximately 3,000, that is built inside the park. It seemed odd to travel miles into the park just to find civilization. The town had some restaurants and lots of little motels. Of course, there were a few little gift shops too. We didn't see a town center that invited walking around. However, if you want to explore the park overnight but are adverse to camping, one of the small motels might be perfect.
THE VISITOR CENTER
The Visitor Center is located in Borrego Springs. There were not many signs directing us to the site of the Visitor Center so I was glad we brought a map and directions.
The Visitor Center is located underground. Once you enter the parking lot, you have to follow signs to find the entrance. It is not visible from the lot.
The Visitor Center had some nice displays on desert life. The was an explanation of Native American peoples that still live in the area. They also explained the desert wild life and plants. Adults seemed to enjoy the exhibits as much as the kids. Budget about half an hour to enjoy these exhibits.
The Visitor Center did not appear to have any plumbing. There were three of those gross port-a-potties in the parking lot. There was no sink to wash up in.
The Visitor Center had lots of books for adults on hiking, desert life, information on the park and lots of other useful information. The book selection for kids was much thinner. There were also t-shirts, mugs and other things for sale.
HIKING
There is a quarter mile look hike right around the visitor center. About an eighth of the loop is paved. The rest is packed sand. We pushed a stroller on the path will little problem. This path is also probably handicapped-friendly. The quarter mile hike was great for the kids to find and identify desert plants. My son even spotted a lizard! There were some handy signs to explain the plants and scenery. This definitely wasn't a hike in the secluded desert but it was enough for small children to enjoy.
I wish there had been other choices for easy hikes near the visitor center. The quarter mile was really not enough for my older daughter. However, there didn't seem to be anything available. For more intrepid hikers, there is the 600,000 acre park to enjoy. However, those hikes required more dedication than we could muster with a one year old in tow.
CAMPING
We didn't camp in the park but I will attempt to pass on what I learned in the Visitor Center. There are campsites available in the park. One campsite appeared to be covered with RVs and was .6 miles from the Visitor Center. There was a path connecting the two areas. You can do "primitive camping" anywhere in the park. Fires must be in a metal container. You must take all your trash with you. There appeared to be fees for camping but they varied.
OTHER THOUGHTS
We didn't pay any fee to enter the park.
The park makes a big deal out of the spring wildflower season. We visited toward the end of April and missed most of the flowers. There is number on the web site that you can call to get updates. It seems February and March are a good time to go but it varies each year.
If you intend to get out of your car at all, bring water, hats, sunscreen and wear appropriate clothing. When we visited, it was 90 degrees in the park when it was 60 degrees in San Diego. It is hotter and drier than you might think.
There are tours available in four wheel drive vehicles. Given that the park is not really accessible to inexperienced or scared hikers, this seemed like a good option. The park had two sanctioned tour companies to choose from. They had brochures available in the Visitor Center and you could get contact information from the park's web site.
There is a free magazine that provides a lot of good information about the park available in the Visitor Center.
FINAL RECOMMENDATION
Being from the Northeast, I thought this park had spectactular scenery and plants. It was worth the drive to see it. However, I wish the park was more child friendly. The quarter mile hike was great for smaller children or those with mobility issues. However, I would have liked some other options for longer hikes. Overall, I would recommend this park as a day trip for those not too interested in hiking. Wilderness lovers could probably spend a couple of days here either camping or staying in one of the motels in Borrego Springs.
MY REVIEWS OF OTHER THINGS TO SEE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Disney's California Adventure
Disneyland
Legoland
SeaWorld San Diego
Birch Aquarium at Scripps
The San Diego Zoo
The San Diego Wild Animal Park
Balboa Park
Cabrillo National Monument
San Diego’s Old Town
The Museum of Making Music
Recommended:
Yes
Best time to go: March-May
Recommended for: Anybody
Review Topic: Overview
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modernmarvel
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Can anyone recommend a western family dude ranch for a vacation this summer?
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