Lowe Llaguno/Shutterstock.com

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Overview

California's largest state park covers 1,000 square miles of San Diego County desert. Located two hours east of San Diego, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is not for the dainty. Extreme weather conditions make the park treacherous in winter and summer, but come spring, the masses descend on the trails to spot the most dazzling display of wildflowers in California. Blooming cacti accentuate the wealth of flowers blanketing fields and mountains. During the other seasons, outdoor-lovers make the trek to spot bighorn sheep, rattlesnakes, kit foxes, roadrunners, golden eagles, and iguanas. A popular hike is the three-mile Borrego Palm Canyon ...

California's largest state park covers 1,000 square miles of San Diego County desert. Located two hours east of San Diego, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is not for the dainty. Extreme weather conditions make the park treacherous in winter and summer, but come spring, the masses descend on the trails to spot the most dazzling display of wildflowers in California. Blooming cacti accentuate the wealth of flowers blanketing fields and mountains. During the other seasons, outdoor-lovers make the trek to spot bighorn sheep, rattlesnakes, kit foxes, roadrunners, golden eagles, and iguanas. A popular hike is the three-mile Borrego Palm Canyon Trail, which arrives at the Palm Oasis waterfalls. There are RV sites as well as plenty of spots to pitch a tent. Audio tours are available through the visitor center, which is a great place to learn about the paleontology of the region, the Native American history and the geology of this desert wilderness.

Michele Bigley
About the Expert

Michele Bigley is the author of Northern California: An Explorer's Guide and Great Destinations Kauai from Countryman Press.

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— Michele Bigley for Triporati

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Facts at a Glance

  • Location: Anza-Borrego is a two-hour drive northeast from San Diego, southeast from Riverside or Irvine, and south from Palm Springs. The Park is an anchor in the Mojave and Colorado Deserts Biosphere Reserve
  • Research: Wikitravel | Wikipedia
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Climate

  • Best Time to Visit:

    Spring, when the wildflowers are in bloom