One of the most stunning parks in Southern California also happens to be a desert. If you’ve overlooked this spot before, make sure to take some time to visit this hidden SoCal gem as it may be one of the most beautiful and unique places in all of Southern California. Here’s a preview of what you’ve been missing if you’ve never taken the time to explore Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
This 600,000-acre park is the largest national park in SoCal and spans three counties -- San Diego County, Imperial County, and Riverside County. Not only is it the largest national park in SoCal, but it's also the second largest national park in the entire country. With such a vast amount of land, there's plenty of exploring to keep you busy.
To get to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, you can count on close to a 2-hour drive from many major SoCal cities in every direction including San Diego, Irvine, Palm Springs and Riverside.
When you reach the park, you'll want to stop at the Visitor Center to get acquainted with the area and pick up some maps to help you navigate this vast desert land.
Driving through the park can be tricky without a four-wheel drive as the dirt roads are challenging to navigate. So, before you head out, just make sure you have a proper vehicle for this outing.
If you're wondering what exactly you can do at this park when you arrive, the adventures are endless so plan on a full day of exploration. First off, you'll find over 100-miles of hiking trails. That's a whole lot of land that provides quite the variety of trails for you to choose from on any given day.
As you explore the trails, expect to find scenery that is quite varied and unique. I bet you didn't expect to see water in the desert. Along one of the hikes, out of nowhere, you'll come across this pond.
And you'll also find mud caves here! Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is home to nine slot canyons and 22 caves -- that's the largest known cave system in the country!
Although you may never get to see this endangered species for yourself, several park visitors each year report sightings of the Desert Bighorn Sheep in some areas of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. The population of this breed is dwindling, but this state park offers a protected habitat for this rare animal.
Depending on the season of your visit, the wildflowers that pop up in this desert land are immense and beautiful. These colorful blooms are at their peak in the springtime with early blooms first sprouting around February and March.
Camping is another popular activity in Anza-Borrego. If you're able to extend your visit to an overnighter, the night sky is one thing that will take your breath away.
And when you wake up in the morning in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, the sunrise is just as beautiful.
The word “park” often conjures up images of large stretches of green grass, swings, a playground for kids, and lots of picnic areas scattered about. Although Anza-Borrego Desert isn’t that kind of park, it will bring out the explorer in you. And, although I can’t guarantee it, you might jus walk away from this park feeling like a kid again. Have you ever been to this state park? Isn’t it amazing?
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