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.

Mia Garcia: Borrego Sun Youth Intern • June 26, 2026

A Song of Fear and Faith

Borrego Sun youth intern Mia Garcia shares a poem about courage and her first live performance.

The memory of Una Noche Mexicana

By: Mia Garcia

It was an amazing event.

It was my first night performing a song on stage.

There was fear.

The adrenaline was too much to control.

I wore my lucky pendant,

hoping it would ease my stress.

A treasure passed on from my grandpa,

to my mother,

and then onto me.

It was a token of family support,

close to my heart.

Feeling blessed.

Now I am waiting in the dressing room,

wondering, "When is my time on stage?"

The excitement went from head to toe

and through my rib cage.

It was almost my turn.

I wanted to leave,

but that's not the Mia I was raised to be.

Being on stage for the first time can be exciting.

To me, right now, it's just frightening.

This mountain seems tough to climb,

but I practiced and prepared.

I will be just fine.

I got on stage and sang my heart out.

Did I do it right,

or did I ruin the night?

It hurts.

I might have messed up the show.

But I didn't.

I felt my supporters' approval from the front row.

With that, my inner confidence began to flow.

I did it.

I actually did it.

It started with fear,

tested my limits,

but I rose above

and sang from my soul.

That night, I learned that it's okay to have fear.

With preparation and faith,

I can persevere.

-------

Mentor Notes

Mia is a thoughtful, hardworking teen who speaks in a naturally poetic way, so I knew this project would be a good fit for her.

Her poem shows how fear can turn into confidence through preparation, faith, and family support. She organized her experience with a clear beginning, middle, and end, taking readers from backstage nerves to the moment she found her voice.

Maria, Mia’s sister, also helped keep the creative energy going. She stayed nearby playing music while we worked, earning the nickname “DJ Chill.” Sometimes we needed faster music, sometimes slower, and sometimes I made requests that she had to figure out on the spot. Having Maria nearby made the project even more fun and rewarding.

Learn More About Borrego Springs

Shop the Rack, Support the Community: Frugal Coyote Launches Nonprofit of the Month

By Anna Abatzoglou Executive Director, Borrego Valley Endowment Fund • September 24, 2026

Frugal Coyote is giving shoppers a new way to support Borrego Springs with its Nonprofit of the Month program.

Equitable Building Decarbonization Program

By California Energy Commission • September 23, 2026

The goals of the Equitable Building Decarbonization Program are to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in homes and advance energy equity. The Direct Install Program provides decarbonization retrofits to low- and moderate-income households. The Statewide Incentive Program incentivizes the increased adoption of low-carbon technologies. In addition to reducing GHG emissions, the Equitable Building Decarbonization Program will strive to encourage resiliency to extreme heat, improve indoor air quality, improve energy affordability, provide electric grid support, and increase payment of prevailing wage to the implementing workforce. Programs include: EBD Statewide Direct Install Program The Equitable Building Decarbonization Statewide Direct Install Program provides and installs energy-efficient upgrades to low-income households. EBD Tribal Direct Install Program The program will serve residential buildings owned or managed by a California Native American tribes, tribal organizations, or tribal members. EBD Statewide Incentive Program Loan loss reserve and interest rate buy downs to reduce the cost of loans for home energy retrofits that improve efficiency and reduce GHG emissions. Learn More: www.energy.ca.gov Contact: Equitable Building Decarbonization Program equitablebuildingdecarb@energy.ca.gov