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.

Supervisor Jim Desmond • September 7, 2026

Before the First Storm: What We're Doing, and What I Need From You

Supervisor Jim Desmond outlines County preparations and steps residents can take now.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is forecasting a strong El Niño this fall and winter, and the odds they're putting on it are the highest we've seen in decades.

I've lived in North County a long time. I know how this goes. We go weeks without a drop. Then one storm rolls through and we've got water across the road, mud coming off a hillside, and folks asking why nobody told them it was coming.

So consider this me telling you.

What the County is already doing

Our Public Works crews are out there right now doing the unglamorous work. Clearing storm drains. Cleaning out culverts. Pulling debris out of drainage channels from Fallbrook to Borrego Springs. It doesn't make the news and nobody thanks them for it, and it is the single biggest reason a heavy rain in this county becomes a puddle instead of a problem.

Once the rain starts, they shift to round-the-clock storm patrol. That means a crew ready to clear a blocked drain or close a flooded road at two in the morning, because that is usually when it happens.

Our Office of Emergency Services is coordinating with fire agencies, the Sheriff, and Cal Fire on evacuation planning, and our alert system is tested and ready to go.

That's your tax dollars doing exactly what they are supposed to do. Quietly, ahead of time, before anybody is watching.

None of that is contingent on a forecast. It happens every year, and it happens before anybody is watching.

Sandbags, and the smart way to do it

Let's start with the easy one. Ahead of storms, you can get free sandbags at fire stations throughout the county. They're free. They're there for you. At most locations you fill them yourself, so bring a shovel.

Here's the part most people miss. Don't wait for the storm in the forecast. The line at the fire station on a Friday afternoon before a system moves in is not where you want to be figuring this out.

Keep a stack of empty bags in the garage. They're a few bucks at any hardware store, they last for years, and then all you're doing is filling them.

Ten or fifteen bags placed right, across a low doorway or along a driveway that funnels water toward the house, can be the difference between a wet weekend and a claim on your insurance.

And on insurance: standard homeowners policies do not cover flood damage. Flood policies through the National Flood Insurance Program take 30 days to take effect. If that's a conversation you've been meaning to have with your agent, have it in September, not in January.

Three things I need from you

One. Register your cell phone at AlertSanDiego.org and download the SD Emergency app. This one matters more than anything else on this list. If we need to tell you a road is out, or that it's time to leave, that is how we reach you. It takes about two minutes and it costs you nothing.

Two. When you see water over the road, turn around, don't drown. I mean that. A few inches of moving water can carry a car away, and every single winter somebody in this state finds that out the hard way. No shortcut is worth it.

Check 511sd.com before you head out.

Three. Take one afternoon this fall. Clear your rain gutters. Walk your property and figure out where the water goes when it comes off your roof. Trim back anything that's coming down in a hard wind. If you live below a recent burn scar, pay extra attention. Burned ground doesn't absorb water, it sheds it fast, and it brings mud and debris down with it.

Then check on your neighbors, especially the older ones. Some of them can't get up on a ladder to clear a gutter, and some of them won't ask. That's what makes a community work, and it's the part no county government can do for you.

We'll be ready. Let's make sure you are, too.

As always, my door is open. Email me directly at jim.desmond@sdcounty.ca.gov, or call my office at 619-531-5555.

We're here to help.

San Diego County District 5 Supervisor Jim Desmond
https://www.supervisorjimdesmond.com/

In this video:

– Free sandbags at County fire stations (and when they're actually available)

– What Public Works crews are doing before the first drop falls

– How to make sure we can reach you when a road washes out

– Why "turn around, don't drown" isn't just a slogan

Register for emergency alerts: AlertSanDiego.org
Check road conditions before you drive: 511sd.com
Download the SD Emergency app on iOS or Android

Questions, or need help from the County? Reach out anytime:

Jim.Desmond@sdcounty.ca.gov

(619) 531-5555

--------------------

Preparedness

Steps to Disaster Preparedness

Create your own Personal Disaster Plan (available in 12 languages)
Register your cell phones for emergency alerts
Make an Evacuation Go-Kit and a Shelter-in-Place Stay Kit

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Seven Students, Seven Paths: Rams Hill Invests in the Next Generation

By Rams Hill Communications • September 7, 2026

Seven students. Seven different educational journeys. And one shared opportunity to turn ambition into something meaningful.

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

By Andrea McKenna • September 6, 2026

A portion of the two-mile antenna array on Clark Dry Lake used to study radio emissions from outer space. Weights kept the long copper wires taut on their frames. Borrego Sun, July 15, 1961.

County Launches Online System for Property Assessment Appeals

By County of San Diego Communications Office • September 6, 2026

By County Communications , County of San Diego Communications Office The County has launched a new online system that lets property owners file property tax assessment appeals quickly and securely. Residents can now submit, review and track their appeals online, anytime, from any device. An assessment appeal allows property owners to request a review of the taxable value assigned to their property by the County Assessor. When Residents Can File an Appeal The regular filing season is from July 2 through Nov. 30. During that period, the Office of the Clerk of the Board accepts Assessment Appeals Applications from property owners. To apply, property owners need: Parcel or tax bill number Property address Their opinion of the property’s market value How Online Filing Helps Residents The new system streamlines the appeals process, reduces delays and offers more convenience than traditional paper applications. With the new system, property owners can: Submit an appeal form any device, including smartphones and tablets. Track their appeal status anytime. Sign up for updates without calling or emailing the office. Keep their information secure through the online portal. This upgrade supports the County’s ongoing effort to modernize public services and make them easier, faster and more accessible for all. A New, Easier-to-Use Website A redesigned Assessment Appeals website has launched alongside the new system. It features: A simple, clean layout Step-by-step instructions to reduce filing errors Tutorial videos and helpful resources for first-time filers A more streamlined filing experience through the new portal What Happens After You File Once your appeal is submitted: The Clerk of the Board reviews the application and contacts the property owner if anything is missing. When the application is complete, it is sent to the Assessor’s Office. An appraiser reviews the case and may request additional information. An independent appeals board hears and decides the case. By law, the board has up to two years from your filing date to issue a decision. Have questions? Contact the Clerk of Board of Supervisors’ office at AssessmentAppeals@sdcounty.ca.gov.

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