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.

Jake Hinton • June 10, 2026

Borrego Springs Military History

The Military History of Borrego Springs and Anza-Borrego

During World War II, the Borrego Valley became an important military training area for the U.S. Army and Navy. Between 1942 and 1944, large portions of what is now Borrego Springs and Anza-Borrego Desert State Park were used for troop training, aerial gunnery practice, bombing exercises, and anti-aircraft operations.

Borrego Maneuver Area

Established in 1942, the Borrego Maneuver Area covered approximately 400 square miles of desert extending across the Borrego Valley, the eastern Badlands, and areas reaching present-day Highway 86 and Highway 78. Army troops used the area for desert acclimatization, field exercises, and live-fire anti-aircraft training.

Military activity occurred at locations including Borrego Valley, Ensign Ranch, Clark's Dry Lake, Borrego Sink, Coyote Canyon, Borrego Mountain, and the eastern Badlands. Observation posts were established on surrounding high points, including Yaqui Pass and Fish Creek Mountain.

One lasting improvement from the military presence was the paving of Yaqui Pass Road and portions of Palm Canyon Drive to improve access to training areas.

Navy Bombing and Gunnery Ranges

The U.S. Navy leased several locations in the Borrego Valley for bombing, strafing, and emergency landing operations. Major target areas included Borrego Wash (Military Wash), Clark's Dry Lake, Benson Dry Lake, and the Borrego Hotel site near Half-filled Dry Lake.

Clark's Dry Lake served as a shared Army and Navy bombing range, while Borrego Wash contained rock-circle targets and observation stations used to evaluate pilot accuracy. Benson Dry Lake and the Borrego Hotel site provided emergency landing fields and additional aerial target areas.

Rocket Testing and Anti-Aircraft Training

In 1943, scientists from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) conducted rocket experiments in the Borrego Mountain area to provide realistic targets for anti-aircraft units. Army gunners used .30-caliber, 40 mm, and 90 mm weapons during training exercises throughout the region.

Carrizo Impact Area

Following World War II, the military established the Carrizo Impact Area, which remained active from approximately 1945 through 1959. The U.S. Navy used more than 20,000 acres for bombing, rocket, and strafing exercises.

Today, the Carrizo Impact Area remains closed to the public because unexploded ordnance may still be present.

Legacy

Although military operations ended decades ago, evidence of this history can still be found throughout the desert. Visitors should never disturb military artifacts or suspected ordnance. Any discoveries should be reported to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park staff.

Today, these former training grounds are part of the protected landscapes of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, preserving both the natural environment and an important chapter of Borrego Springs history.

Download Historical Military Files

BORREGO HOTEL TARGET AREA

Download File

BORREGO MANEUVER AREA

Download File

How a Calcite mine in the Anza-Borrego desert of California helped drop the atomic bombs of World War II.

This video covers two training areas in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park used for pilot bombing and strafing exercises. It also explains the four rake stations built to track pilot accuracy and gives an overview of military mobilization efforts beginning in 1941.

This is the story of the Crash of a T-39 Sabreliner and the loss of 5 officers on April 1, 1977 in Anza Borrego Desert State Park.

Timeline: The Military History of Borrego Springs and Anza-Borrego

1940 - 1944: The War Years and Military Utilization

1940, September 7: The U.S. Navy begins the process of acquiring land for military purposes, following recommendations for advanced carrier training activities.
1941, July 10: The U.S. Navy acquires 160 acres of land in Borrego Valley, known as the Borrego Hotel site, through condemnation for use as an emergency landing field and bombing target.
1942, March 20: The U.S. Army obtains 400 square miles in the Borrego Desert for use as the Borrego Maneuver Area.
1943-1944: The Army Anti-Aircraft Training Center (AARTC) at Camp Callan uses the Borrego Maneuver Area for field training and anti-aircraft artillery firing.
1943, September: Camp Callan's Anti-Aircraft Replacement Training Center begins using the Borrego Maneuver Area for "dry run" and "live fire" training exercises.

1944 - 1956: Site Inactivation and Transition to Civilian Use

1944, May 29: Camp Callan declares the Borrego Maneuver Area as excess to its needs.
1944, July 13: The Borrego Maneuver Area is declared surplus by the Headquarters Army Ground Forces.
1944, August 26: The Borrego Maneuver Area is confirmed as vacated and will not be used again by the Army, with the site being policed for hazards.
1955, October 31: The Department of the Navy declares the Borrego Hotel site excess to its needs.
1956, January 25: The Borrego Hotel site is declared surplus and classified for agricultural use.
1956, July 23: The General Services Administration (GSA) offers the Borrego Hotel site for sale in a local newspaper.
1956, September 6: The Borrego Hotel site is sold to a private landowner by the GSA.

Post-1956: The Present Day

The former Borrego Hotel site and the Borrego Maneuver Area have been predominantly under state, federal, and private ownership since their closure as military sites. The predominant portion of the land is now utilized by the State of California as part of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

Learn More About Borrego Springs

A Conversation About Community: Martha Deichler on Opportunity in Borrego Springs

By Andrea McKenna • August 30, 2026

Borrego Sun youth intern Mia Garcia talks with Martha Deichler about the Community Resource Center, the people it serves and what Borrego Springs needs for the future. When Martha Deichler first came to Borrego Springs about 20 years ago to work as an elementary school principal, she quickly noticed something that would shape much of her work in the community: opportunities and services readily available in larger cities were often difficult to access in Borrego Springs. Deichler went on to serve as superintendent of the Borrego Springs Unified School District. After retiring, she found she wasn’t ready to stop working for the community. “There’s just too much work to do,” she told Borrego Sun youth intern Mia Garcia during a recent interview at the Borrego Springs Community Resource Center. That work became especially urgent during the COVID-19 pandemic. As residents lost jobs and struggled to navigate unemployment, vaccinations and online government services, a local food distribution effort began growing into something much larger. Computers were made available to help residents access online services, and assistance expanded to include unemployment applications, English classes, employment resources and other programs. Today, the Borrego Springs Community Resource Center connects residents with a wide range of services and opportunities. Deichler said the center helps connect people with programs including CalFresh, Medi-Cal and CalWORKs, while also providing classes, community activities and access to visiting county services. But for Deichler, the impact is best understood through individual lives. She recalled watching a local worker improve his English and advance from dishwasher to busser, then waiter and eventually cook. “That’s what we’re about,” Deichler said, “giving people the opportunities they need to go to the next step of success in their life.” Why Borrego? Garcia also asked Deichler what she loves most about Borrego Springs. Her answer came quickly. “I came out here to work because I love the desert,” Deichler said. “I knew nothing about the people, but I stay because I love the people.” She recalled another resident who once asked where she could learn English. With access to classes and continued education, the woman eventually learned enough English to work for the school district, drive a school bus and advance in her career. She later purchased a home, and her daughter went on to graduate from UCLA. For Deichler, stories like that demonstrate what community support can accomplish. “You can make a difference and you can see it,” she said. One Gift for Borrego Springs Garcia ended the interview with a bigger question: If you could give the Borrego Springs community one gift, what would it be? Deichler chose transportation. She envisions a reliable transportation system that would allow young people — and adults — to reach educational and workforce opportunities outside Borrego Springs, including College of the Desert and Imperial Valley College. Her concern is not simply helping young people leave Borrego. It is giving them the ability to gain skills and education and then bring those opportunities home. “You need to be able to get out, get what you need, but come back and live in this beautiful place,” Deichler said. For Garcia, the interview offered a firsthand look at how one community organization — and the people behind it — can help create opportunities in a geographically isolated town. It also underscored a theme that runs throughout Deichler’s work: sometimes helping a person take one next step can change much more than one moment in their life.

George & Rosa Featured in St. Barnabas “Who Is My Neighbor?” Series

By St Barnabas Communications • August 27, 2026

Borrego Springs-made short film screens Oct. 11 St. Barnabas Episcopal Church will present the award-winning short film George & Rosa on Sunday, Oct. 11, from 1–2 p.m. as part of its “Who Is My Neighbor?” film and discussion series. Written, produced and directed by Borrego Springs resident Matt Bosson, the 24-minute drama follows George and Rosa, two people living on the margins who form an unexpected bond despite speaking different languages. The story explores loneliness, companionship and human dignity. George & Rosa was produced entirely in Borrego Springs, with local talent involved in the production and the Anza-Borrego desert serving as its backdrop. The film won Best Medium Short in the Reale Film Festival’s June 2026 Monthly Awards. Bosson worked for many years in television video playback on productions including 24, House MD and Grey’s Anatomy before relocating to Borrego Springs, where he teaches English and continues his filmmaking and music work. His previous short BAD was also filmed and premiered in Borrego Springs. The screening will be held at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, 2680 Country Club Road, followed by a community discussion as part of the ongoing “Who Is My Neighbor?” series.