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.

Gabriel Wisdom, Ram Media Foundation • September 12, 2026

Borrego Springs and the Famous San Diego Chicken!

Bill Lawrence, The Famous San Diego Chicken, Gabriel Wisdom and Diana Wisdom at the San Diego History Center’s September 10, 2026 event celebrating the legendary mascot.

The San Diego History Center Goes to the Birds – with the Famous Chicken

Borrego’s own Bill Lawrence and the San Diego History Center hosted a sold-out evening event in Balboa Park featuring the legendary entertainer behind The San Diego Chicken. All 120 seats were filled, plus standing-room for an unforgettable evening with Ted Giannoulas, aka The Famous Chicken, who was introduced by former Padres President, Ballard Smith. Making a grand entrance, The Famous Chicken characteristically remained in costume throughout the event. Few people have ever seen Ted’s real face, which affords him the anonymity he enjoys to this day. Bill serves as CEO of the San Diego History Center and this was another in a long series of the venue’s memorable meet and greets The Famous San Diego

Chicken - San Diego History Center | San Diego, CA | Our City, Our Story

The Chicken legacy was hatched in 1974, when David Leibert’s brother, Rick Leibert was Co-Program Director of San Diego’s KGB Radio stations (yes, that David Leibert of The Palms at Indian Head, Red Ocotillo, Coyote Steak House).

It was Rick Leibert who recruited Ted from a SDSU journalism class to wear a chicken outfit for one of the promotions he’d dreamed up. This particular assignment was to wear a rented chicken suit with KGB’s call letter pasted on, and hand out Easter eggs to children at the San Diego Zoo. It paid $2 an hour and was supposed to last one week. But the appearance was so popular that the station asked Ted to stay on. Then he was called upon to perform in a TV commercial for KGB. The campaign’s theme featured a cartoon chicken overseeing two eggs, one for the AM station, one for the FM, symbolizing two related radio stations with different formats. From there, the KGB Chicken became a fixture at major sporting events, rock concerts, and eventually he achieved national celebrity.

You can read The Chicken’s personal recollections here: Biography – The Famous San Diego Chicken

Side Note: Rick Leibert’s other memorable innovations include the multi-decade stadium fireworks ‘KGB Skyshows’ choreographed to rock music on live radio, and the KGB Homegrown albums. In 1976, Rick was named Billboard Magazine Program Director of the Year.

In his role as the KGB Chicken and eventually, the (World) Famous Chicken, Ted Giannoulas transformed sideline stadium entertainment. His outrageous comedy, and unforgettable antics earned him recognition as one of the Top 100 Most Powerful People in Sports of the 20th Century, according to the Sporting News, alongside icons such as Muhammad Ali, Babe Ruth, and Wayne Gretzky

One little-known bit of history is that Ted was not a swimmer and so, because I was a surfer (and on KGB), Giannoulas and his assistant asked that I wear the Chicken suit for two important Mission Bay aquatic events that Ted didn’t want to miss (see photo). During the canoe race, he attended incognito standing from the shore shouting, “Dunk the Chicken. Turn the canoe over!” Several fans jumped in and obliged. Wearing a drenched Chicken suit, I struggled through the water and finally crawled onto the sand. That was when Ted issued another command, “Bread the Chicken! Roll him over in the sand!” Fans were only too happy to roll the drenched KGB Chicken in the sand.

I never managed to get Ted back for that prank. But after hearing him entertain a packed house in Balboa Park, I was reminded of something locals have known for more than 50 years: There has never been anyone quite like the Famous San Diego Chicken.

Gabriel Wisdom

www.RamMediaFoundation.org

>> Salton Sea Tales: A Potentially True Adventure is a speculative eco-thriller novel by Gabriel Wisdom