Borrego Springs: A Sanctuary for Sustainable Travel

Discover Borrego Springs County Park, a pet-friendly haven with separate areas for small and large dogs, ample play spaces, safety features like double-gate entries, and amenities including water faucets and waste bags. Enjoy clean, spacious areas for pets and scenic views, making it the perfect destination for relaxation and fun..

ABF’s latest blog explores the surprising chain of events that led to the creation of Camp Borrego.

Congratulations to Borrego Village Association (BVA) on being named a 2026 Career Pathways grantee. This funding will help local high school students gain hands-on training, internships, certifications, and real-world experience at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Read below to learn more about this exciting opportunity for Borrego Springs. California State Parks and Parks California Award $2.4M in Career Pathways Grants to Prepare Next Generation of Park Leaders: Funding supports 13 organizations to provide paid training and expand access to careers in parks and public lands For Immediate Release: SACRAMENTO — California State Parks and nonprofit partner Parks California today announced the award of more than $2.4 million to 13 community and tribal organizations across the state as part of the Career Pathways grants program. The funding will support paid training opportunities expected to prepare approximately 380 participants for careers in parks and public lands and includes seven returning grantees and six new partners. Career Pathways enables statewide training that helps early-career adults and people exploring new directions to see parks as part of their future. The 13 grant recipients will work collaboratively with State Parks, with support from Parks California, to offer experiences and training in park operations and stewardship, such as wildfire resilience projects, trail building, habitat restoration and visitor services. Through hands-on learning, mentorship and career guidance, Career Pathways equips participants with the skills, experience and professional networks needed to pursue meaningful careers in public lands. “Our joint efforts to expand access to the outdoors is doing more than just reducing barriers for visitors – it’s also creating pathways to grow a skilled and diverse workforce of the next generation of stewards,” said California State Parks Director Armando Quintero . “These grants help plant the seed that will blossom into deeply rooted careers caring for California’s parks and public lands.” Grant funding is supported in part by State Parks’ Waterway Connections Initiative – part of the California Natural Resources Agency’s Outdoors for All Initiative – which focuses on expanding access to rivers, lakes and other inland waterways, including through workforce development. The Career Pathways grants program will provide approximately $5 million through 2029 to support the planning, development and implementation of workforce training programs statewide. “Careers in parks and public lands should be visible and accessible to everyone, not just those who already have a connection to these spaces,” said Kindley Walsh Lawlor, president and CEO of Parks California . “Career Pathways opens doors by creating real opportunities for people to gain experience and build necessary skills. By investing in community and tribal partners, we’re helping ensure future park leaders reflect the diversity of California.” “Expanding access to the outdoors also means expanding access to the careers that care for these places,” said California Secretary for Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot . “Programs like Career Pathways help connect Californians – especially those from underserved communities – to real opportunities to care for public lands, building a workforce that reflects our entire state and is prepared to meet California’s climate and conservation goals.” In addition to providing hands-on experiences, Career Pathways grantees also connect participants to job networks and provide career advice and additional resources, such as equipment, wages, meals and travel reimbursement. 2026 Career Pathways Grantees include: Lomakatsi Restoration Project – Northeastern California – Planning and Development grantee: Works with the Ajumawi Band of the Pit River Tribe and State Parks to develop a tribal workforce training program and restoration plan at Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park, focused on reducing wildfire risk, improving ecological health, enhancing First Foods and other cultural resources, and creating career pathways for tribal young adults. Foundation for California Community Colleges – Statewide – Planning and Development grantee: Works with community colleges and State Parks to create training and internship opportunities that help build pathways to careers in interpretation, education, facilities and maintenance. Borrego Village Association – Inland Empire – Implementation grantee: Provides high school students with hands-on training and internships at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, including field-based learning, park operations experience and industry-recognized certifications. Eastern Sierra Conservation Corps – Eastern Sierra – Implementation grantee: Offers a paid apprenticeship for corpsmembers to work alongside State Parks trail crews on large-scale projects, building leadership skills and hands-on experience to prepare for careers in park operations and conservation. --------------------- “The program allows us to provide an innovative initiative that prepares students and helps them gain the skills needed for careers with California State Parks, as well as in hospitality, public service and environmental interpretation,” said Jim Dion, executive director of Borrego Village Association . “Students in isolated communities such as ours often face limited access to career exploration opportunities, professional certifications and paid work-based learning. With this support, we can address these gaps by providing structured pathways into local and regional employment, particularly in public lands management, tourism and community-based organizations.” -------------------- “The funding from Parks California allows us to design an innovative pilot program to connect California State Parks with nearby California Community Colleges," said Courtney Cagle, workforce development manager at the Foundation for California Community Colleges. “With this support, we can build a robust pipeline of well-trained students to fill needed roles in education and interpretation, and facilities and maintenance at State Parks, while providing them the support to access sustainable and meaningful career pathways.”” A complete list of 2026 Career Pathways grants recipients is available online . Organizations have worked in partnership with selected state parks to implement multi-month training programs that provide participants with on-the-ground experiences. Results Snapshot 2024 Career Pathways grants program by the numbers: $1.7 million-plus invested in local partners. 15 grantees statewide. Approximately 250 participants. 93 percent of participants expressed interest in future parks careers. “I look at this program as a second chance for me and for other people who may not have the same opportunities as others, like getting a high school diploma,” said Julian Garcia, a 2024 Career Pathways participant with grantee Greater Valley Conservation Corps . “I get a lot of hands-on training with a lot of equipment that we run on projects and work sites. This program is really going to help me get to where I need to be in life.” Contact: California State Parks Newsroom@parks.ca.gov Parks California Media@parkscalifornia.org

New sign by artist John Richen is planned for installation before Borrego Days weekend 

Borrego Springs, CA, May 2nd, 2026 by Jim Dion The Borrego Springs High School Interpretation Course and Internship Program is an innovative Career Technical Education (CTE) initiative that prepares students for careers in hospitality, public service, and environmental interpretation. Launched in the 2019–2020 school year, the program integrates classroom instruction, industry-recognized certification, and hands-on internships. It is implemented through the Borrego Springs Unified School District and aligned with its Hospitality CTE pathway. Students in isolated communities such as ours often face limited access to career exploration opportunities, professional certifications, and paid work-based learning experiences. This program addresses those gaps by providing structured pathways into local and regional employment sectors, particularly within public lands management, tourism, and community-based organizations. The program is a two-year sequence: Year 1: Certification and Coursework Students complete an in-class, for-credit course culminating in interpretive guide and host certification through the National Association for Interpretation. Participants also earn Emergency First Aid and CPR certification through American CPR Training. Year 2: Paid Internship Experience Students who successfully complete Year 1 transition into internships conducted in partnership with Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Interns rotate through operational units, gaining exposure to park management, visitor services, and interpretive programming. Additional placements include the Borrego Water District, Anza-Borrego Foundation, and Borrego Art Institute. Goals and Objectives of the Program Provide students with industry-recognized certifications and workforce-ready skills Expand access to paid, career-aligned internship opportunities Increase awareness of careers in public lands, hospitality, and local government Strengthen partnerships between schools, public agencies, and community organizations Outcomes and Impact By the end of the 2025–2026 school year, 75 students will have completed the certification and internship program Students gain hands-on experience, professional mentorship, and exposure to career pathways The program has demonstrated sustained student interest and strong community support Funding and Sustainability The Borrego Village Association recently secured a grant from Parks California, securing funding through the 2028 school year. This funding enables the program to provide paid internship opportunities, ensuring equitable access for all students. Additional support is, and has been since 2018, provided by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, Borrego Springs Rotary Foundation, Borrego Springs Education Foundation, and the Borrego Valley Endowment Fund. Program Leadership and Partnerships The program is led by local educator Stacy Valdez and supported by district leadership and community partners, including California State Parks. We greatly appreciate California State Parks - Colorado Desert District Supervisor, Ray Lennox for his dedication to making this program a success and making available his staff and resources, to support the youth of our community. These collaborations ensure high-quality instruction, mentorship, and real-world learning experiences. An Opportunity for Students! Due to demonstrated success, the program will continue into the 2026–2027 academic year, expanding to serve new cohorts of sophomores, juniors, and seniors. If you are a student at Borrego Springs High School that is interested in participating in this two year CTE, for credit course elective, please contact Borrego Springs Hogh School Principal Victoria Baay.