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.

Shandel Sutherland • July 29, 2024

Haunting of the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

Have You Heard the Tales of Anza-Borrego's Hauntings?

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, a vast playground for outdoor enthusiasts, might hold more than just stunning vistas and diverse wildlife. According to the popular YouTube channel Fright Night Scares, the park is shrouded in a number of chilling legends and ghost stories.

Fright Night, known for delving into the unexplained and spooky, takes a trip to Anza-Borrego to explore its rumored paranormal activity.

A Rich History, A Restless Past?

The video dives into Anza-Borrego's rich history, highlighting the presence of Native American tribes like the Cahuilla, Kumeyaay, and Cupeno for thousands of years. It then explores the park's designation in 1941 and its transformation into a popular recreation area.

Fright Night's Spooky Rundown

The video details several spine-tingling tales associated with specific locations within the park:

The Yaqui Well: This well is said to be haunted by the spectral forms of three immigrants who perished on their journey. On hot summer nights, some claim to see them dancing near the well.

Vallecito Station: This station is rumored to be a hotspot for paranormal activity. Stories abound of restless spirits, including a double homicide and a spectral white horse said to lead treasure hunters to a hidden bounty. There's also the tale of the "White Lady of Vallecito," believed to be the spirit of Eileen O'Connor who passed away in 1850.

The Phantom Prospector: Between the Superstition Mountains and 17 Palms, a legend speaks of a giant, eight-foot skeleton with a lantern in its chest. This wandering soul, possibly a prospector searching for a lost mine or his final resting place, is said to pose no threat but remains a spooky encounter.

The Carrizo Wash Phantom Stagecoach: This stretch is rumored to be haunted by a spectral stagecoach pulled by four ghostly mules and driven by a hunched figure. The stagecoach reportedly appears after dark, stopping briefly where the Carrizo Station once stood before vanishing again.

The Ghost Lights of Borrego: These unexplained floating fireballs have been reported for centuries, with the first documented sighting dating back to 1858. Witnessed by stagecoach drivers, explorers, and others, these lights remain a mystery even today.

Intrigued?

If you're a fan of ghost stories and the unexplained, head over to Fright Night Scares' YouTube channel to watch more videos and delve deeper into chilling legends and lore. These might just be stories, but they add a unique flavor to the park's already rich history.

Find Scorpions with the Vansky UV Flashlight Black Light

Learn More About Borrego Springs and Beyond!

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Borrego Springs, a quaint town nestled in California's Coachella Valley, is making headlines for an unusual reason: it's now the proud location of the world’s largest tennis ball.

Yaqui Well Ghost Legend | Anza Borrego Mysteries

By Shandel Sutherland • January 7, 2024

Uncover the ghostly tales of Yaqui Well & mysterious lights near Oriflamme Mountain. Read more about Borrego Springs' haunting legends.

Close-up of an elephant’s wrinkled face, with only the eyes visible in shadow.

Shadows in the Desert: High Strangeness in the Borrego Triangle

By Shandel Sutherland • January 6, 2024

A Gateway to the Unknown: The Borrego Triangle Nestled in the heart of Southern California's Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is a zone steeped in mystery and unexplained phenomena, known as the Borrego Triangle. Coined by paranormal researchers David Flora and Derek Hayes in 2019, this region has become a focal point for those intrigued by the unordinary. Stretching from Hemet to the western edges of the Salton Sea and down to the US-Mexico border near Jacumba Hot Springs, the Borrego Triangle is a tapestry of enigmatic tales and sightings. A Canvas of Mysteries The Borrego Triangle is a melting pot of paranormal activities, ranging from Sasquatch sightings to spine-chilling ghost stories and UFO encounters. An article in the 1964 Desert Magazine brought to light a retired U.S. Marine's encounter with giant humanoid footprints in this desert. The area has since been a hub for both local and visitor accounts of UFO sightings, and ghostly tales have been part of its lore since the 19th century. "Shadows in the Desert": A Paranormal Deep-Dive Borrego Springs residents and enthusiasts of the unknown, mark your calendars for March 5, 2024! The feature-length documentary "Shadows in the Desert: High Strangeness in the Borrego Triangle" promises to take you on a journey through this mysterious region. Crafted by the minds behind the Monsters Among Us and Blurry Photos podcasts, this documentary explores the myriad of unexplained events that have occurred in the Borrego Triangle. Visit this website to learn about streaming information: WHERE TO STREAM For more updates and details about the documentary, you can follow the Monsters Among Us Podcast on their Instagram at @monstersamonguspodcast . Keep an eye on their posts for more information about the TV release and any additional details they share leading up to the premiere.