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.

Andrea McKenna • June 29, 2026

Father Emilio Magaña Named New Pastor of St. Richard Parish

New leadership begins for St. Richard Parish and Christ the King Mission.

Beginning July 1, 2026, Father Emilio Magaña will become the new pastor of St. Richard Parish in Borrego Springs. Father Magaña, who currently serves at St. Mark's Parish in San Marcos, will also oversee Christ the King Mission in Desert Shores as part of his new assignment.

St. Richard Parish has been part of the Borrego Springs community for more than 75 years. The parish traces its beginnings to 1949, when the Diocese of San Diego established a Catholic mission to serve the growing desert community. The church was dedicated on April 25, 1954, and has served generations of residents and visitors ever since.

Father Magaña currently serves at St. Mark's Parish in San Marcos and will officially assume leadership of St. Richard Parish. His assignment also includes Christ the King Mission in Desert Shores, extending his ministry to Catholic communities throughout the eastern desert region.

Before entering the seminary, Father Magaña worked for the San Diego Police Department, focusing on juvenile crime, auto theft investigations, and incarcerated youth. Although he found success in his career, he later shared that he felt called to something more.

Saint Richard Catholic Church - 611 Church Ln, Borrego Springs, CA 92004

"I felt something was missing," Father Magaña said in an interview before his ordination. Through prayer, guidance from priests, and his work with the Diocese of San Diego's Office for Youth and Young Adults, he realized he was being called to the priesthood.

He was ordained for the Diocese of San Diego in 2003 after completing his studies at the University of San Diego and St. John's Seminary in Camarillo.

Father Magaña’s new assignment includes both St. Richard Parish and Christ the King Mission, serving Catholic communities in Borrego Springs and Desert Shores.

The Diocese's assignment marks a new chapter for St. Richard Parish as Father Magaña begins serving the Borrego Springs community.