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.

East County News Services • June 19, 2026

Padilla bill would strengthen grid stability and prevent outages from California wildfires

Source: East County News Services

(Washington D.C.) — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) introduced legislation that would reauthorize the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program at the Department of Energy to help strengthen electric grid infrastructure against extreme weather.

“As we continue to grapple with threats to the electric grid from extreme weather, investing in projects to improve the flexibility and resiliency of the power system is crucial,” said Senator Padilla. “The GRIP program is a major success, driving improvements and innovation to make the electric grid more secure and efficient. Our bipartisan effort will continue to help us keep the lights on and keep costs down for future generations.”

“Texas is no stranger to extreme weather events, and it’s imperative that we have the infrastructure capable of withstanding the gamut of everything from freezing cold temperatures to sweltering heat waves, flooding, and devastating wildfires,” said Senator Cornyn. “This bipartisan legislation would reauthorize the grid resilience program Senator Padilla and I created, which is essential to preventing outages and ensuring Texans can depend on the power they need to weather any storm.”

When the Cornyn-Padilla Preventing Outages With Enhanced Resilience and Operations Nationwide (POWER ON) Act was introduced, California faced some of the largest, record-breaking wildfires in state history. Six of the top 10 most destructive fires in California occurred in the past three years and at least three of those fires were triggered by utility equipment. Additionally, from 2013 to the end of 2019, California experienced over 57,000 wildfires and the three large energy companies in the state conducted 33 public safety power shutoffs. Millions of Californians were left without power for days on end, leaving communities at risk.

The legislation was signed into law by President Biden in 2021 as part of the historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act with $5 billion authorized over five years to help prevent blackouts, shutoffs, and utility-caused wildfires. The law established the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program at the DOE to provide critical resources to help states weatherize electric grids.

Padilla has been a consistent and vocal advocate for the need to strengthen our electrical grid. Last year, Padilla led California lawmakers in denouncing the DOE’s cuts of $7.6 billion in critical grants for energy projects across California and the country. DOE’s list of cuts includes 79 projects and over $3.3 billion in investment across California, with over $2 billion in projects eliminated from Republican-represented districts in California. In 2024, Padilla announced $600 million in federal funding for California to upgrade 100 miles of transmission lines to improve the state’s grid reliability and deliver clean, affordable electricity faster.