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 24, 2026

Summer Milky Way Season Returns to Borrego Springs with Night Sky Tours

Reserve a guided night sky tour with astronomer Dennis Mammana

Summer Milky Way season is returning to Borrego Springs, bringing some of the year's best opportunities to explore the night sky. Deep within the glowing band of the Milky Way are stellar nurseries, sparkling star clusters, colorful nebulae, and the remnants of long-dead stars waiting to be discovered.

Astronomer Dennis Mammana is once again offering personalized telescopic tours of the cosmos under the dark skies of the Anza-Borrego Desert. With limited summer dates available, visitors are encouraged to make reservations early through Borrego Night Sky Tours.

Borrego Springs is known for having some of the best stargazing conditions of any community in the United States. The combination of dry desert air, minimal light pollution, and more than 300 clear nights each year has made the community a destination for astronomy enthusiasts from around the world.

Borrego Springs was designated California's first International Dark Sky Community in 2009 by the International Dark-Sky Association, recognizing the community's commitment to protecting and restoring natural darkness. The surrounding Anza-Borrego Desert State Park was later designated an International Dark Sky Park in 2018, helping preserve some of the darkest skies in Southern California.

The community has earned national recognition for its stargazing opportunities. Over the years, Borrego Springs has been featured by USA Today, KCET, Afar Magazine, The Active Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, Livability, and Time Out, which ranked Borrego Springs among America's top summer stargazing destinations.

For more than five decades, Dennis Mammana has shared the wonder of astronomy through writing, photography, lectures, planetarium productions, television appearances, and guided sky tours. An astronomy writer, lecturer, and internationally recognized night sky photographer, Mammana has authored books and hundreds of articles on astronomy and has led observing tours on six continents.

His astrophotography has been featured numerous times as NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day, and he is one of only a handful of American members of The World at Night (TWAN), an international team of leading night sky photographers.

Visitors interested in experiencing Borrego Springs' dark skies can learn more or reserve a tour at:

borregonightskytours.com

Whether you're an experienced observer or simply curious about the universe above, summer Milky Way season offers one of the most spectacular natural displays visible from the desert.

Getting Here

Borrego Springs is an easy desert getaway from major Southern California destinations:

San Diego: approximately 2 hours
Palm Springs: approximately 1 hour 30 minutes
Los Angeles: approximately 4 hours

Looking for local tips while you're in Borrego Springs? Reach out to us for ideas on lodging, restaurants, attractions, events, and things to do while you're in town.

>> Learn More About Dennis Mammana

Learn More About Borrego Springs

New True Crime Book Explores Murders With Anza Desert Connection

By Andrea McKenna • September 17, 2026

Los Angeles in the 1950s drew young women with promises of work, independence, and a chance at something bigger. Harvey Glatman saw an opportunity of another kind.

Annual Trunk-or-Treat Returns to The Mall in Borrego Springs

By Andrea McKenna • September 17, 2026

Family event will feature games, a puppet show, hayride, food, go-kart races and an evening Youth Zone The Christian Center will host its annual Harvest Festival on Saturday, Oct. 31, from 4 to 6 p.m., offering an afternoon of family-friendly activities for children and families in Borrego Springs. The festival will feature Bible-based games, a Gospel Castle, puppet show, hayride and go-kart races, along with free candy. Food and drinks will also be available for purchase, including hot dogs, chili dogs, nachos, Gatorade, soda and water. After the main festival activities conclude, the Christian Center’s Youth Zone will remain open from 6 to 8 p.m. for students in grades 6 through 12, with additional activities including go-kart races. The Christian Center is located at 675 Weather Vane Drive, Borrego Springs. For additional information, call 760-767-7447. Event Details: Saturday, Oct. 31, 4–6 p.m.; Youth Zone for grades 6–12 from 6–8 p.m.; Christian Center, 675 Weather Vane Drive, Borrego Springs. >> LEARN MORE