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 • September 22, 2026

The History of The Mall in Borrego Springs

Source: Borrego Sun newspaper clipping, reproduced from Borrego Modern’s “Richard Zerbe – The Mall” by Bill Lawrence.

Mid-century design and a community vision that began in 1965.

The Mall has been part of Borrego Springs’ story for more than 60 years. Originally developed as the Borrego Springs Shopping Center and Villas Borrego Apartments, it brought shops, services and housing together on a 20-acre site between Palm Canyon Drive and Country Club Drive.

Announced in the Borrego Sun in 1965, the development represented an investment of more than $1 million. George Kuhrts led the project, with backing from Robert DiGiorgio and A.A. Burnand. At the time, the DiGiorgio Corporation held extensive land in the valley, including vineyards producing table grapes.

The original development included:

A shopping mall, bank and gas station
28 apartments, later converted to condominiums
Two swimming pools
Buildings designed through a collaboration involving Richard “Dick” Zerbe, Raymond Lee Eggers, and Joseph Pisciotti and Associates

Construction began in October 1965, with P.H. Lusardi Co. serving as the builder. These early details are documented in Borrego Modern’s history of The Mall.

A connection to Borrego’s architectural heritage

Richard Zerbe helped shape the look of Borrego Springs during the 1950s and 1960s. Before becoming an architect, he studied aeronautical engineering and worked in San Diego’s aircraft industry. He later established his design and construction practice in Julian.

His work in the Borrego Valley included nearly 50 homes and apartments, numerous commercial projects, and the de Anza Country Club clubhouse and Fairway Cottages. His designs combined clean lines, extensive glass and outdoor connections with attention to the desert climate. Learn more about Zerbe at Borrego Modern.

Why The Mall faces Country Club Drive

The Mall’s orientation reflects an early plan for the road into Borrego Springs.

According to architect Lee Eggers, as documented by Borrego Modern, Montezuma Grade was expected to connect to Christmas Circle by way of Country Club Drive. The shopping center was designed to face that anticipated traffic.

The road’s eventual route instead connected with Palm Canyon Drive at Hoberg Road. The Mall’s orientation remained unchanged—a lasting reminder of how differently downtown might have developed.

A time capsule and a look toward the future

In December 1965, developers and community members gathered to seal a time capsule intended to be opened in 2000. Local elementary and high school students were invited to imagine Borrego’s future in an essay contest.

The winning entry, written by Borrego Springs High School junior Levina Houck, envisioned:

A monorail crossing the mountains to the coast
Skyscrapers surrounding Christmas Circle
Water filling Clark Dry Lake
A smaller state park

The contest offered a $100 savings bond and placement of the winning essay in the capsule. Participants in the ceremony included Robert DiGiorgio, A.A.

Burnand, George Kuhrts and his wife, builder Werner Lusardi, architect Richard Zerbe, and W.A. Patterson, president of de Anza Country Club and chairman of United Airlines. Borrego Modern recounts the ceremony and essay contest.

Preserving The Mall’s character

Following the DiGiorgio Company’s departure from Borrego, The Mall was acquired by Cameron Brothers Construction.

In 2014, Jim and Anne Wermers purchased The Mall and began substantial renovations. Their work addressed deferred maintenance while preserving the property’s mid-century modern design, continuing its role as a gathering place for businesses, services and the community.

Historical research and content credited to Bill Lawrence and Borrego Modern, “Richard Zerbe – The Mall”, with additional background from “Richard Zerbe, AIA.” Adapted for The Mall website.

Get the book: Borrego Beginnings: Early Days in the Borrego Valley, 1910-1960