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 • September 4, 2026

‘Wolves and Wine’ gala on Oct. 17 to celebrate California Wolf Center’s work, expansion

Source: East County News Services

New digs are coming for the California Wolf Center, and the Julian-based nonprofit is ready to show off its expanding footprint next month at its annual “Wolves and Wine” event.

The fundraiser will be held from 2 to 6 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 17, at its recently acquired spot, Mariposa Ranch.

The event will be held at the ranch at 4859 Highway 79, less than two miles from California Wolf Center’s longtime home in Julian, and will feature local barbeque from Mar & Ember paired with local beverages from Blue Door Winery, Julian Beer Co., Nickel Beer Company, Julian Hard Cider and Julian Cider Mill.

Guests will be treated to live musical performances by Elizabeth Bowersox and MadBusker, as well as interactive, live performance art by Jimmy Ovadia. The afternoon will also include a keynote address, live and silent auctions, and raffles to support wolf recovery and human-wildlife coexistence programs.

While the wine and entertainment are a major draw, the highlight of the 2026 gala is the celebration of the Center’s visionary new expansion at Mariposa Ranch — part of the organization’s “Guardians of the Wild” capital campaign.

For almost 50 years, the California Wolf Center has been a leading voice for predator conservation.

Founded in 1977, the organization began with just two North American gray wolves and has since grown into one of the nation’s most respected wildlife advocacy facilities. The Mariposa Ranch expansion will allow the nonprofit to build expansive, naturalistic habitats for its resident wolves, and eventually allow it to expand its educational mission to include other native California apex predators like mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes and foxes.

The expansion marks a new chapter in the Center’s long history of impactful conservation work, which is primarily focused on Mexican gray wolf recovery and California wild wolf recovery.

Tickets and more information for the event are available on the California Wolf Center’s website at californiawolfcenter.org/wolvesandwine.

Learn More About Borrego Springs

A Conversation About Community: Martha Deichler on Opportunity in Borrego Springs

By Andrea McKenna • August 30, 2026

Borrego Sun youth intern Mia Garcia talks with Martha Deichler about the Community Resource Center, the people it serves and what Borrego Springs needs for the future. When Martha Deichler first came to Borrego Springs about 20 years ago to work as an elementary school principal, she quickly noticed something that would shape much of her work in the community: opportunities and services readily available in larger cities were often difficult to access in Borrego Springs. Deichler went on to serve as superintendent of the Borrego Springs Unified School District. After retiring, she found she wasn’t ready to stop working for the community. “There’s just too much work to do,” she told Borrego Sun youth intern Mia Garcia during a recent interview at the Borrego Springs Community Resource Center. That work became especially urgent during the COVID-19 pandemic. As residents lost jobs and struggled to navigate unemployment, vaccinations and online government services, a local food distribution effort began growing into something much larger. Computers were made available to help residents access online services, and assistance expanded to include unemployment applications, English classes, employment resources and other programs. Today, the Borrego Springs Community Resource Center connects residents with a wide range of services and opportunities. Deichler said the center helps connect people with programs including CalFresh, Medi-Cal and CalWORKs, while also providing classes, community activities and access to visiting county services. But for Deichler, the impact is best understood through individual lives. She recalled watching a local worker improve his English and advance from dishwasher to busser, then waiter and eventually cook. “That’s what we’re about,” Deichler said, “giving people the opportunities they need to go to the next step of success in their life.” Why Borrego? Garcia also asked Deichler what she loves most about Borrego Springs. Her answer came quickly. “I came out here to work because I love the desert,” Deichler said. “I knew nothing about the people, but I stay because I love the people.” She recalled another resident who once asked where she could learn English. With access to classes and continued education, the woman eventually learned enough English to work for the school district, drive a school bus and advance in her career. She later purchased a home, and her daughter went on to graduate from UCLA. For Deichler, stories like that demonstrate what community support can accomplish. “You can make a difference and you can see it,” she said. One Gift for Borrego Springs Garcia ended the interview with a bigger question: If you could give the Borrego Springs community one gift, what would it be? Deichler chose transportation. She envisions a reliable transportation system that would allow young people — and adults — to reach educational and workforce opportunities outside Borrego Springs, including College of the Desert and Imperial Valley College. Her concern is not simply helping young people leave Borrego. It is giving them the ability to gain skills and education and then bring those opportunities home. “You need to be able to get out, get what you need, but come back and live in this beautiful place,” Deichler said. For Garcia, the interview offered a firsthand look at how one community organization — and the people behind it — can help create opportunities in a geographically isolated town. It also underscored a theme that runs throughout Deichler’s work: sometimes helping a person take one next step can change much more than one moment in their life.