There’s so many fantastic things to do in Borrego Springs and the Anza Borrego Desert State Park, that I’m kicking myself that it took myself almost a decade to get down to this slice of Southern California.
Easily overlooked for Palm Springs and Joshua Tree, Borrego Springs is a quirky little desert town just under 2 hours drive from San Diego. It’s filled with some of the most jaw dropping desert landscapes, beautiful wildflower blooms in spring, endless starry nights without light pollution, and hidden gems like a giant dragon metal sculpture that feels like it was plucked from Game of Thrones.
i just spent a marvelous weekend in Borrego Springs with my friend Justina and I can’t wait to share all my favorite things to do in Anza Borrego State Park and the area!!
Best Time To Visit Borrego Springs
Borrego Springs is a desert town and it gets insanely hot here in the summer (easily 110 degrees!) It can also be very windy, when we visited one afternoon in certain parts of the park, the wind was over 40mph. So, you will have to check weather and plan a trip to Borrego Springs that is safe for you and your group based on your outdoor skill levels and comfort with elements like heat and wind.
Personally I think March is the best time to visit Anza Borrego due to the wildflower blooms. But winter in general is a great tie to visit since the temperatures are cooler and the rain actually can help to pack down dirt roads to make them easier to drive on if you don’t have a jeep.
Just, I would avoid summer unless you don’t plan on being outside that much, or doing early morning and evening hikes to avoid the extreme temperatures.
Tip: Rent A 4WD Drive Or Bring A Jeep
Justina and I live in San Francisco, flew down to San Diego, rented a car and drove the 2 hours to Borrego Springs. We had some issues with our car rental (I reserved a 4WD, they didn’t have any and the only thing they had on hand was a 2WD sports car).
We took the sports car but even with 2WD, we were limited on what we could see and do safely in the park. There are a ton of dirt roads, roads washed out by sand and spots that are easy to get stuck in.
If you can, rent a 4WD vehicle for optimal exploration, especially if you plan on tackling off-road trails or visiting Font’s Point. I have more info on that below but next time we’re gonna try and rent a jeep to maximize what we can see!
Important! Talk To A Ranger Before Off Roading! 🚨
Before I get onto the tips, I have to stress safety here! This park is HUGE, It’s actually the largest state park in the state and a lot of it is way out in the desert without cell service. Stop by the visitor center to chat with a ranger about your plans in Borrego Valley before running off.
I was so glad we chatted to a ranger. At first we thought we could drive to Font’s Point lookout, but they told us right now the road had too much sand on it to drive. So then we planned on hiking the next day, but that day we chatted to a ranger who looked very freaked out when we said we wanted to hike — apparently winds were up to 40mph over there and he asked us not to go. So we changed our plans. Be safe!
Top Hidden Gems & Unique Things To Do In Borrego Springs, California
1. Spot California Poppy Wildflower Fields
Justina and I love wildflower hunting (in fact I have a guide to all the best California wildflower destinations you can use to plan fun flower trips for yourself!)
We travel all over the state to view blooms and have had Anza Borrego’s poppies on our bucket list forever. We used the Anza Borrego Desert Natural History Association wildflower report and Facebook groups to monitor bloom reports to time our visit for the first weekend in March.
It’s best to use the reports to figure out where blooms are happening each year, as they can vary, but always expect to find beautiful poppy fields at the Henderson Canyon Road Wildflower Area. It’s the best wildflower viewing spots in Anza-Borrego during spring.
This are is just outside of town and has a huge, flat road with tons of easy parking so you can view the flowers without hiking in! I recommend coming at sunrise if you want to photograph the blooms. We lucked out on the morning we visited. We rolled out of bed at 5am, drove over and had the whole place to ourselves for at least 45 minutes.
But, the real highlight was this crazy rainbow appearing out of nowhere around 6am!! We got these insane photos with the flowers, rainbow and soft pink sunrise sky. It felt like a movie.
2. Hike Slot Canyon
This slot canyon trail is straight of a Dune movie, I swear. From above it looks like normal landscape until you get right on the brim of the canyon and look down. It’s one of the best easy hikes near Borrego Springs despite it looking intimidating.
The canyon walls are over 40 feet and the trail winds around large rock formations, sometimes so narrow you really have to squeeze. But it’s not like the caving I did in Bend, Oregon’s Lava Tub Caves, you can see the sky the entire time here.
There is a small slope down to the canyon floor but otherwise it’s a pretty flat trail, so it’s very friendly to all sorts of age groups. We saw small children do this hike! I honestly can’t wait to come back and hike this again, it felt like nature’s playground.
There’s a lot of fun Anza Borrego State Park things to do but I think the slot canyons are by far my favorite.
3. See The Anza Badlands Viewpoint And Hike
When I hear “Badlands” I always think of South Daktoka, but Anza Borrego has its own Badlands area!! This is where you will find all the insane natural landscapes with slot canyons and hills that look like they are rippling across the desert.
One sunset evening, we were driving along S22 Hwy and stopped at the Badlands Viewpoint, a small turnout with a secret view you’ll love. You can hike down into part of the canyon from here, or just admire the insane views from above. Sunrise and Sunset is the most magical time to explore this area, but you can come any time of day.
4. Explore The Salton Sea
The famous Salton Sea is about 32 miles East of Borrego Springs, and I’ve never been there before I just had to check it out while visiting. The Salton Sea was formed in 1905 when an irrigation canal overflowed and formed the lake. It was once a thriving desert lake community with quirky hotels and dining, but now it’s mostly abandoned as the lake is now toxic due to agricultural runoff.
Today, the sea is shrinking, though it’s still very massive for a random desert lake. Salvation Mountain, which you have probably seen on Instagram, is on the otherside of the Salton Sea along with the Salton Sea State Recreation Area. Disclaimer: it does not smell good at all points of the lake, and it can get very windy up there, but if you have extra time in your itinerary I do recommend a visit to this unique part of California’s history.
5. Off Road At Ocotillo Wells SVRA
85,000 acres of desert, plus many more if you count nearby BLM Land, are available for off road vehicle exploration. When Justina and I were driving out to the Salton Sea we pass this huge community around the Truckhaven At Ocotillo Wells State Vehicle Recreation Area. It had very Mad Max vibes: hundreds of RVs, dirt bikes, ATVs and people driving around with bandanas on their face to protect from dust.
If you have an ATV, you’re going to have so much fun exploring this area. Next time we visit, I think we’ll be renting a bike from this company so we can also explore all the parts of the desert you can’t reach by car (like Devil’s Slide, Blowsand Hill, The Pumpkin Patch, or Shell Reef.
Other than Pismo Beach Oceano Dunes, I can’t think of another SVRA like this in the state.
6. View Ricardo Breceda’s Metal Sculptures
You’ve probably seen photos of the famous metal sculptures dotting the desert around Anza Borrego, the most famous being the dragon. These are created by Ricardo Breceda and he’s installed over 130 metal sculptures all around Borrego Valley (130!!!)
Most of them are in the Galleta Meadows area. The Dragon is my favorite, as it’s huge and looks like something The Mother Of Dragons would approve of. (Techinally it’s called the Serpent Sculpture but I think it’s a dragon).
The dying Dinosaur, Elephants, Scorpion, and Stallions are also pretty cool. You can easily find most of them by driving around Borrego Springs Road.
7. Hike To Font’s Point
Ahh, the elusive Font’s Point! This is THE lookout point in the desert, allowing you the view the famous ripping landscapes of the Borrego Badlands from above.
It’s also hard to get to, and as I mentioned above we weren’t able to make it on this trip. If you have an ATV or experience using a Jeep on sand (letting air out of the tires, etc) you can easily drive up to Font’s Point trailhead and then walk a little ways to the viewpoint. If you are lucky and visit after it recently rained and the road is packed down, you can probably use a truck or other 4WD to drive to the trailhead.
Otherwise, you have to hike in. It’s 4 miles each way, but keep in mind the hike in is all on sand which can be very tiring to walk on. There is also little shade out there, and it can get very windy.
8. Take A Jeep Tour In Anza Borrego’s Desert
If hiking to Font’s Point doesn’t sound fun, but you still want the thrill of this iconic viewpoint (or just want to explore the miles and miles of desert you can’t reach by car) then take a Jeep tour! California Overland offers private and public truck / Jeep tours into the desert, which is seriously so cool.
You can do an overnight camping trip, or set itinerary excursion. Justina and I weren’t able to get ourselves on a tour last minute for our trip but have this high on our list to do next time we visit! Imagine being able to camp out in the stars!! They also over sunset dinners in the desert, where they provide gourmet food after a 3 hour tour. Yes yes YES!
9. Hike To Palm Canyon Oasis
We almost didn’t go to Palm Canyon Trail since we thought we were hiking to Font’s Point instead, but did this hike and I loved it! I’m so happy we didn’t miss it.
The Anza Borrego Palm Canyon Oasis hike is about 3 miles round trip and a fairly easy hike (though it would suck in the summer since there isn’t much shade). It starts at the base of the mountain and winds up to a secret Palm Tree grove banking a small river. There’s even a cool waterfall here you can view!!
If you do hike in the summer, I would recommend wearing a swimsuit and cooling off in the pools up around the palms. I saw someone do that on TikTok and it looked so refreshing!
If you are looking for more waterfall hikes, there’s also the Hellhole Canyon Hike to Maidenhair Falls. We didn’t do this one, as we got the waterfall on Palm Canyon but this hike is very popular as well! Hellhole Canyon Trail is about 5 miles round trip vs 3.
10. Look For Big Horn Sheep
You may noticing that the Borrego Spring logo has a Big Horn Sheep on it, and there’s tons of Big Horn Sheep’s visible on local business signs and decor. That’s because there’s tons of wild Big Horn Sheep that roam the mountains!
We didn’t spot any on our trip, they are wildlife after all and can’t be scheduled. But ask a manager where they have been spotted the most recently and see if you get lucky!
11. Artisan Shopping In Borrego Springs
Borrego Springs is small, but there are some cool art galleries and other shops to visit! Handmade ceramics, thrift stores, metal sculuptres and more. They are all “downtown” along Palm Canyon Drive. Start at the Borrego Springs Mall at the Outfitters and then make your way to the galleries along the road.
12. Stargazing In Anza Borrego
The Dark Sky Community loves the Borrego Desert as there’s very little light pollution out here, which makes for awesome stargazing!! You can do it yourself anywhere but I recommend booking a spot on the Borrego Night Tours, which host a few stargazing events a month.
There’s an astronomer who runs the tour and helps you identify plants and stars. On a good night, you can even see the Milky Way from here!! If you are doing weekend getaway from San Diego to Anza-Borrego to escape the city lights, this is a great chance to stargaze!
13. Explore The Wind Caves
Near the Elephant Knees formation and Fish Creek Wash is the famous Wind Caves, rock caves formed by wind erosion! It’s pretty much all uphill of a hike, varying 1-2 miles depending on where you park your car (again, it’s only safe to drive closer if you have four wheel drive!)
But this is a short hike in general and makes a really lovely spot that gets you out into the Badlands.
Note About The Pumpkin Patch
A popular spot you may see a lot on other Anza Borrego travel guides is the Pumpkin Patch, a large desert “field” full of round rocks that look a little like pumpkins.
We asked the ranger about this and she recommended we did not go, as it’s very misleading. Apparently there is a huge fence around the Pumpkin Patch so you can’t get close to them. And the road in is like Font’s Point: sandy and you need off roading experience to enter. If you are set on visiting, chat to a ranger first. We opted to skip it.
@whimsysoul INSANE secret slot canyons in Southern California!! 😱 I had so much fun hiking these slot canyons in Anza Borrego Desert State Park earlier this month with @Justina Vanessa You drop in and suddenly are transported to a different world (low key felt like Dune), and get to hike along the canyon floor with 40+ foot stone walls on either side. I loved squeezing around the rock formations and narrow paths. Don’t forget to look up for equally insane views! Add the slot canyons in Anza Borrego on your California bucket list and follow me (Kara!) for more travel tips ❤️ #anzaborrego #slotcanyon #southercalifornia #sandiego #sandiegocounty #desert #whimsysoultravels #visitcalifornia #californiaoutdoors #wildcalifornia #rawcalifornia #californiaholics #california_igers #california4fun #californiacaptures #conquer_ca #explorecalifornia #caligrammers #californialove #unlimitedcalifornia #californiaadventure #borregosprings #hiking #dune ♬ Resurrection – Hans Zimmer
Where To Stay In Borrego Springs – Best Hotels & Campsites
Despite being a small town, there’s some really cool spots to book in Borrego Springs!
Hacienda Del Sol
Justina and I rented this adorable retro roadside motel right downtown. It’s currently undergoing renovations, transforming old cabins into chic, breezy desert getaways. We booked a cabin and I was impressed by how big it was, complete with a fridge, stove, coffee maker, plenty of storage and A/C.
The lobby was very cute and it even has pool for hot days! The best part was it’s enough to Christmas Circle and other restaurants so we could easily walk everywhere at night instead of driving.
Coyote Canyon Campsite
If you’re a camper, Coyote Canyon is a very popular campground! We drove by it and it was very well maintained, good bathrooms and sites were spaced out well. You can find more information about camping in Anza Borrego on the state park website.
Other campsites include:
- Palm Canyon Campground
- Vern Whitaker Horse Camp
- Tamarisk Grove Campground (Big Horn Sheep sometimes hang out here!)
- Blair Valley Primitive Campground
- Fish Wash Primitive Campground
- Culp Valley Primitive Campground
Best Borrego Springs Restaurants
There aren’t many restaurants in Borrego Springs as it’s a pretty small town but here’s the top spots!
- Pablito’s Mexican Grill: we had dinner here! HUGE burritos that hit the spot after hiking all day, and great margaritas.
- Big Horn Burgers & Shakes: Classic burgers that are done just right.
- Propeller Bar & Grill: We didn’t stop here but drove by it a lot and it looks so fun. It’s a bar right on an airway so you can watch planes take off and land all over a drink!
- Kendall’s Cafe: This is the ONLY spot in town for breakfast (not Starbucks here!) It’s an old-school diner that still constantly fills up your coffee cup for you. I liked my omelet a lot, it was huge and I couldn’t finish it all.
- Borrego Springs Farmer’s Market: Every Friday from 8am to 12pm from November to April!
What To Pack For A Trip To Borrego Springs Desert
Your Anza Borrego itinerary will vary based on time of year (it’s just too hot to spend outside during mi-day in the summer!) Be prepared for wind, heat and cool nights.
- Cash, so you can pay for State Park parking passes.
- Hiking shoes (I love Tevas for hot weather, hiking boots for chillier water)
- Sunscreen (face and body, you’ll get out in the sun!)
- Body wipes (it gets dusty out here! And sweaty after hikes, I wished I had brought wipes to literally wipe myself down after hikes)
- Hair Ties / Scruchies (it’s windy!)
- A swimsuit (in case your hotels has a pool!)
- Large water bottle for hikes, plus please pick up an extra gallon of water at the grocery story to keep in your car just in case.
- Hiking backpack (I love Cotopaxi!)
- Polarized sunglasses (the desert is BRIGHT!)
- Hiking snacks (I love jerky and Clif granola bars!)
- Activewear set for hikes (I adore girlfriend collective bra and leggings!)
- Electrolytes (again it’s the desert!)
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Frequently Asked Questions About Borrego Springs California
How Far Is Borrego Springs From San Diego?
San Diego International Airport is about 88 miles from Borrego Springs. We chose to fly into San Diego and then rent a car since it was far easier and cheaper to fly to San Diego compared to Palm Springs, and took just a little more driving time.
How Far Is Borrego Springs From Palm Springs?
It’s about 86 miles, and the drive is much easier as it’s mostly just flat desert vs getting through the city. If you are already visiting Joshua Tree National Park or Palm Springs, it’s an easy day trip or weekend trip drive to Anza.
What Is Borrego Springs Known For?
The International Dark-Sky Association designated it as California’s first International Dark-Sky Community, which is very cool! It’s also home to Anza Borrego, the largest California state park! There are tons of Anza-Borrego activities to do, so it’s also known for outdoor recreation.
Are There Borrego Springs Hot Springs?
Is Borrego Springs a Hot Springs destination? Sadly no, unlike nearby Desert Hot Springs in the Palm Desert, there are no natural hot springs to soak in here. Trust me, I love hot springs in California and was bummed there wasn’t any to soak in (that I could find).
Does Borrego Springs Have A Downtown?
Yes, it does! It’s small, but downtown Borrego Springs has a few stores, a grocery store, restaurants and bars.
Which Is Better Anza-Borrego Or Joshua Tree National Park?
You can’t compare them but honestly, I like Anza Borrego better. I’ve been to Anza only once, and Joshua Tree many times but I loved all the variety Anza Borrego provides. There’s no famous Joshua Trees or Skull Rock, but Borrego Valley offers so much more in my opinion. Slot canyons, waterfalls, wildflower fields, off roading, wind caves, palm oasis… both parks are stunning and worth visiting but I think Anza Borrego has stolen my heart! If you can manage two large road trips, visit both.
Do You Need A 4×4 For Anza Borrego?
Yes and no. We managed with a 2WD in a lot of spots (happy we didn’t have a standard car!) but there are a ton of trails that you just can’t safely do without a 4WD. And honestly, a lot of the park isn’t safe to attempt unless you have a Jeep and off roading experience. Unless you know how to deflate your tires, drive on sand without getting stuck, and reinflate tires once you are on the road, don’t attempt these sand roads.
If you have a standard car, don’t worry, you can still see the main highlights (Palm Canyon, Slot Canyon, wildflowers, Badlands viewpoints, etc)
So, is Anza-Borrego worth it? Absolutely. I can’t wait to return and add even more travel tips to this list!! It’s such a magical corner of the state just 2 hours from San Diego!
If you have more tips to add, please leave a comment below so everyone can see! Happy travels.
