Exploring Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is the largest state park in California with five hundred miles of dirt roads and 12 wilderness areas. My wife and I have met up in the park with friends for the past two years to ring in the new year and explore a bit of this massive and diverse area. The park offers opportunities for hiking, camping, and off road adventuring with terrain ranging from desert badlands to palm canyon oasis. Here's some of our favorites we have found so far:

Fonts Point

Fonts Point is a great viewpoint to see the Borrego Badlands and surrounding mountains. A 4X4 is recommended to get here or it can be done as an eight mile out and back hike.

The Slot

The Slot is one of two slot canyon hikes in the park and the most accessible. It's a fairly easy hike but a lot of fun.

Canyon Sin Nombre

The next slot canyon hike is found in the southern area of the park. The sweeping desert views of the badlands are reason enough to venture down here with the slot as fun reward.

Sheep Canyon

Sheep Canyon is a true oasis in the desert with waterfalls and palm trees and is a stark contrast to the desert badlands.

Borrego Springs Metal Sculptures

Just outside of town you will find over 130 metal sculptures. The sculptures are huge and incredibly detailed. Visit on starry night for some great photo opportunities.

Camping

The park has developed campgrounds and our favorite type of camping - free AKA boondocking! We have stayed just outside of Borrego Springs at Rockhouse Road (edit - this area is now closed to camping but there are other options).