Anza-Borrego Desert State Park ®
The Park is currently OPEN.
Please check the hours of operation.Passes Information
Park Facilities
Trailer: 35 Feet
Camper/Motorhome: 35 Feet
Camper/Motorhome: 35 Feet
En route Campsites
Environmental Campsites
Family Campsites
Group Campsites
Hike or Bike Campsites
Primitive Camping
RV Sites w/Hookups
RV Dump Station
Alternative Camping
RV Access
Environmental Campsites
Family Campsites
Group Campsites
Hike or Bike Campsites
Primitive Camping
RV Sites w/Hookups
RV Dump Station
Alternative Camping
RV Access
Parking
Restrooms / Showers
Restrooms
Drinking Water Available
Restrooms / Showers
Restrooms
Drinking Water Available
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park employs State Park Peace Officer (Rangers) who provide law enforcement and emergency medical services within the park and surrounding areas. Park visitors witnessing crimes in progress or other emergency situations are encouraged to contact 911 to report violations.
In order to reduce theft and deter criminal activity, officers recommend taking the following steps:
- -Secure valuable items out of sight in a locked vehicle compartment when unattended.
- -Know your neighbors! Camping offers you the opportunity to meet those in nearby sites, and those in neighboring campsites often serve as an informal "park watch" program.
- -Immediately report suspicious activity.
- -Record serial numbers and take photographs of bicycles, generators, or other valuable equipment.
General Park Regulations:
This list of regulations is intended to make your camping stay at Anza-Borrego DSP a more enjoyable experience. Anytime during your stay, if you need assistance, please contact park staff and they will help you out.
Check in Time is at 2:00 PM each day. (Sorry, No Exceptions)
-Camping fees include entry for 1 vehicle and 1 legally towed vehicle or trailer. Additional vehicles must register and pay additional fees (Currently $10.00 each vehicle.)
-Campers under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent / legal guardian, or provide, upon arrival, a letter from a parent / legal guardian granting permission to camp. All juveniles must be in their own campsite at 10:00 PM.
-Quiet hours are from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM. Visitors not staying overnight must be out by 10:00 PM.
-Generators may be operated in the park between the hours of 10:00 Am and 8:00 PM.
-Campsites are limited to 8 people maximum and is designed for individual family use. Large groups may require a Special Event Permit.
-Campsites are limited to 2 vehicles. There is no parking for more vehicles. A trailer is counted as a vehicle.
-Animals must be on a leash less than 6 feet in length at all times, and may not be left unattended or outside at night.
-Alcohol and glass containers are prohibited beyond your campsite.
-All park plants and animals are protected. Do not cut, attach items, or harass any plants or animals.
-Along all park designated dirt roads, vehicles must be parked no more than one (1) car length off a given road where it will not disturb any natural features.
-Bicycles, mountain bikes, and skateboards must remain on all paved roads. All riders under the age of 18 years of age must wear a bicycle helmet.
-Illegal ground fires are prohibited. Campfires must be kept inside a camp stove or in a metal container provided the camper with a bottom and sides.
-All natural & cultural features are protected. Nothing may be removed or disturbed.
-The entire backcountry area of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is defined as a camping facility. Occupancy by the same persons, equipment, or vehicles of any camping facility within Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is limited to a total of thirty (30) days in any calendar year.
-No person shall launch, land, or operate a powered unmanned aircraft or Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) within Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
-CA Vehicle Code laws for vehicle operation and equipment apply on all established roadways in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park (CCR T14 4350), including on the roughly 500 miles of dirt roads in the park and on paved campground areas. Only street-legal vehicles are permitted in the park and must remain on designated roadways. Use of Off-Highway Vehicles (OHVs) is prohibited within Anza-Borrego Desert State Park (CCR T14 4352). OHV recreation is permitted at nearby Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area.
-Firearms and fireworks are prohibited anywhere in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
No Drone Zone
-Drones are prohibited in the airspace above the reserve for several reasons, including the visual threat to wildlife and intruding on visitors' experience. For detailed information on the Posted Order 940-15-002 - CDD Unmanned Aircraft. and to reveiw the web page regarding the State authority over airspace.
Desert terrain changes due to weather and occasional seismic activity. Most dirt roads require vehicles with AWD or 4x4. Some areas can only be traversed with a high clearance vehicle. Be prepared to self-rescue with sufficient supplies including food, water, fuel, blankets, flashlights, and battery power for cell phones. Call 9-1-1 in case of an emergency and be able to provide GPS coordinates.
Campfires will be based on DSO – 940-20-015 - Fire Restrictions – Anza-Borrego Desert State Park - Fire Ban / Restrictions during Extreme Heat / Fire Danger Warnings / Limited Firefighting Resources. As a result of extreme fire danger and limited firefighting resources, the following fire restrictions are in effect during Extreme Heat / Fire Danger Warnings / Limited Fire Fighting Resources: Open fires, including campfires and barbecues are prohibited at Blair Valley Primitive Campground, Culp Valley Primitive Campground and any backcountry campsites and day-use parking areas. Portable propane or gas stoves are permitted for cooking only within designated campsite and day-use areas.
ATTENTION: Camping is allowed again in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park; please continue to observe social distancing guidelines.
A DAY USE FEE of $10 per car is now being collected at The Slot (Buttes Pass area) and at Hellhole Canyon.
For current fire restrictions please call 760-767-4037
The first palm grove in Borrego Palm Canyon is closed due to fire damage. The trail now ends at a viewpoint overlooking the grove. Your cooperation will help the Palm Grove recover and keep the trail open. See map of closed area.
Anza-Borrego Desert SP and the Anza-Borrego Foundation are excited to announce a new partnership with the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics for the upcoming 2020/2021 desert season. This new partnership and the Leave No Trace Initiative will encourage and educate new and returning visitors to Anza-Borrego to care for the local desert and public lands through the “Seven Principles of Leave No Trace”, available in English and Spanish. The initiative also reminds the public on their role to slow the spread of COVID-19. With many activities limited during the pandemic, outdoor public spaces have been essential to many Californians. As a result, California State Parks and partners are expecting high visitation and increased use with the beginning of the desert season this month through March/April of next year.
Below are links to the Leave No Trace principles and recommendations for getting outside during COVID-19. You can also find more information on the partnership and the Leave No Trace initiative here.
Tips to Safely Enjoy Anza-Borrego Desert State Park During the Summer Season
It is important for visitors to plan their outdoor adventure at Anza-Borrego Desert SP or any desert properly. Simple actions such as taking plenty of water (1 gallon/per person/day) and food, and knowing that cell coverage is extremely limited or non-existent can help you be better prepared to safely enjoy the desert.
During the summer season, temperatures can range reach 125 degrees during the day. It is important to plan properly for your California desert adventure.
Below you will find just a few tips to safely enjoy the desert:
Vehicles
- Have a proper vehicle for your outdoor desert activities to be able to navigate through rough roads.
- Check ROAD CONDITIONS before heading out on dirt roads.
- We encourage you to travel with a second vehicle when on dirt roads.
Cell Phone Use
- Cell phone coverage is spotty or nonexistent. Have a way to communicate if there is an emergency.
First Aid Kit
- Bring a first aid kit and become familiar with it.
Outdoor Plan
- Leave an itinerary of your trip with a family member or friend with information such as name and age of hikers/campers, trailhead or campsite name and location, and expected return date.
Hiking/Camping:
- Make sure to have plenty of water and food for duration of your trip to avoid dehydration, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
- Check Weather. Weather can change instantly.
- Dress appropriately with layers of clothing and appropriate shoes such as hiking boots and close-toed shoes.
- Mark tents and ropes so they are visible at night.
- Keep it clean: pack it in & pack it out.
For more tips for visiting the desert, check out our news release for additional details.
PLEASE NOTE: Please follow current COVID-19 guidelines while attending park programs. Please call the Visitor Center (760-767-4205) for information about specific programs.
Follow us on the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Facebook page and Instagram @anzaborregodesertsp for more stories about Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Tell us how you liked the interpretive programs you attended. Fill out the Visitor RAPPORT Survey.
Self-Guided Activities
Children's Outdoor Parks Passport
You can print out a Black-and-White cover to color! Spanish cover..
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is the largest state park in California. Five hundred miles of dirt roads, 12 wilderness areas and many miles of hiking trails provide visitors with an unparalleled opportunity to experience the wonders of the California Desert. The park is named for Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza and the Spanish word borrego, or bighorn sheep. The park features washes, wildflowers, palm groves, cacti and sweeping vistas. Visitors may also have the chance to see roadrunners, golden eagles, kit foxes, mule deer and bighorn sheep as well as iguanas, chuckwallas and the red diamond rattlesnake. Listening devices for the hearing impaired are available in the visitor center.
The Park is located on the eastern side of San Diego County, with portions extending east into Imperial County and north into Riverside County. It is about a two-hour drive from San Diego, Riverside, and Palm Springs.
Many visitors approach from the east or west via Highways S22 and 78. From the coast, these highways descend from the heights of the Peninsular range of mountains with spectacular views of the great bowl of the Colorado Desert. Highway S2 enters the park from the south off of Interstate 8.
Once in Borrego Springs, the easiest way to find the Visitor Center is to drive to the far west end of Palm Canyon Drive. From the parking lot ($10 fee per car per day), follow the sidewalk down about 200 yards past the flagpole to the front doors of the building, which is hidden, mostly underground!
The 3-mile (roundtrip) Borrego Palm Canyon Trail is accessed from the trailhead at the end of the main campground road ($10 Day-use parking fee).
Most visitors approach from the east via Highways S22, S2, or 78. Visitors from San Diego via Highways 79 and 78 have the added pleasure of driving through the mountainous Cuyamaca Rancho State Park--quite a different experience from Anza-Borrego. The highways from the east climb to 2,400 feet or so and then descend about 2,000 feet to the valley. Where the highway breaks out of the high-country vegetation, it reveals the great bowl of the Anza-Borrego desert. The valley spreads below, and there are mountains all around. The highest are to the north--the Santa Rosa Mountains. The mountains are a wilderness, with no paved roads in or out or through. They have the only all-year-flowing watercourse in the park. They are the home of the peninsular bighorn sheep, often called desert bighorn. Few park visitors ever see them; the sheep are justly wary. A patient few observers each year see and count them, to learn how this endangered species is coping with human encroachment.
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park® has been named an International Dark Sky Park and the town of Borrego Springs a Dark Sky Community!
This recognition for our efforts in protecting and interpreting the dark skies over the park comes from the International Dark Sky Association (IDA), and will help ensure that dark skies over Anza-Borrego remain an unspoiled resource. Read the Press Release.
The online video journal of the Colorado Desert District covering Anza-Borrego Desert State Park®, Cuyamaca Rancho State Park and Palomar Mountain State Park.
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Visitor Center Parking Lot-Hours: 7 AM to 7 PM:
Day Use Fee: $10
Senior Day Use (62 or Older): $9
Disabled Discount Day Use: $5 with State Parks Disabled Discount Pass
The Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Visitor Center is open to the public 7 days a week from October 1 to May 31.
From June 1 to September 30, the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Visitor Center is open on weekends and holidays only.
Borrego Palm Canyon Campground-Tent Sites:
Tent Site Fees: $35 per night
Senior Tent Site Fee (62 or Older): $33 per night
Disable Discount Tent Site Fee: $17.50 with State Parks Disabled Discount Pass
Extra Vehicles: $10 per day/night
Hike & Bike: $5 per person per night
Borrego Palm Canyon Campground-RV Sites: Full Hook Ups:
RV Hook Up Site Fee: $45 per night
Senior RV Hook Up Site Fee: $43 per night
Disabled Discount RV Hook Up Site Fee: $22.50 per night with State Park Disabled Discount Pass
Extra Vehicles: $10 per day/night
Borrego Palm Canyon Campground-Group Camps 1-5:
Group Camps 1-5: $125 per night
Borrego Palm Canyon Dump Station:
Dump Station Fee: $10
Senior Dump Station Fee (62 or older): $9
Disabled Discount Dump Fee: $5 with State Parks Disabled Discount Pass
Dump Station is closed to the public from June 1 to September 30.
Borrego Palm Canyon Trailhead Parking-Hours: Sunrise to Sunset:
Day Use Fee: $10
Senior Day Use (62 or Older): $9
Disabled Discount Day Use: $5 with State Parks Disabled Discount Pass
Hellhole Canyon Trailhead Parking-Hours: Sunrise to Sunset:
Day Use Fee: $10
Senior Day Use (62 or Older): $9
Disabled Discount Day Use: $5 with State Parks Disabled Discount Pass
Tamarisk Grove Campground:
Tent Site Fee: $35 per night
Senior Tent Site (62 or Older): $33 per night
Disabled Discount Tent Site: $17.50 per night with State Parks Disabled Discount Pass
Extra Vehicle: $10 per day/night
Maximum RV length: 21 feet (No Hook Ups)
Cabin Site Fee: $70 per night
Extra Vehicle: $10 per day/night
Hike & Bike: $5 per person per night
Tamarisk Grove Campground is open to the public from October 1 to May 31 and closed to the public from June 1 to September 30.
Reservations can be made through Reserve California
Tamarisk Grove Day Use Parking-Hours: Sunrise to Sunset:
Day Use Fee: $10
Senior Day Use (62 or Older): $9
Disabled Discount Day Use: $5 with State Parks Disabled Discount Pass
Vern Whitaker Horse Camp:
Tent/RV Site: $35 per night-2 horse
Senior Tent/RV (62 or Older): $33 per night-2 horse
Disabled Discount Tent/RV Site: $17.50 per night with State Parks Disabled Discount Pass
Extra Vehicle: $10 per day/night
Day Use: $10 per day/night
Senior Day use (62 or Older): $9
Additional Horses (4 max per site): $5 per day/night
Vern Whitaker Horse Camp is open to the public from October 1 to May 31 and closed to the public from June 1 to September 30.
Slot Canyon Day Use Parking-Hours: Sunrise to Sunset:
Day Use Fee: $10
Senior Day Use (62 or Older): $9
Disabled Discount Day Use: $5 with State Parks Disabled Discount Pass
Bow Willow Campground:
Tent/RV Site: $20 per night
Senior Tent/RV (62 or Older): $18 per night
Disabled Discount Tent/RV Site: $10 per night with State Parks Disabled Discount Pass
Extra Vehicle: $10 per day/night
Day Use: $10 per day/night
Senior Day use (62 or Older): $9
Mountain Palm Springs Campground:
Tent/RV Site: $20 per night
Senior Tent/RV (62 or Older): $18 per night
Disabled Discount Tent/RV Site: $10 per night with State Parks Disabled Discount Pass
Extra Vehicle: $10 per day/night
Day Use: $10 per day/night
Senior Day use (62 or Older): $9
Sheep Canyon Campground - Coyote Canyon:
Tent/RV Site: $20 per night
Senior Tent/RV (62 or Older): $18 per night
Disabled Discount Tent/RV Site: $10 per night with State Parks Disabled Discount Pass
Extra Vehicle: $10 per day/night
Day Use: $10 per day/night
Senior Day use (62 or Older): $9
Sheep Canyon Campground is open to the public from October 1 to May 31 and closed to the public from June 1 to September 30.
Fish Creek Primitive Campground-Fish Creek:
Tent: $20 per night
Senior Tent (62 or Older): $18 per night
Disabled Discount Tent: $10 per night with State Parks Disabled Discount Pass
Extra Vehicle: $10 per day/night
Sunrise Highway Day Use Parking-Hours: Sunrise to Sunset:
Day Use Fee: $10 - LAZ App Only
If you have any questions regarding the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Fee Schedule, please call the Colorado Desert District Office at: 760-767-4037
Additional Visitor Services
- County of San Diego (Agua Caliente Hot Springs)
When using map apps., it is best to use Anza Borrego Desert State Park® Visitor Center for directions to the Visitor Center. Using only Anza-Borrego Desert State Park® in some map apps. may result in directions leading to a dirt, 4 wheel drive road.
