El Centro, California
Imperial County
Location / Description
The City of El Centro is located 128 miles east of San Diego, 60 miles west of Yuma, Arizona and 10 miles north of Mexicali, Mexico. It is accessible via Interstate 8, State Highway 86 and State Highway 111. Its name, "El Centro" is Spanish for "The Center". It is the county seat of the Imperial Valley, which is primarily an agricultural community created when Colorado River water was diverted for this purpose in the early part of the 20th century. (Click here to read more about the history of irrigation in the Imperial Valley.)
Population / Elevation
Population in July 2007: 39,639
Total area: 10.257 square miles
El Centro is located at 32°47′17″N, 115°33′29″W(32.788139, -115.557966)
Sea Level: 52 feet below
Weather / Climate
The largest city in the United States below sea level, El Centro is located in the Sonoran Desert and typically receives less than 3 inches of rain a year. Temperatures are in the 70s and 80s in the winter, rising to the 90s and mid-100s in the summer.
Monthly Normal Temperatures |
||||||||||||
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
High °F |
70 |
75 |
79 |
86 |
94 |
103 |
107 |
106 |
101 |
91 |
78 |
70 |
Low °F |
41 |
45 |
49 |
54 |
61 |
68 |
76 |
77 |
71 |
59 |
47 |
41 |
Avg. Rain |
0.51 |
0.36 |
0.31 |
0.05 |
0.03 |
0.01 |
0.06 |
0.32 |
0.36 |
0.35 |
0.17 |
0.43 |
Hotels/Motels There are hotels and motels in El Centro,
with something for every taste and price range. For more information and a complete
list. Click
Here. (Rates, availability and reservation online) |
Camping & RV Parks There are commercial and public locations for camping and RVs in and near El Centro. For a complete list contact:
|
El Centro's history is entwined with the colorful history of the irrigation of the desert. Inhabited only by a few surveyors before the Colorado River's diversion through canals, "...by 1905, the residents numbered 12,000. Irrigated acreage had increased from 1,500 acres to 67,000 acres." (El Centro Chamber of Commerce) The city was incorporated in 1908. Since then, it has become an important agricultural area with over 500,000 acres in production. Goethermal, manufacturing and other industries are also finding a home here.
Things To Do
The Imperial Valley has many golf courses, some in Holtville and Brawley and two in and around El Centro. El Centro is not far from the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area, which is popular not only with OHV enthusiasts, but offers a myriad of photographic opportunities. Bird watching and nature viewing at the Salton Sea are also popular pursuits. Its proximity to Mexico makes trips across the border an attractive option.
Events Calendar
- January: Snowbird Breakfast for winter visitors, Imperial Valley
Business Showcase, Carnivale on Main at the Plaza Park in Brawley, Niland Sportsmen & Tomato
Festival
- February: Salton Sea International Bird Festival (annually near Presidents Day weekend)
- March: California Mid-Winter Fair & Fiesta, Blue Angels Air Show
- April: Mariachi Festival Sin Fronteras
- May: Calico's Annual Spring Festival & Cook-off (Mothers Day weekend)
- June:
- July: Freedom Fest Independence Day Celebration
- August:
- September: 16th of September Fiesta in Calexico
- October:
- November: Cattle Call
December: Los Vigilantes/Merchants Christmas Parade - February: Salton Sea International Bird Festival (annually near Presidents Day weekend)
Resources
Cities & Towns
Parks & Monuments
- Anza Borrego Desert State Park - 69 miles northwest
Wilderness & Recreation Areas
- Imperial Sand Dunes BLM Recreation and Wilderness Area - 45 miles east
- Heber Sand Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area - 14 miles southeast
- Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area - 60 miles northwest
- Colorado River
- Senator Wash Reservoir – about 60 miles east
- Squaw Lake – 78 miles east
- Walters Camp– 71 miles northeast
Historic & Points of Interest
- Salton Sea - 48 miles north
- Tumco Ghost Town - 44 miles east
DesertUSA Newsletter -- We send articles on hiking, camping and places to explore, as well as animals, wildflower reports, plant information and much more. Sign up now. (It's free.)
| THE DESERT ENVIRONMENT | |||
| The North American Deserts | |||
| Chihuahuan Desert | Great Basin Desert | Mojave Desert | Sonoran Desert |
| Glossary of Desert & Geological Terms | |||
Animals - Wildlife | Wildflowers-Plants | Minerals - Geology | Desert People
SEARCH THIS SITE
Joshua Tree National Park - Black Eagle Mine Road Video - Beginning 6.5 miles north of the Cottonwood Visitor Center, this dead-end dirt road runs along the edge of Pinto Basin, crosses several dry washes, and then winds up through canyons in the Eagle Mountains. The first 9 + miles of the road are within the park boundary. Beyond that point is BLM land. Several old mines are located near this road.
Death Valley - Scotty's Castle Video
Find out how Scotty's Castle came to be, when Albert Johnson met Walter Scott, later known as Death Valley Scotty. Take a tour of the magnificent rooms and see the castle's fantastic furnishings. Hear the organ in the music room as you experience this place of legend first-hand.
Death Valley - Titus Canyon Video
As Titus Canyon Road in Death Valley reaches the foothills, it starts to climb and meander among the sagebrush and red rock outcroppings. The road becomes steeper and narrower as it approaches Red Pass, amply named for its red rocks and dirt. Enjoy the ride!
___________________________________
Take a look at our Animals index page to find information about all kinds of birds, snakes, mammals, spiders and more!
Are you interested in the temperatures in the
desert?Click here to see current desert temperatures!
DesertUSA is a comprehensive resource about the North American deserts and Southwest destinations. Learn about desert biomes while you discover how desert plants and animals learn to adapt to the harsh desert environment. Find travel information about national parks, state parks, BLM land, and Southwest cities and towns located in or near the desert regions of the United States. Access maps and information about the Sonoran Desert, Mojave Desert, Great Basin Desert, and Chihuahuan Desert.
