Borrego SpringsGrapefruit Festival: Third Week of April
This festival occurs near the end of the spring desert wildflower season and includes live music, dances, a tennis tournament, picnic, classic car show, and youth games.
Borrego Springs Days Desert Festival: Last Week of October
This celebration marks the official kickoff of the tourism season with events including a parade, the Miss Borrego Pageant, dances, carnivals, live music, arts and crafts.
County Highways S-3 and S-22 meet in downtown Borrego Springs. The Salton Sea is 30 miles to the east following S-22.
Airport
Borrego Valley Airport is located approximately 3 miles east of Borrego Springs. It has a pilot-activated, lighted, 5000-foot runway, fueling and space for overnight and longer stays. It is student pilot-friendly and includes late-model rental cars, a restaurant and information on numerous other activities. It also offers the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Sky Trail that gives pilots and their passengers a chance to enjoy natural and historic features of the park, many of which can only be viewed from the air. The Borrego Valley Airport has 99% clear skies.
Note: All weather statistics listed for the town of Borrego Springs are recorded by rangers at the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Headquarters, 1.5 miles northwest of downtown. The elevation of the park visitor center is 780 feet above sea level, but the town itself is actually about 100 feet lower. The town is, therefore, less windy and tends to have greater extreme temperatures than those recorded in the park.
History
The first record of a European in Borrego Valley was when Lieutenant Pedro Fages of the San Diego Presidio came in search of deserters in 1772. His pursuit led him northwest through the present town of Borrego Springs and up Coyote Canyon.
This event was related by Kumeyaay Indians to members of the first Anza expedition, who camped at their village in March, 1774. The Spaniards called this village (and spring) just east of the Borrego Sink, San Gregorio. It is the location of the original Borrego Spring.
Juan Bautiste De Anza was seeking an overland route from Sonorra Mexico to Monterrey California. Proceeding west from San Gregorio, he and his party of 25 followed Coyote Creek and ascended Coyote Canyon. They camped the following night at the Cahuilla village of Lower Willows, now known as Santa Caterina.
It was another hundred years before cattlemen began homesteading the Borrego Valley in about 1875. The first successful well was dug in 1926, which quickly led to irrigation farming. By then, the town contained a post office, a small general store, and a gas station.
The military presence of both the Army and Navy during World War II brought the first paved roads and electricity to Borrego Springs. After the war, developers subdivided the area attempting to create a resort community by capitalizing on the tourism generated by the state park.
The town Borrego Springs was never incorporated and, therefore, has no mayor or other form of municipal government.
There are resorts, hotels and motels in Borrego Springs, 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
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park has an open camping policy, providing unlimited camping opportunities throughout its 600,000 acres, 760-767-5311.
Vital Statistics
Elevation
780 feet above sea level
Location
Borrego Springs is located 78 miles northeast of San Diego in the Borrego Valley of southeastern California
It is situated in the extreme western Sonoran Desert and is completely surrounded by the 600,000-acre Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Population
2,789 permanent
App. 10,000 in the winter season
Annual Temperatures and Precipitation
Borrego Springs is often listed as the hottest place in the U.S. on certain summer days.
All-time high monthly precipitation was 5.07 inches in September 1983 due to Hurricane Kathleen.
6.86 inches (1962-1994 average).
The highest temperature recorded at Borrego Springs was 121 degrees in June, 1996.
Average Temperatures
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park - Monthly climate normals
