Activities

The largest state park in California, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park offers a wide variety of activities, many of which are not be available in other California state parks.

Auto Touring

There are a number of highways that cross-cross this huge state park and require no fee to travel. California Route 78 runs east to west through the middle of the park while County Routes S1, S2, S3 and S22 links the various sections of the park.

Auto 4X4 Routes

Most of the dirt roads in the park are for 4-wheel drive vehicles. Some the roads present a real challenge for even for the more experienced off road drivers, most however, are easily handle be any 4 wheel drive vehicle that is street legal.

Off Highway

The Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area contains over 80,000 acres of magnificent desert are open for off-road exploration and recreation within the boundaries portrayed on this map are operated by California State Parks. Outside the boundaries, to the south and east, large tracts of BLM land (U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management) are also open to off-highway vehicles. The western boundary and part of the northern boundary connect with the half-million acre Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, which is closed to off-road recreation, but open to exploration by highway-legal vehicles along established primitive roads.

Biking

The numerous highways in this huge park make it an excellent place for biking. There a also numerous biking trails that make Anza-Borrego Desert State Park a great place to use your mountain bikes.

Hiking/Backpacking

Hundreds of miles of hiking and biking trails exist in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and the surrounding regions. The Pacific Crest Trail passes in and out of the park several times, providing 50 miles of adventuresome hiking. Read about Bill Sullivan Fish Creek Walk

Wildlife Viewing & Bird Watching

From top to bottom, Coyote canyon contains a diversity of life forms unequaled anywhere else in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Eighteen miles long, the canyon stretches between Riverside and San Diego counties. Reaching elevations of 3,900 feet in the north, where rainfall is likely to be 35 inches or more, the canyon descends to the desert floor at only 650 feet above sea level. Last year's rainfall here amounted to a mere 2.53 inches. Because it is one of the few places in the desert with a stream that runs year round, it is a mecca for wildlife.

Horse Riding / Packing

There are many trails throughout the park that horses may use. Vern Whitaker Horse Camp is a camping location especially designated for horse enthusiasts.

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