Getting There -- Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is about a 2-hour drive from San Diego. The fastest route is I-15 north to the Poway (S4) exit to its end, left on 67 north to Ramona, which turns into 78 east, to Santa Ysabel. From here, go left on 79, right on S2, and left on S22. Alternatively, follow I-8 east past Alpine to Highway 79. Follow 79 north for 23 miles to Julian; take a right on 78, and then a left on S3 to Borrego Springs. Another (longer) option is to take I-8 to Ocotillo, and then San Diego's loneliest highway, Highway S2, north. Along this 40-mile stretch you'll follow the Southern Overland Stage Route of 1849 (be sure to stop and notice the view at the Carrizo Badlands Overlook) to 78 east into Borrego Springs. The closest airport with scheduled service is Palm Springs, 75 minutes away by car.
Getting Around -- You don't need a four-wheel-drive vehicle to tour the desert, but you'll probably want to get off the main highways and onto the Jeep trails. The Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Visitor Center staff can tell you which Jeep trails are in condition for two-wheel-drive vehicles. The Ocotillo Wells area of the park has been set aside for off-road vehicles such as dune buggies and dirt bikes. To use the Jeep trails, a vehicle has to be licensed for highway use.
Orientation & Visitor Information -- In Borrego Springs, a town completely surrounded by the state park, Palm Canyon Drive is the main drag. Christmas Circle surrounds a grassy park at the entry to town; the "mall" is just west and contains many of the town's businesses. The architecturally striking Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Visitor Center (tel. 760/767-4205 or 760/767-5311; www.parks.ca.gov) lies 2 miles west of Borrego Springs; it's cut into the side of a hill and is totally invisible from the road. In addition to a small museum, it supplies information, maps, and two 15-minute audiovisual presentations, one on the bighorn sheep and the other on wildflowers; an interpreted loop trail is also on site. The visitor center is open October through May daily from 9am to 5pm, June through September weekends from 9am to 5pm. You should also stop by the Desert Natural History Association, 652 Palm Canyon Dr. (tel] 760/767-3098; www.abdnha.org), whose sleek Borrego Desert Nature Center and Bookstore features an impressive selection of guidebooks, educational materials for kids, native plants, regional crafts, and a mini-museum display that includes a pair of frighteningly real taxidermied bobcats. This is also your best source for information on the nearby Salton Sea.
For information on lodging, dining, and activities, contact the Borrego Springs Chamber of Commerce, 786 Palm Canyon Dr. (tel. 800/559-5524 or 760/767-5555; www.borregospringschamber.com).
