San Diego East - Deserts
Driving east on Interstate 8 through the mountains, visitors arrive to the 600,000-acre
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, one of the richest and seemingly boundless living museums in the country. Here, visitors have the chance to see roadrunners, golden eagles, kit foxes, mule deer, bighorn sheep, desert iguanas, chuckwallas, and four species of rattlesnake, while a desert garden just outside the Visitor Center building provides a quick look at some of the vegetation in the park.
One of the most popular times to visit the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is when the arrival of spring is most apparent. As the dry, rugged landscape is transformed by winter rains, a kaleidoscope of colorful wildflowers splash bold colors across the desert dunes, creating a spectacular floral display. The
annual desert spring wildflowers come in a variety of species from tiny flowers - mere sparkling bits of color no larger than the head of a pin - to the majestic ocotillo - with its fiery spines of scarlet that pierce the skyline. www.anzaborrego.statepark.org
The desert resort community of
Borrego Springs, located in the northern section of the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, offers guests an opportunity to mix luxury with wilderness. The area features three resort hotels offering relaxation, pools, spas, tennis courts, golf, and comfortable suites with generous amenities. Also in the region are two bed-and-breakfast inns, four motels and several vacation rental condominiums and houses. www.borregosprings.org
