Every year on the first Saturday of April the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park attracts story tellers from all over the globe to compete in the annual Peg Leg Smith Liars Contest

Thomas L. Smith, better known as 'Peg Leg' Smith 1801-1866, was a mountain man, prospector, and spinner of tall tales. Legends regarding his lost gold mine have grown through the years, and countless people have searched the desert for its fabulous wealth. The mine could be within a few miles of this monument.

All comers are welcome to enter the contest. Sign up is on arrival at the contest site, which is held at the Pegleg Smith memorial, about seven miles east of Borrego Springs on Route S-22. Presentations are done in order of sign up. Stories should be of no more than five minutes in length (another little joke). They should be about lost gold and/or Pegleg Smith. Costumes and other original touches are always appreciated by the crowd and judges.