Anza-Borrego Desert

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is California's largest state park, encompassing over 600,000 acres of dramatic desert wilderness in the Colorado Desert portion of the Sonoran Desert. Located in San Diego and Imperial counties, the park features spectacular badlands, palm oases, cacti forests, and spring wildflower displays that attract visitors from around the world. Named for Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza and the Spanish word borrego meaning bighorn sheep, the park protects critical habitat for peninsular bighorn sheep and numerous other desert species. The landscape ranges from 15 feet below sea level near the Salton Sea to mountains exceeding 6,000 feet, creating diverse microclimates and ecological zones. During winter and spring, the park becomes a major destination for wildflower enthusiasts, photographers, and desert explorers seeking solitude in vast open spaces. The park's dark skies make it an International Dark Sky Park, offering exceptional stargazing opportunities.