Camping
Campgrounds in Anza-Borrego and the surrounding area
Borrego Palm Canyon
Borrego Palm Canyon is the largest developed state park campground in Anza-Borrego with 122 sites, including 52 hookup sites. It is conveniently close to the state park visitor center. Borrego Springs is only a couple miles away. The campground can accommodate RVs, trailers, pickup campers and tents. Campground amenities include flush toilets, showers, drinking water, campfire center and dump station. Camping fees start at 35ドル/night. Reservations are available at 800-444-7275 or www.reservecalifornia.com.
There are several trails at the campground. The Borrego Palm Canyon trail takes you into the canyon itself, where you can hike to palm groves and spot bighorn sheep! The Visitor Center trail is a paved path that takes you the visitor center. The Panorama Trail takes you up a small hill that offers great views of Borrego Valley.
There are four interpretive panels at the back of the campground that highlight Cesar Chavez and his efforts to unionize the farm workers in Borrego Valley.
How to Get There
From Christmas Circle, turn west on Palm Canyon Drive (toward the mountains). Drive on Palm Canyon Drive for 1.8 miles. Turn right (north) at the campground sign. Drive for 1 mile to the campground kiosk.
Vern Whitaker Horse Camp
The Vern Whitaker Horse Camp off Henderson Canyon Road is a developed campground with 10 non-hookup sites and 40 horse corrals. The campground is a 10-minute drive from Christmas Circle. Each site has corrals that can accommodate up to 4 horses. Campground amenities include flush toilets, showers and drinking water. Camping fees start at 35ドル/night. Reservations are available at 800-444-7275 or www.reservecalifornia.com.
How to Get There
From Christmas Circle, go north on Borrego Springs Road for 3.3 miles until it makes a sharp turn to the right (east) and becomes Henderson Canyon Road. Drive another 0.2 mile to the Vern Whitaker sign and turn left (north) onto the dirt road. Continue 3.6 miles until you reach the campground.
Note: This campground is only open to campers with horses.
Tamarisk Grove
Tamarisk Grove is a lovely developed campground with 16 non-hookup sites and 11 cabins nestled in the tamarisk trees. It is a 20-minute drive from Christmas Circle. The campground can accommodate RVs, trailers, pickup campers and tents. Campground amenities include flush toilets, showers and campfire center. Camping fees start at 35ドル/night. Cabins are 70ドル/night. Reservations are available at 800-444-7275 or www.reservecalifornia.com.
There are two trails next to the campground. The Cactus Loop trail starts across the road and takes you up the hill past a wide assortment of cactus and other desert plants. The Yaqui Well Nature Trail starts just a few yards further down the road and leads you into dense thickets of mesquite. This is a popular trail for birdwatchers.
How to Get There
From Christmas Circle, go south on Borrego Springs Road (S-3) and follow S-3 for 11.8 miles. Turn left into the campground.
Note: The campground is closed from June 1 to September 30.
Vallecito County Park
Vallecito County Park is a developed campground with 52 non-hookup sites, including 8 equestrian campsites with corrals. The park is about a 45-minute drive from Christmas Circle off of S-2 in the southern half of Anza-Borrego. The campground can accommodate RVs, trailers, pickup campers and tents. Campground amenities include flush toilets, showers, drinking water, large covered picnic area, a horseshoe pit and a children’s playground. Camping fees start at 30ドル/night. Reservations are available at 877-565-3600 or reservations.sdparks.org.
The historic Vallecito Stage Station, once part of the Butterfield Overland Stage, is on site in the campground. Vallecito was a favorite station since it was the first place with greenery that travelers saw after crossing the hostile mail route in the southern desert.
How to Get There
From Christmas Circle, go south on Borrego Springs Road (S-3) and follow S-3 for 12.3 miles to highway 78. Turn right (west) on highway 78 and drive 6 miles to the junction with S-2 (Scissors Crossing). Turn left (south) on S-2 and drive 17.8 miles. Turn right into the campground.
Note: The campground is closed between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekend.
Agua Caliente County Park
Agua Caliente County Park is a large developed campground with 122 sites and 7 cabins, including 44 full hookup sites and 41 partial hookup sites. The park is about a 55-minute drive from Christmas Circle off of S-2 in the southern half of Anza-Borrego. The campground can accommodate RVs, trailers, pickup campers and tents. Campground amenities include flush toilets, showers, drinking water, 3 natural spring pools, amphitheater, large covered picnic area, shuffleboard, a horseshoe pit and a clubhouse. Camping fees start at 30ドル/night. Reservations are available at 877-565-3600 or reservations.sdparks.org.
The standout features of this campground are the 3 geothermally-heated pools: an outdoor pool, an outdoor children’s wading pool and an indoor adult-only therapy spa pool. Hikers will enjoy numerous trails leading right out of the campground: the Moonlight Canyon Trail, the Nature Trail, the Airport Trail, the Marsh Trail, the Ocotillo Ridge Trail and the Desert Overlook Trail. A small general store that sells supplies and curios is located at the entrance and is open on the weekends. Agua Caliente Springs Airport is a paved airport directly across the highway from the county park.
How to Get There
From Christmas Circle, go south on Borrego Springs Road (S-3) and follow S-3 for 12.3 miles to highway 78. Turn right (west) on highway 78 and drive 6 miles to the junction with S-2 (Scissors Crossing). Turn left (south) on S-2 and drive 21.3 miles. Make a slight right onto Agua Caliente Springs Road and drive another 0.9 miles to the campground.
Note: The campground is closed between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekend.
Bow Willow is a small developedcampground with 16 non-hookup sites plus open camping available. It is about a 65-minute drive from Christmas Circle off of S-2 in the southern half of Anza-Borrego. The campground can accommodate RVs, trailers, pickup campers and tents. Vault toilets are available. Camping fee is 20ドル/night. No reservations are needed – the sites are first come, first served.
How to Get There
From Christmas Circle, go south on Borrego Springs Road (S-3) and follow it for 12.3 miles to highway 78. Turn right (west) on highway 78 and drive 6 miles to the junction with S-2 (Scissors Crossing). Turn left (south) on S-2 and drive 31.5 miles. Turn right onto an unmarked dirt road and drive another 1.6 miles to the campground.
Note: No drinking water is available. Bring your own water!
Peg Leg
Peg Leg is a primitive camp area off S-22 just east of town, a 10-minute drive from Christmas Circle. This paved area is best suited for trailers, pickup campers and RVs. Vault toilets are available. A historical marker tells the story of Thomas “Peg Leg” Smith. There is no camping fee. No reservations are needed – the sites are first come, first served.
How to Get There
From Christmas Circle, go east on Palm Canyon Drive (S-22) away from the mountains. Drive for 4.3 miles. The road will then turn sharply to the left (north) and become Pegleg Road (S-22). Drive for another 2.4 miles. Turn left to stay on Pegleg Road. Drive for 0.1 mile and turn right into a large paved lot.
Note: No drinking water is available. Bring your own water!
Yaqui Pass
Yaqui Pass is a primitive camp area off S-3 at the top of Yaqui Pass, a 15-minute drive from Christmas Circle. This paved area is best suited for self-contained trailers, pickup campers and RVs. No restrooms are available. There is no camping fee. No reservations are needed – the sites are first come, first served.
The Bill Kenyon Overlook Trail is accessible from this camp area and offers an incredible view.
How to Get There
From the junction of Borrego Springs Road and Yaqui Pass Road, drive south on Yaqui Pass Road (S-3) for 10.0 miles. The camp area is a large paved lot on the left.
Note: No drinking water is available. Bring your own water!
Yaqui Well
Yaqui Well is a primitive campground with 10 designated campsites. It is off S-3 just past Tamarisk Grove and before highway 78, a 20-minute drive from Christmas Circle. The campground can accommodate RVs, pickup campers and tents, but it is not well-suited to trailers. Vault toilets are available. There is no camping fee. No reservations are needed – the sites are first come, first served.
Because of its proximity to Tamarisk Grove, campers may enjoy scheduled weekend activities, as well as the self-guided nature walks in the area. This is a popular birding area.
How to Get There
From the junction of Borrego Springs Road and Yaqui Pass Road, drive south on Yaqui Pass Road (S-3) for 12.0 miles. Turn right at the small Yaqui Well sign. Drive 0.4 mile on the dirt road to the campground.
Note: No drinking water is available. Bring your own water!
Arroyo Salado
Arroyo Salado is a primitive campground with dispersed camping, off S-22 (Borrego-Salton Seaway), a 20-minute drive from Christmas Circle. Because of its small size and occasional soft sand, this campground is best suited for tents, pickup campers and RVs. Vault toilets and fire rings are available. There is no camping fee. No reservations are needed – the sites are first come, first served.
Arroyo Salado is located near the foot of the Santa Rosa Mountains and the Badlands. There are many interesting geological formations, scenic views and jeep roads nearby. Coachwhip Canyon is just across the highway and is a great place to hike.
How to Get There
From Christmas Circle, go east on Palm Canyon Drive (S-22) towards the Salton Sea. Drive for 15.8 miles on S-22 to the Arroyo Salado sign at mile marker 34.9 on the right side of the highway. Turn right (south) onto the dirt road into the campground.
Note: No drinking water is available. Bring your own water!
Culp Valley
Culp Valley is a primitive campground with dispersed camping nestled among huge boulders. It is off S-22 above Montezuma Grade, a 20-minute drive from Christmas Circle. The campground can accommodate trailers, RVs, pickup campers, tents and small groups. Vault toilets and fire rings are available. There is no camping fee. No reservations are needed – the sites are first come, first served.
Culp Valley is the highest campground in Anza-Borrego (3400 feet), and the temperatures here are typically 10-15 degrees cooler than the Borrego Valley floor. There is a 3/4-mile walk west to Peña Spring and a short 1/3-mile walk east to a lookout point for a spectacular view of Borrego Valley and the Salton sea. A portion of the California Riding and Hiking Trail crosses at this point.
How to Get There
From Christmas Circle, drive west on Palm Canyon Drive (S-22) towards the mountains for 1.4 miles. Turn left (south) onto Montezuma Valley Road (S-22) and drive up the mountain for 8.1 miles to the Culp Valley sign at mile marker 9.2 on the south (right). Turn right onto the dirt road into the campground.
Note: No drinking water is available. Bring your own water!
Fish Creek
Fish Creek is a primitive campground just above Fish Creek Wash, near Split Mountain Road. It is a 35-minute drive from Christmas Circle. Vault toilets are available. Camping fee is 20ドル/night. No reservations are needed. The sites are first come, first served.
This campground makes an excellent base for exploring the wonders of Fish Creek Wash and Split Mountain Gorge.
How to Get There
In Ocotillo Wells, drive 7.7 miles south on Split Mountain Road to Fish Creek Wash. When the pavement ends, turn right into Fish Creek Wash and drive 1.4 miles to the campground, located on a bench to the south (left). The road can be rough, so a high-clearance or ×ばつ4 vehicle is recommended.
Note: No drinking water is available. Bring your own water!
Blair Valley
Blair Valley is a very large and popular primitive campground that offers dispersed camping. The campground can accommodate RVs, trailers, pickup campers, tents and groups of all sizes. It is off S-2 south of Scissors Crossing, a 50-minute drive from Christmas Circle. Vault toilets are available. There is no camping fee. No reservations are needed – the sites are first come, first served.
The higher elevation (2500 feet) makes it much cooler than the Borrego Valley floor. The area is noted for the history associated with it. Campers can drive or walk to Indian pictographs, morteros and the Marshal South homestead.
How to Get There
From the junction of Highway 78 and Highway S-2 (also known as Scissors Crossing), drive south on S-2 for 5.7 miles to the Blair Valley turnoff at mile marker 22.9 on the left side of the road. The Blair Valley road and dirt road conditions can often change, but this road is usually OK for high clearance vehicles. 4WD is always advised. Drive around on the network of dirt roads in Blair Valley to find your perfect spot.
Note: No drinking water is available. Bring your own water!
Mountain Palm Springs
Mountain Palm Springs is a small primitive campground with 6 non-hookup sites. The campground can accommodate trailers, pickup campers, RVs and tents. It is off S-2 in the south half of Anza-Borrego, a 60-minute drive from Christmas Circle. Vault toilets are available. Camping fee is 20ドル/night. No reservations are needed. The sites are first come, first served.
How to Get There
From the junction of Highway 78 and Highway S-2 (also known as Scissors Crossing), drive south on S-2 for 30.2 miles. Turn west (right) onto an unmarked dirt road just past a small camp sign. Drive 0.3 mile to the campground.
Note: No drinking water is available. Bring your own water!
Dispersed Camping
Dispersed camping is available all throughout Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Just remember the following rules:
- Along the park’s dirt roads, park no more than one-car length off the road.
- Do not disturb any natural features.
- No ground fires are allowed. A metal container with a bottom and sides must be used for all campfires.
- Bring your own firewood. Do not gather wood for campfires. Take your cooled ashes out with you.
- Pack out all waste, including toilet paper and human waste.