Trip · 3-day car camping trip
For · Friends and first-time campers
Vibe · Chill and easy
Reservations · Yes, reserve a site at Borrego Palm Canyon Campground
Drive · 3 hours from LA
Ideal dates · October to April (January to March for wildflowers)
Pets · Welcome at camp and on roads, but not on trails
Anza-Borrego is the largest state park in California. It's 600,000+ acres whereas Sequoia National Park is 328,000+ acres. With 12 wilderness areas and 110 miles of hiking trails, Anza-Borrego has numerous places to explore. Secondly, the park is an "International Dark Sky Park," which means it's an incredible place to stargaze. Finally, just outside of the park is Galleta Meadows, a private refuge for 130 towering metal structures created by artist Ricardo Breceda. It's on private property, but you can check out these art sculptures anytime, and you should! Anza-Borrego SP and its surrounding area is an experience like no other.
Download Park Visitor's Guide
Main image credit: Robby McCullough
Each campsite comes with a:
Anza Borrego has four developed campgrounds: Tamarisk Grove, Vern Whitaker Horse Camp, Bow Willow, and Borrego Palm Canyon, along with eight "primitive' campgrounds that don't have running water. Borrego Palm Canyon is the largest campground with 122 reservable sites and a bunch of amenities. You can buy firewood, take hot showers, and sit underneath shade ramadas throughout the campground. It's a perfect spot for first-time campers and families who want to try out desert camping.
Check-in: After 12 PM · Check-out: 12 PM
Quiet hours: 10 PM to 6 AM
Nightly Fee: $25
The park is named after 18th century Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza and borrego, the Spanish word for sheep.
Thousands of years ago, the Cahuilla, Cupeño and Kumeyaay Native American tribes lived in the region
Borrego Springs is a major stopover for Swainson's Hawks migrating from Argentina to their breeding grounds north of the town. Cool, huh?
You won't be saving money, but you'll save space and weight with these camp sandals.
Clothes
Sleepover! This is a tent you can stand up in and have plenty of space for air mattresses, doggos, and more.
Shared Gear
A reliable, popular, and relatively affordable dual-burner camping stove that is fairly heavy, but performs well.
Kitchen
It's pricey, but the New York Times' Wirecutter recommended this attachment as a way for wheelchair users to navigate uneven terrain.
Essential Items
Instead of transporting stuff on your lap, use this storage bag to easily store items underneath your wheelchair.
Essential Items
Never dig around your pack to find some hand sanitizer. Instead, hang this one on the outside of your pack.
Personal Stuff
If you're an experienced backpacker, this is the lightest full-size, full-featured, frameless pack made.
Essential Items
Add a little magic to your experience by hanging these twinkling lights around your tent every night.
Shared Gear
Sometimes you just want a camp chair that gets the job done. Nothing glamorous or fancy. Well, this is it.
Shared Gear
The more you backpack the lighter your shelter becomes, and the lighter it is, the more expensive it can be.
Shared Gear
Camp underneath the stars and watch glorious sunrises in Joshua Tree National Park, the second largest national park in California.