"Anza Borrego" a Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Travel Page by Echo_29

Anza Borrego can seem monochromatic and sparse but wander down one of the many deep canyons in the Badlands and every twist will open up new sculpted vistas.

This California state park does not have a developed paved road network like many of the national desert parks. Most of the sights can only be seen on dirt roads and in dry washes. A 4 x 4 vehicle is highly reccomended. With the heavy rains in the winter of 2004-2005 there are landslides blocking canyons and rough conditions that only a skilled off road driver with a built-up truck can make. Ask at the visitors center about the current road conditions before attempting to explore the park.

Wandering through the Anza Borrego Desert you can see a landscape made up of alluvial fans, plateaus, stark mountain ranges and the badlands. It is subtler than Joshua Tree National Park but look closely and you will become smitten with the harsh beauty.

Erosion in the Badlands exposes layers of different stratas in the steep walls of the canyons.