4WD Trips
These destinations normally require a 4-wheel drive vehicle, but some only require a rugged 2-wheel drive vehicle with high ground clearance. Some of the more unique places to see in Anza-Borrego are accessed from “somewhat” maintained dirt roads.
Blair Valley
The Blair Valley area is a collection of two small valleys with several attractions to see. Our trip will take you on a loop road through these valleys and to those attractions. One of the biggest draws in this area is the hike to Ghost Mountain to see the ruins of the Marshall Smith home. […]
Borrego Mountain Loop
This is our preferred route through the Borrego Mountain region because it includes several attractions in this part of Anza-Borrego. Those attractions are “The Slot”, Hawk Canyon, Buttes Pass, Buttes Canyon, Hills of the Moon Wash, San Felipe Wash, Blowsand Canyon and the Goat Trail.You can easily spend a whole day on this route by […]
Calcite Mine
This road trip takes you up a challenging 4WD road, through some unusual landscape and to the site of an uncommon type of mine from WWII. Be sure to read the informative kiosks at the start of this dirt road. While you’re in this area, we suggest that you also take the nearby Calcite Mine […]
Desert Oasis Trip
The classic “oasis with palm trees” scene is what many people envision when they hear the word “desert”. True oases are rare but on this road trip in the northern section of Anza-Borrego, you’ll find two of them. And the Pumpkin Patch is very close by so you can easily add it to the end […]
Fish Creek Route
There’s a lot to see in the Carrizo Badlands area of southern Anza-Borrego and that’s why this Road Trip is called the Fish Creek Area.It is also unusual for a Road Trip to have three different route options but this one does. Two of those options include one-way “drop offs” that require some above average […]
Fonts Point
One of the star attractions in the Park, Fonts Point is an overlook into the Borrego Badlands. The corrugated ridgelines of this heavily eroded landscape create a breathtaking sight as you look down upon them from Fonts Point. The desert stretches out before you and, on most days, you can see for miles.
Gas Domes in Ocotillo Wells SVRA
The Gas Domes are yet another unique geologic feature of the Anza-Borrego area. These two small mud pots remind us that Anza-Borrego is still a very geologically active area. Gas Domes is located on Ocotillo Wells SVRA and not in the State Park. The Earth’s crust is particularly thin here and as underground water passes close […]
Hills of the Moon
The name says it all – a drive up this wash really makes you feel like an astronaut driving in a lunar rover. Actually, by driving up Hills of the Moon wash, you are venturing into the heart of the Borrego Badlands which is one of the more well-known attractions of Anza-Borrego. The road up […]
Mud Palisades of Olla Wash
The deeply eroded cliff faces of the aptly named Mud Palisades look like a delicately designed cathedral in the desert. The Mud Palisades are located at the end of Olla Wash. Here, Mother Nature must have had just the right type of mudstone material combined with just the right steepness of the slope to allow […]
Pumpkin Patch
Located just east of theAnza-Borrego Desert State Park border is a collection of funny-looking boulders known as the Pumpkin Patch. These geologic oddities are found only in this small area and are definitely worth seeing. Getting to the Pumpkin Patch is done via the Desert Oasis Road Trip.
Sandstone Canyon
Sandstone Canyon is one of the only slot canyons in Anza-Borrego that you can drive into. This canyon, as the name implies, is cut through layers of beige-colored sandstones. You can drive into Sandstone Canyon for a couple of miles and, when it becomes too narrow to drive further, get out and hike a short […]
Split Mountain
Located in the southeastern corner of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Split Mountain is exactly that. This mountain has been literally split in half thanks to numerous earthquakes and the power of erosion via Fish Creek Wash. And, unlike most canyons, you can drive completely through this one; from one end to the other. Drive between […]
Wind Caves Hike
The wind has been blowing on this layer of sandstone for eons of time and has created hundreds of holes and caves. Depending on your imagination, these caves can look sinister and unearthly or silly and whimsical. Take this short loop hike and discover if for yourself. Located along Fish Creek Wash, this is a […]