Sandstone Canyon

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A popular off-road destination in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is Sandstone Canyon, accessed via Fish Creek Wash from its intersection with Split Mountain Road.  The canyon walls get increasingly closer together as you make your way up the canyon.

Links:  Dirtopia    ABDSP

The Slot

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One of my favorite spots in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is “The Slot”, a small slot canyon that is about 2 miles north of the 78.  The turnoff is just a little ways east of its intersection with Borrego Springs Road and should be marked as Buttes Pass Road.  Keep left at the intersection that you come to after about a mile.  If the road looks too challenging, hike in from the 78.

Links:   ABDSP     Wheelingit

 

Seventeen Palms Oasis

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A fun place to visit in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is Seventeen Palms Oasis, which boasts a series of beautiful palm trees (Washingtonia filifera) set against the stark desert.  It’s a nice shaded place for a picnic lunch while you check out the “prospector’s post office” which contains a visitor’s log book, notes, etc.

link to more info

Desert Rainbow

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Rainbows are always special!  This one graced us with its presence while camped at Borrego Palm Canyon campground in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. This campground makes a great base camp for exploring the park and Borrego Springs.

Links:  Campground info

Serpent Sculpture

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Borrego Springs, the gateway to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park (California’s largest at approximately 600,000 acres), contains an awesome collection of metal sculptures (roughly 130) by Ricardo Breceda, many commissioned by the late Dennis Avery (Avery Labels heir), placed in Avery’s Galleta Meadows Estates and open to the public.  Be sure and pick up a map to sculpture locations (available in town).

Links:   Anza-Borrego Desert State Park     Ricardo Breceda