Anza Borrego is a place that time forgot. The desert destination, which encompasses 600,000 acres of land, is filled with wonder, from its perfectly preserved pictographs drawn several thousand years ago by the region’s Native People to its vast vistas that seem to stretch on forever. Even its glittering night sky is extraordinary. It shines so bright, it’s listed on the International Dark-Sky Association's official list of dark-sky parks. Anza Borrego is an everyday reminder of the raw beauty of Mother Nature if she’s left untouched. And every few years, she one-ups herself with a real showstopper: a wildflower blast-off.

“What gets people excited and talking is the spring wildflower bloom,” Mike McElhatton, the educational program director at Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association, says. “It’s special because it doesn’t happen all the time.”

What exactly does a desert bloom look like? Picture this: Bright yellow flowers bursting through thick, rocky terrain, stretching toward the clear blue skies above. Thorny cacti adorned with vibrant fuchsia petals. And sand washes filled with white lilies, purple thistle, and tender green succulent leaves twisting and twirling in every direction. But what makes it even more beautiful is knowing just how ephemeral it all is. A wildflower bloom in Anza Borrego only lasts a few weeks through March and April. Once the pedals close, they won’t be back for another 12 months.

This is from The WeekEnder series: local insider guides for new destinations throughout Southern California, delivered to your inbox twice a month. Sign up here!

This is from The WeekEnder series: local insider guides for new destinations throughout Southern California, delivered to your inbox twice a month. Sign up here!

McElhatton explains, there are always blooms in the desert in spring, but how big and magical they get depends on having a Goldilocks level of rain and sun throughout the winter months. And really, there’s no telling how dense the blooms may reach—if they will reach the mythic “super bloom” status—until they start to pop out of the desert ground. But McElhatton adds that even without the blooms, this is still a special place.

“When I first came here, it felt like home in a way that felt so comfortable. I could just step into it.” McElhatton says. “It's not a thing that's easy to explain in a couple of words, but it's that comfort, and it’s a nice, inviting, and beautiful place. And if visitors leave with that feeling too, that’s everything.”

On this edition of the WeekEnder, we’re lacing up our hiking boots and heading out for a trek through one of California’s most beautiful wild places. And we’re stopping to smell every flower along the way, too.

—Stacey Leasca, SoCal’s Senior WeekEnder Guide

Editor’s Note: For the latest on Covid, visit the official California COVID-19 Information Page.

Find your perfect path across the desert.

For an easy path, Cactus Loop

Cactus Loop may only be 0.7 miles in length, but that’s more than long enough to show off some of the coolest vegetation in the desert. Visitors can spot hummingbird bushes, beavertail cactus, ocotillo cactus, cattail shrubs, and other stunners on this looping trail.

For a hidden oasis, Borrego Palm Canyon

The Palm Canyon Trail is the area’s most popular hike for a good reason. Its 3.25-mile loop is a moderate hike that certainly takes a little effort, but all that work is rewarded with a stunning oasis, including a lush forest of desert palms in the middle, surrounded by bright yellow wildflowers and vibrant green grass, contrasting the stone-and-sand earth. And if you time it just right after a good rain, you’ll find a trickling stream running through it, too.

For a day-long adventure, Fonts Point

Like a heartier hike? Try the 7.9-mile out-and-back Fonts Point hike. Though long, this hike is still considered an easy one thanks to its lack of elevation. It’s ideal for those looking to explore for the day inside the area’s washes and want to hunt down harder-to-spot plants. It’s also an excellent choice for those looking to find a more remote camping location that’s still close to a well-marked trail.

For a historical hike, Pictograph Trail

Get a little history lesson with your hike on the Pictograph Trail, a 2.6-mile easy hike that comes with the bonus of a few red rockface pictographs on a massive boulder along the way. These paintings were done by the Kumeyaay tribe a few thousand years ago and have stood the test of time. This isn’t the only beautiful sight on the trail either. Look to the west to see a stunning natural scene that includes views of Little Blair Valley and Granite Mountain.

For an adrenaline rush, The Slot Loop

Take another awe-inspiring walk through Anza Borrego with the 2.5-mile Slot Loop trail. The moderate hike doesn’t come with a significant elevation gain or loss, but it will get your heart pumping thanks to its narrowing trail through the towering canyons. If confined spaces aren’t your thing, you may want to skip this hike, but if squeezing through rock formations is your jam, then this trail will most certainly be a favorite.

For an art outing, Borrego Springs Sculptures

While not exactly a trail, the Borrego Springs Sculptures are certainly worthy of a walkabout. Weave around 100-plus sculptures—steel-welded mammoths, sea serpents, gold-rush prospectors, and other tributes to the desert—all creations by artist and welder Ricardo Breceda. These mythical, playful structures are enhanced by the gritty land and rolling desert hills that surround each one like a movie backdrop.

Stop and smell the roses (and the fremont’s pincushion, desert lilies, and cheesebush).

Beavertail

Beavertail is a plant that comes with a vibrant violet flower, but its blooms are balanced like a teacup atop a cactus. The flat green cacti are reminiscent of a beaver’s tail (hence the name) and are generally spineless. Find them across the park, and along the Cactus Loop.

Borrego milkvetch

A rich royal purple wildflower with upturned blossoms, the Borrego milkvetch can grow up to 30 centimeters in height in clumps of dusty gray leaves. Find it along Henderson Cy Road.

Brown-eyed primrose

Clusters of these white-petaled flowers make their own bouquet, with delicate buttercup-like blooms, though here the butter-yellow is on the interior stamen circling a deep brown center with small purple dots. It too is pretty easy to spot on the Cactus loop trail.

California thistle

Another powerfully purple flower with a bit of a sea anemone look, the California Thistle comes with bulbous heads and prickly stems that are best not to touch. Find them all over the park.

Cheesebush

Great big clouds of these frothy yellow flowerheads contain a special surprise: A distinctly cheesy smell. Find this common flower all over the park, and when you do, rub the leaves between your fingers and inhale for a cheddary whiff.

Desert lily

The desert lily is one of the most common flowers in the area, but that doesn’t make it any less stunning. With its massive white flowers resembling Easter lilies, stretching out from lengthy fluted leaves, and a sweet fragrance, it’s hard to miss. These flowers can typically be found in dry flats and washes or in sandstone areas.

Dunes sunflower

Like a sunflower in miniature, the dune sunflower is one of the more plentiful blooms in the park. Its yellow petals make it easy to spot as it rambles around trails and throws its vines up toward the sun.

Fremont’s pincushion

One more lovely little flower to spot is Fremont’s pincushion, a lacy white puffball that grows in clusters. This flower smells fresh as a daisy, which is fitting because it’s in the daisy family. It can be found almost anywhere in the park, except in the badlands.

Golden cholla

As a spiny cactus with barbed thorns, the golden cholla is most certainly a “look but don’t touch” plant. However, when in bloom, the cholla shows off its softer side with a beautiful golden flower that’s best observed at a distance. Find it in the low desert.

Treasure flower

Looking like the quintessential needlepoint flower, the treasure flower resembles a daisy painted in yellow and orange streaks. They may be harder to find around the park, but just keep an eye out for those vibrant tiger-stripe hues.

See a complete list of desert blooms here.

Spend a night with the stars as your ceiling.

Palm Canyon Campground

The Borrego Palm Canyon Campground comes with 120 campsites allowing for tent, trailer, and RV overnight stays, located on the northeast corner of the park. Campers will find picnic tables, food lockers, and potable water, and restrooms complete with coin-operated hot showers for plenty of creature comforts.

Tamarisk Grove Campground

For a smaller campground experience try Tamarisk Grove Campground, which holds just 27 sites. This spot comes with picnic tables, shade structures, food lockers, and fire rings ideal for making s’mores under the stars. And, what makes this place extra special is that many of the campsites sit under the shade of the looming trees overhead, providing natural shade from the desert heat. (Note: The water here is not potable so make sure to pack in your own.)

Agua Caliente Campground

Located in the southern region of Anza-Borrego, the Agua Caliente camping area has the massive added perk of three natural hot springs for visitors to take a dip in day or night. Beyond the springs, the campsite has restrooms, a clubhouse, a picnic area, access to trails, and even heated cabins for those not interested in roughing it, making it the most bougie campsite of the bunch.

Find shelter from the elements in these welcoming hotels.

For a luxury getaway, La Casa del Zorro

La Casa del Zorro Desert Resort doesn’t think of itself as a hotel. Rather, it’s a retreat—but that doesn’t mean it’s snoozy. The golf course, shuffleboard, bocce ball, ping-pong table, and life-sized chessboard give loads of opportunity to get out in the desert sunshine and play from dawn till dusk. When you call it a night, turn in at one of its casitas, each kitted out with a private spa or pool, dining rooms, full kitchens, and fireplaces for those cold desert nights.

For a mid-century stay, The Palms at Indian Head

Built in 1958, the Palms at Indian Head is a mid-century marvel. The hotel still flaunts the clean lines and streamlined aesthetics of its age, along with the low-slung wood and leather furnishings that make this era so iconic. Guests can choose from one of its 12 rooms all outfitted in mod decor. And two restaurants, Coyote Steakhouse and Red Ocotillo, give plenty of on-site dining options.

For a spa vacation, Borrego Springs Resort

Think of this as the perfect counterpoint to all that dusty desert hiking and exploring. An expansive pool, plush beds, and private patio areas give multiple spots to lounge and nap. But the ultimate reward for tired, aching muscles can be found at the Borrego Springs Resort’s spa, which offers massages, facials, and body treatments like a Limoncello sugar scrub and a coconut oil scalp massage.

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