Planning Your School Group’s Field Trip to
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park®

We are pleased that you are considering a visit to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Our staff and volunteers will be happy to help you plan a visit that is safe, educational, and fun!

While groups are welcome at the park year round, most choose to avoid the months of March and April, during these months of the wildflower bloom, the park is crowded with visitors and you may encounter difficulty parking, as well as large crowds at facilities and trails. Please use the following information to plan your visit.

Visitor Center
Begin your visit at our award winning Park Visitor Center. There you will find exhibits, 15 minute movies, a native plant garden, and a sales area with books, maps and postcards. Modern restrooms and drinking fountain are available, as well as bus parking. The Visitor Center is open daily 9-5, except during the summer. From June through September, it is open weekends and holidays only.

Interpretive Programs
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park offers interpretive programs. These programs are led by trained staff and volunteers. A phone reservation is required at least three weeks in advance.
Call (760)767-0334.

What to Expect
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is the largest state park in California. It extends over 900 square miles, elevations range from 6,000 foot peaks to land only 15 feet above sea level. Anza-Borrego’s mission is to protect and preserve this diverse land and its resources. Collecting natural or cultural resources is forbidden.
While rainfall is generally less than seven inches per year, be prepared for wind and temperatures over 100 degrees between April and November. Temperatures in higher elevations and after dark may be very cool. Vegetation is sparse in most areas, and shade is hard to find. Plan to carry your own water. Many desert plants are equipped with spines, so be ready with a comb and tweezers to remove them.
You will find a variety of wildlife at Anza-Borrego. The Peninsular Bighorn Sheep is the namesake of the park, but very elusive. Roadrunners, Cottontail Rabbits, Black Tailed Jackrabbits, Gambel’s Quail, and a variety of reptiles will be more easily spotted. Nigh time sounds include those made by the Coyote, Long-eared Owl, Bobcat, Kit Fox, and numerous bats and rodents.
Many of the roads in Anza-Borrego can be traveled only by foot or 4-wheel drive. Most of them are in “washes” and subject to flash floods. It is a good idea to visit the park and become familiar with an area before you bring your group. A free park magazine presents information about the different resources in the park. Park maps are available for sale at the Visitor Center or online. Inquire at the Visitor Center about road conditions.

Suggested Areas for Groups
Palm Canyon Trail
Mine Canyon Village Site
Blair Valley
Elephant Trees Trail