Enjoying the Anza Borrego Desert

The politicians in Sacramento are saying that they might have to close down the state parks, including Anza Borrego Desert State Park, due to budget problems. First of all, there are no gates, barriers, roadblocks that block the roads in this area, so you will still be able to drive through the park on the paved roads. The entire town of Borrego Springs is surrounded by the park and the roads have to be open for people to come and go.

So, most likely, the roads will still be open to sight-see, photograph, and enjoy. However, what might happen is that the visitor's center may close completely and any educational programs or hikes would cease. The developed campgrounds at Palm Canyon and Tamarisk Grove would probably close, also, unless some other funding becomes available. It might also mean less ranger patrols in the area, too, which would put a hike in the remote areas more risky.

In the past, the park has been able to make up budget shortfalls by charging a fee for all activities that take place off the paved highways. They usually gave a break to hikers and bikers. This may be a likely scenario this year, but I cannot confirm this.

So, if you are planning a trip to the Anza Borrego Desert in the near future, you will still be able to enjoy it, but it may cost you some fees or be more risky. I will try to keep everyone updated on this. Right now, this is all speculation based on what had been done in the past.

The weather is getting hot with several hundred degree days already hitting the area. And, as of May, it seems that the monsoon might be starting early. I'm crossing my fingers. The last few years, the monsoon has been very week, probably because of La Nina. Predictions are mixed for this year.

I am looking forward to summer visits for thunderstorm and cloud shots.

My last trip was in early to mid April 2009. I took an extra long trip down the California Riding and Hiking Trail from the S-22 to just north of the Angelina Spring in Grapevine Canyon. I wanted to get close to the area that I had ridden my bike about a year before, in Grapevine Canyon and I managed to get within view of it.

This hike was a lot more strenuous than the previous two hikes I had done in the southern end of the Anza-Borrrego Desert State Park. The first half was mostly going downhill, only I didn't know it until I got well into Grapevine Canyon as it was mostly a gently slope. Then, it dropped sharply down to the canyon floor. The climb back up from the jeep road to the Jasper Valley was steep and hard.

Along the way, I saw a lot of flowers; they were everywhere. The yellow flowers blanketed the area, but there were also some tiny white, purple, pink, and blue flowers. They even overgrown the trail which looked like it was hardly used. I didn't see a whole lot of bees in the area pollinating them, but that could be because it was cold and windy that day.