Borrego Springs

Situated a mere 40 miles as the crow flies from Palm Springs, Borrego Springs seems a world apart from its ritzier cousin.  But while Palm Springs got the railroad, the celebrities, and the crowds, in Borrego Springs, you can still see the desert all around you.  It may not be as polished, but it’s certainly more authentic.

With a 4 day holiday weekend, I wanted to get out of town, and L volunteered to join me.  Our route took us down to Oceanside, and then east along highway 76.  The first stop was the Pala Casino – a large but attractive complex in northern San Diego County.  A few hours later (and several dollars poorer), we continued on our journey.  The highway took us up into the mountain country, where the road was flanked by beautiful oak trees.  It went through some beautiful open country and past Lake Henshaw, which was formed by damming the San Luis Rey river.  When highway 76 ended, we turned north for a few miles onto highway 79 and then off onto county road S2.  Once on the country roads, we were truly in the boondocks.  We drove along the plateau for a few miles, and then suddenly were presented with the entire Borrego Valley below.  A few miles down the steep grade, and we found ourselves in Borrego Springs.

Though it was high season, the village had a pretty sleepy feel.  Most of the people we saw seemed to be northern snowbirds who were looking for a quieter (or cheaper) place to winter.  The town had a golf course or two, some gift shops, and a few places for entertainment.  I can’t imagine spending all winter here, but with the whole of Anza Borrego State Park surrounding it, there are outdoor activities galore.

Our lodging for the evening was at The Palms at Indian Head, and I’ll devote a whole post to that.  Once settled, we headed out for a little hike into the nearby Palm Canyon.  The late afternoon light wasn’t ideal because the mountains to the west blocked it, but it was a pleasant hike through the desert.  Along the way we saw a myriad of desert plants and birds, rabbits, and even the elusive bighorn sheep high up the slopes.  The palm oasis was a worthwhile destination as well.  It was surprising to see such a flow of water coursing through the otherwise very dry canyon.

After dinner, we set up cameras to see if we could capture the night sky.  Borrego Springs is an international dark sky community, and it lived up to its distinction.  The stars were brilliant against the coal black sky.

The night didn’t seem to last long  — we had heard the Borrego sunrises were spectacular, and so were back outside before 6AM.  The rave reviews were warranted, and I very much enjoyed hearing the morning birds, and watching the sky slowly brighten in the east, while the sun warmed and illuminated the mountains and desert to the west.

After a leisurely breakfast, we headed out of town by a different route.  We had the whole day ahead of us and decided to see the Salton Sea.  The Salton Sea wasn’t much to write home about, but the road to it from Borrego Springs was a different story.  Along the way, we witnessed flame-red flowering ocotillos and deep-gullied badlands that looked like they were taken straight out of a western.  We even saw a turn-off to an old calcite mine, accessible by 4WD vehicle.  I definitely want to come back to hike it.

About the only bad part about the weekend was how quickly it passed.  But now that I’m reminded of how close the area is – and have a great place to stay – I hope it won’t be long before I’m back.  I hear desert wildflowers can be spectacular in an El Nino year…

Tags: Beyond LA, hiking