Anza-Borrego Wildflowers & Sculptures
Find giant metal dinosaurs and dragons in the desert, then hunt for spring wildflowers. Most of it is free.
8.5 hrs drive · 4 days · Best for toddlers to teens · Feb–Apr
Day 1: Drive south
- 7:00 Leave SF on I-5 south
- 10:00 Break in Kettleman City
- 1:00 Lunch near Bakersfield
- 5:00 Arrive in Borrego Springs
Day 2: Sculptures & visitor center
- 9:00 Anza-Borrego Visitor Center for maps and a flower update
- 10:30 Drive Borrego Springs Rd to see the metal sculptures
- 1:00 Lunch in town
- 3:00 Rest during the warm part of the day
- 7:00 Look at the stars
Day 3: Palm oasis & flowers
- 7:30 Borrego Palm Canyon Trail loop to the overlook (check if the palm oasis is open; it burned in 2020)
- 11:30 Picnic and shade break
- 3:00 Drive around to find the best blooms
Day 4: Drive home
- 7:30 Leave Borrego Springs
- 12:00 Lunch near Bakersfield
- 2:30 Kettleman City stop
- 5:30 Home
From parents who have been
- The sculptures are in three clusters, and one group needed a half day to see them all. Park by the paved road and walk, because cars without 4WD get stuck in the sand. The dinosaurs need a higher-clearance car. Never Ending Voyage
- If time is short, see the Serpent, the ground sloth, the scorpion and grasshopper, and the Jeep, and skip the llama and camel area. The Serpent is about 2.4 miles up Borrego Springs Rd from Christmas Circle and looks like it dives under the road. There are no signs, so get a map at the visitor center. Never Ending Voyage
- Visit the sculptures in the first two hours after sunrise or the last two before sunset. Even early February afternoons were hot. The artist's foundation asks visitors not to climb on the art. Never Ending Voyage
- The Borrego Palm Canyon trailhead is at the back of the campground, with restrooms and a water fountain. The trail has almost no shade. One hiker saw a bighorn ram on the rocky west-side return loop, but sightings aren't guaranteed. Hiking San Diego County
- Easier walks for small kids: the paved 1.2-mile Visitor Center to Campground path, the 0.5-mile Narrows Earth Trail with a self-guiding brochure, and Kenyon Overlook at sunset. Glorietta Canyon is best in spring, when brittlebush blooms. Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Assn, family hikes
- Borrego Springs is an International Dark Sky Community, and the natural history association runs astronomer-led night sky tours. After the peak bloom, the remaining wildflowers may be reachable only with 4WD. Dave's Travel Corner
Good to know
- Wildflowers usually start in late February or early March. Timing depends on rain, so call the bloom hotline at 760-767-4684 before you go.
- The Visitor Center is open daily 9am to 5pm from Oct 1 to May 31. Parking there and at Borrego Palm Canyon costs $10 per car.
- The 130+ Galleta Meadows metal sculptures are free and easy to see from the road. Pick up a free map in town near Christmas Circle.
- Fill up on gas before heading into the park, start hikes early and bring plenty of water.
Sources: California State Parks Anza-Borrego · DayTrippen Borrego Springs