Top Desert Parks: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California

Landscapes in southern California's 600,000 acre Anza-Borrego Desert State Park range from barren sand dunes near sea level to wooded mountains over 6,000 feet, but the majority of the land is desert-like, a mix of badlands, ravines and sandy plains, plus scattered palm oases, which provide some of the more popular hiking destinations. The park is quite busy during cooler seasons, but less visited during the summer when temperatures can exceed 120°F. Besides hiking, both on and off-trail, the area is also renowned for primitive camping, wildflower viewing and ATV use.

Anza-Borrego Desert: details, map