Health and Safety Tips for Visitors

Welcome to the BORREGO EXPERIENCE Stay Safe. Get lots of fresh air!

Spread out and avoid the crowds in our 1,000 square miles of open spaces. Marvel at spectacular mountain views. Challenge yourself to one or more of our 200 half day hikes. Stay up late for infinite night time stargazing.  

As Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, the community of Borrego Springs and our businesses gradually welcome visitors back to Borrego, it’s important to know how to enjoy our town and outdoor spaces safely.

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, face coverings are now required indoors (including visitor centers and State park restrooms) and outdoors when physical distancing is not possible. Yet, that’s not the only consideration before visiting a recreation site right now. Be prepared for new protocols to ensure a happy — and safe — visit. Here are five important steps for safely getting outside in the Park and visiting the community of Borrego Springs in 2020.

• Stick to groups of under 10 people and only members of your household. Limiting travel and contact with non-household members helps contain the spread of COVID-19. Stay home if you feel sick or have any flu-like symptoms.
• Prevent crowding in parking lots and on trails. Pay attention to your surroundings. Stay on designated trails except when you briefly need to give others more room when passing to maintain physical distancing. Leaving no trace and ensuring the park stay clean lessens the impact on staff and the risk of exposure to virus. Take any trash with you, including disposable gloves and face coverings, and make wildfire prevention a priority.
• Bring the essential supplies needed for your stay. Bring drinking water, hand sanitizer, face coverings, money for food and gas. You do not want to run out of water in the desert, especially if hiking or cycling. Plan on brining with you a minimum of one gallon of drinking water per person per day. While only 90 miles from San Diego to the west and 70 to Palm Springs in the east, that is where the hospitals are. Bring a first aid kit. With limited local ambulance and rescue services have a plan to self-evacuate in an emergency.
• Practice good personal hygiene and physical distancing. Just because you’re outdoors doesn’t mean you won’t run into other people. Keep practicing good personal hygiene and wash or sanitize your hands often. Know which facilities are open (restrooms may be closed) and avoid high-touchpoint areas like playgrounds and picnic shelters as they are not disinfected frequently. Cover your cough with a tissue, or the inside of your elbow.
• Monitor BorregoExperience.com for up to date information about visiting the Park and community. What’s open, what’s not. Know where the crowded spots are and recommendations for alternate places to hike, bike or visit. We also have an extensive and detailed list of recommendations updated daily. If you have any questions please email us at BorregoExperienceInfo@Gmail.com.

For more information please see:

Borrego Springs Coronavirus Resource Center

San Digo County Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Information

State of California Public Health

Centers For Disease Control and Prevention

 Update December 7, 2020:  California has issued a Regional Stay at Home Order to stop the surge of COVID-19 cases and prevent a strain on the health care system. This action will help protect critical care for patients. While the order includes the closure of campground sites in impacted regions, the state also recognizes that mental health is physical health. As such, day use outdoor areas of park units currently open to the public will remain open. Members of the same household are encouraged to stay local and recreate responsibly in the outdoors. Please take the time to read the information contained on this webpage to find out what is open and closed, and the COVID-19 guidelines for this park unit.

Here is some additional information for locals visiting Anza-Borrego Desert State park:

What is open now?

• Backcountry Unpaved Roads
• Hell Hole Day-use Area: for day-use activities only from sunrise to sunset.
• Sunrise Trail Head Parking/Day-use Areas
• Coyote Canyon Above 3rd Crossing
• North Coyote Canyon / Turkey Track Access Gate
• Borrego Palm Canyon Day-use (Borrego Palm Canyon Trail Map)
• Very limited parking is now available to the public.

What is currently closed at this park and throughout the State Park System?

Closed at this park:

• Camping (developed and primitive)
• Dispersed Backcountry Camping
• Peg Leg and Culp Valley Primitive Camping Areas
• Borrego Palm Canyon Full Hookup Campsites
• Tamarisk Grove Campground Campgrounds
• Arroyo Salado, Blair Valley, Yaqui Pass, Yaqui Well, Bow Willow, Mt. Palm Springs, and Fish Creek primitive camps
• Anza Borrego Visitor Center (Information in available outside Thursdays-Mondays)
• Special events and tours continue to be canceled until further notice.
• Group camps and group picnic areas

Statewide:

• Many campgrounds across the state remain temporarily closed until further notice or will be temporarily closed in accordance with the new Regional Stay at Home Order. More information here. 
• High public-use indoor facilities, including museums and visitor centers.
• Special events and tours continue to be canceled until further notice.

Are there any new visitor guidelines?

Yes, State Parks has implemented the following guidelines to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 in the outdoors:

• Stay Local –Stay close to home to slow the spread of COVID-19. Do not travel if you or someone in your household is sick.
• Plan Ahead – The COVID-19 pandemic response continues to be dynamic and fluid. As such, information on this webpage may change. Prior to visiting us, please check this webpage again right before you visit the park to find out if new guidelines are in place.
• Stay Safer at 6 feet – No matter the recreational activity, maintain a physical distance of 6 feet or more. Your guests should only include those within your immediate household. This means no guests or friends, and no gatherings, picnics or parties. Visitors are being asked to leave if there are too many people to allow for the required physical distance.
  • Boating: Do not raft up to other boaters or pull up onto a beach next to other recreators.
  • Off-highway Vehicle Recreation: Do not ride next to others or pull up next to someone else as it could put you in close proximity to others. Stage 10 feet or more from each other during unloading and loading.
• Keep Clean – Be prepared. Not all restrooms are open to the public. in some cases, restrooms will be temporarily closed to keep up with cleaning schedules. Bring soap/hand sanitizer. Please pack out all trash. Park units are experiencing heavy use and you can help alleviate the impact on park facilities. 
• Stay Covered – The state requires you wear a face covering when you cannot maintain physical distancing of six feet or more. Individuals must have a face covering with them at all times.

Statewide, California State Parks continues to work with locals on a phased and regionally driven approach to increase access to state park units where compliance with state and local public health ordinances can be achieved. However, the situation remains fluid and park operations can change at any time. The need for Californians to slow the spread of COVID-19 in the outdoors remains critical.

For information on statewide current closures and available services, please visit parks.ca.gov/FlattenTheCurve.

For information on statewide current closures and available services, please visit parks.ca.gov/FlattenTheCurve.

See the California State Park Website for the latest:

Safety Tips

Visitor Guidelines and Updates

Visitor Information and Latest Updates for the Ocotillo Wells State Vehicle Recreation Area

Road conditions can change at any time!    

 See the latest updates for road conditions in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

Galleta Meadows Sky Art Sculptures 

The land and artwork of Galleta Meadows has reopened. They have been closed off since April due to the coronavirus and stay-at-home orders. Please remember to follow health and safety guidelines when visiting and gathering at the sculptures.

Remember to carry a lot of water, be alert of the possibility of encountering wildlife, be mindful of your vehicle’s sustainability for visiting some locations, and please do not climb on or touch the art works.

The Under the Sun Foundation are stewards of the 130 free-standing, metal sculptures produced by artist Ricardo Breceda. The sculptures are spread over 1,500 acres of undeveloped desert land, and taken care of by the Foundation, who continue to actively plan for the long-term care of this important community landmark and resource.  

Source – The Borrego Sun https://www.borregosun.com/

Where can I stay, what restaurants are open, and what hours are specific shops/services open...see the Borrego Springs Chamber of Commerce website for up to date information:  https://www.borregospringschamber.com/

For more information and updated information about visiting the Anza-Borrego Desert region including the Community of Borrego Springs and Anza-Borrego Desert State Park see:

Borrego Experience

Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association

Anza-Borrego Foundation

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park