Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is one of those places that you could camp for a week and still only see a fraction of the Park's 600,000 acres. To get started, you just need a 4WD vehicle and a good pair of hiking boots.
The Park's Visitor Center is located in the community of Borrego Springs, an area of private land surrounded by the Park. The center has a good supply of maps and information about the desert and is a good place to start your visit.
Borrego Springs is a winter destination for many people and there are several very nice resorts and other accommodations in the area. Many artist live in the area, or vacation here during the winter months, so many works of art are located throughout the community. Some of the most amazing art projects are the large free-standing metal sculptures by Ricardo Breceda, which consists of pre-historic and mythical beasts, desert animals, birds, insects, and a variety of other works of art. (Free guides are available at the Visitor Center.)
The Fredericks Shop in Borrego Springs also contains substantial pieces of metal art work, plus some really unusual items in their store, including many artifacts from Mexico and South America.
As we traveled various backroads, we drove through the community of Ranchita and were surprised when we were greeted by an abominable snowman. I was told that the Yeti are getting older and have been spending the winters in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park for the last few years.
A little farther down the road we found a marker for the San Felipe Stage station that was in operation from 1858 to 1861. The station was later used by the Banning Stages and by the military during the Civil War.
We eventually ended up in Julian, home of the World Famous Julian Pie Company.
Julian was founded in 1870 when gold was discovered in the nearby hills, but the real "gold" was in the agricultural industry. The soil and climate around Julian make it an ideal location to grow apples. Julian apples have won awards at world fairs, state fairs, and the Los Angeles County fair for 22 years in a row.
The quaint little town with is picturesque stores and buildings has also made it the"Bed-and-Breakfast Capital of Southern California."
On September 20, 1818 Father Fernando Martin celebrated the first mass at the Santa Ysabel Asistencia Site, which was then an outpost of Mission San Diego. The area grew quickly and by 1822 Santa Ysabel had a chapel, cemetery, granary, many houses, and over 450 neophytes.
The current chapel was constructed in 1924, but services have been held continually at this site since 1818.
The Warner Ranch House was constructed in 1844 as a residence when Governor Manuel Micheltorena granted 4,322 acres of land to Juan Jose Warner. The house is located on the Southern Overland Route into California and was visited by General Kearny in 1846, The Mormon Battalion in 1847, and became a Butterfield Stage stop in 1858. The 2,600 mile trip from Tipton (Missouri) to San Francisco (California) required 24 days by stagecoach.
The Oak Grove Butterfield Stage Station was built in 1858 and is the only surviving wooden building that was constructed as a stage station on the Butterfield route across the United States. The building is currently closed because it is in need of some renovations.
When I saw the California Highway 371 sign (The highest state highway number in California.), I knew that it was time to turn north and head for home!
I always love to read about your adventures
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