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12 Challenges – Half Mile to Half Marathon
12 Challenges – Half Mile to Half Marathon
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is the largest state park in California and is the first and only International Dark Sky Park in California with the town of Borrego Springs a designated Dark Sky Community.
Five hundred miles of dirt roads, 12 wilderness areas and many miles of hiking trails provide visitors with an unparalleled opportunity to experience the wonders of the California Desert. The park is named for Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza and the Spanish word borrego, or bighorn sheep. The park features washes, wildflowers, palm groves, cacti and sweeping vistas. Visitors may also have the chance to see roadrunners, golden eagles, kit foxes, mule deer and bighorn sheep as well as iguanas, chuckwallas and the red diamond rattlesnake. The Park is located on the eastern side of San Diego County, with portions extending east into Imperial County and north into Riverside County. It is about a two-hour drive from San Diego, Riverside, and Palm Springs. – California State Parks Website
Share your favorite Desert region photo and story, past or present, on our FB Community Group or wherever you do social with #RunCaliforniaChallenge. Tag @runlocalevents for a chance at being featured and win prizes throughout the year.
The thwack of a golf club, the hum of the wind buffeting towering sand dunes, the splash of a dive into a glistening pool—the desert region is a sensory feast. Death Valley National Park holds the record for hottest temperature ever recorded (129°F in 1913), while the deserts of Joshua Tree National Park feature giant boulders and alien-like yucca plants. At Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, discover perfect night skies, slot canyons, and spring wildflowers. The Greater Palm Springs region boasts great golfing, luxurious resorts, world-class shopping, and midcentury modern architecture. – Visit California
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