The area is alive with wildlife and extremely prolific in floral displays. Its mountains rise in relief from the desert floor, circling the valley with jagged crags of stark beauty.

Borrego's friendly inhabitants and genuine hometown atmosphere add to the appeal of this unique place. The community offers a bounty to nature lovers, explorers and all outdoor people, as well as to those who want luxury accomodations, golf, tennis and the good life. A variety of good restaurants await the visitor here, as well as intimate shopping malls, good schools, and excellent residential neighborhoods.

WEATHER

With clean air and clear skies, the winter months feature warm days and cool nights. The summer desert heat tempered with low humidity makes higher summer temperatures feel more comfortable.

20 YEAR WEATHER AVERAGES
MONTH	HIGH	LOW	RAIN
January	69.6	42.7	1.19
February	73.3	45.6	1.00
March	76.7	49.5	.78
April	83.4	53.4	.26
May	92.2	60.2	.09
June	101.8	67.8	.01
July	106.9	75.2	.33
August	105.9	75.1	.69
September	99.8	69.1	.48
October	89.7	60.9	.34
November	77.1	50.1	.76
December	68.7	43.3	.92

Borrego Springs is home to many denominations including Catholic, Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, Episcopal, and many others. Click on the button below for more information.

The area's fine weather and clear skies have facilitated its development into a golf/desert resort area. There are three 18-hole championship-length courses, the Rams Hill Country Club, the Borrego Springs Country Club (both open to the public) and the De Anza Country Club (members and guests only). Two Par-3 Executive courses are available, the Roadrunner Club (18 holes) and the Club Circle (9 holes). Both are open to the public. Contact them at:

Borrego Valley Airport (designated L08) is located approximately 3 miles east of Borrego Springs. It has a pilot-activated, lighted, 5000-foot runway, fueling and space for overnight and longer stays. It is student pilot-friendly and features late-model rental cars, a restaurant and information on numerous other activities. The airport is at an elevation of 520 feet.

It also offers the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Sky Trail, which gives pilots and their passengers a chance to enjoy natural and historic features of the park, many of which can only be viewed from the air. The Borrego Valley Airport can be fairly described as a pilot's heaven, with 99% clear skies.

MEDICAL

It's also reassuring to know that fine medical assistance is available right in Borrego Springs. Borrego Medical Center is staffed with excellent medical personnel and visiting specialists.

HISTORY

Native Americans have inhabited the area for perhaps 10,000 years. Evidence of the Shoshonean-speaking Cahuilas is found as pictographs in caves, mortars for seed grinding worn in rocks, and buried storage pots.

They used bows and arrows for hunting and finely-made baskets of many shapes and sizes for gathering, preparing and storing seeds and fruits.

The first record of a European in Borrego Valley was when Lieutenant Pedro Fages of the San Diego Presidio came in search of deserters in 1772. His pursuit led him northeast through the present town of Borrego Springs and up Coyote Canyon.

This event was related by Kumeyaay Indians to members of the first de Anza expedition, who camped at their village in March, 1774. The Spaniards called this village (and spring) just east of the Borrego Sink, San Gregorio. It is the location of the original Borrego Spring.

Juan Bautista de Anza was seeking an overland route from Sonora, Mexico to Monterrey, California. Proceeding west from San Gregorio, he and his party of 25 followed Coyote Creek and ascended Coyote Canyon. They camped the following night at the Cahuilla village of Lower Willows, now known as Santa Caterina. The next year he brought 240 settlers and 1000 head of stock to supply the coastal missions then being established. They went on to found the city of San Francisco.

It was another hundred years before cattlemen began homesteading the Borrego Valley in the late 1800's. John McCain (probably no relation) had one of his cattle camps at the original Borego (with one r) Springs. Clark Dry Lake was named after the Clark Brothers, who were well known in Coyote Canyon and Borrego Valley.

Soon the focus of the valley became agriculture. "Doc" Beaty homesteaded here in 1912 and raised alfalfa along with his cattle. He was also responsible for building the Truckhaven Trail, which was the forerunner of the S-22 to the Salton Sea.

The first successful well was dug in 1926, which quickly led to irrigation farming. By then, the town contained a post office, a small general store, and a gas station. Today, the main crops are citrus, including the famous Borrego Pink Grapefruit, which was introduced with other citrus fruits in the 1950's.

The military presence of both the Army and Navy during World War II brought the first paved roads and electricity to Borrego Springs. General George Patton used the Carrizo Badlands to train his troops for desert warfare in North Africa. The tracks can still be seen in this fragile desert environment. Army tank destroyer units from New Mexico and anti-aircraft units from California began to arrive here immediately after Pearl Harbor. Naval aviators in their P-38's used the Carrizo Impact Area as a bombing and gunnery range. Because live ordnance still covers the area, it is closed to the public. It can, however, be viewed from the air where bomb craters are still visible below.

After the war, developers subdivided the area, attempting to create a resort community out of the current Village of Borrego Springs by capitalizing on the tourism generated by the state park. Most of the buildings in "downtown" Borrego were built in the late 1940's and early 1950's.

Borrego Springs is still a young community. The major routes into the valley are relatively new. Yaqui Pass Road was completed in 1942, Montezuma Valley Road in 1964 and the S-22 to the Salton Sea in 1968.

The town of Borrego Springs was never incorporated, and therefor has only an honorary mayor and is governed by San Diego County.

DIRECTIONS TO BORREGO SPRINGS

FROM LOS ANGELES—Take any eastbound freeway, then take I-15 south to Temecula, Highway 79 to S-2, 4 ½ miles to S-22, which takes you through Ranchita, into the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, and down into the desert valley floor. At the stop sign at the bottom, the cross street is Palm Canyon Drive. Turn right towards the community of Borrego Springs.

FROM SAN DIEGO—Take I-15 North to Scripps Poway Parkway or Poway Rd, then Highway 67 to Ramona, then Highway 78 to Santa Ysabel. At Santa Ysabel turn left onto Highway 79 toward Warner Springs. Turn right at S-2, 4 ½ miles to a left on S-22, which takes you to Ranchita, into the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, and down Montezuma Grade into the desert valley floor. At the stop sign at the bottom, the cross street is Palm Canyon Drive. Turn right towards the community of Borrego Springs.

LINKS TO OTHER BORREGO SPRINGS WEBSITES

Borrego Springs Chamber of Commerce
Circle of Art, Borrego Springs