Culp Valley Overlook Trail located inside Culp Valley Primitive Campground offers incredible views of Borrego Valley and perspective on the magnitude of the state’s largest state park, Anza Borrego. Anza Borrego State Park is 935 square miles, roughly one fifth the size of San Diego County. Anza Borrego State Park is bigger than 44 of our nation’s National Parks, and it is a short two hour drive from Oceanside.
Culp Valley Trail leads to Culp Valley Overlook Trail which eventually creates a 4 mile loop (of which we did not complete). These trails are lined with bouquets of wildflowers and their equally beautiful and delicate pollinators as well as textbook rock formations. Today we stopped at the second overlook, above Hellhole Canyon. The hike was easy and the hills of the upper desert are much cooler than the valley below. We were the only ones on this trail, allowing us to take our time exploring the nature that encompassed us.
WOWSERS! What a great post! I’m eager to get back to Borrego. Let’s hope for wildflowers in my Birthday Month. Love this. Culp Valley is on my list.
You would love Culp Valley. The views are outstanding.
Beautiful photos. The penstemon, especially, is lovely.
I don’t know what it is about desert landscapes that is so compelling to me – maybe the fact that plants can grow, and thrive, in spite of the harsh conditions. Anyway, whatever it is, desert, shrub-steppe, and arid landscapes are fascinating.
Great pictures.
Thanks!
And you are right about the desert. It is incredible what extreme conditions organisms have adapted to!
And thanks for the wildflower identification. I bought a desert wildflower guidebook in the visitor center.