91-485: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park ( / ˈ æ n z ə b ə ˈ r eɪ ɡ oʊ / , AN-zə bə-RAY-goh ) is a California State Park located within the Colorado Desert of Southern California , United States. The park takes its name from 18th century Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza and borrego , a Spanish word for sheep. With 585,930 acres (237,120 ha) that includes one-fifth of San Diego County , it
182-609: A 90-minute movie and showed it around 12 western states for 10 years. The Murray family (Barry, Bernice, Barry Jr. and Bernadette) completed the trek on horseback on October 7, 1970. In 2008, an agreement for realignment through Tejon Ranch in Southern California was reached. This realignment would relocate 37 miles of the PCT from the Mojave Desert floor to the more scenic Tehachapi Mountains. While an agreement
273-733: A campground and is close to Yaqui Well , a "historic watering spot...with magnificent desert ironwood trees and a busy wildlife population." Anza-Borrego is often pictured as a wrinkled wasteland of harshly eroded, nearly barren clay and gravel, possibly because its gullied badlands are its most eroded phenomenon. There is more to it than that: cool piney heights, springs and oozing ciénegas , spectacular although brief waves of wild flowers in spring, and native fragrances of pervasive sage, subtle cottonwood, and even more subtle earth. The park has 500 mi (800 km) of dirt roads, 12 designated wilderness areas , and 110 mi (180 km) of hiking trails . Park information and maps are available in
364-484: A cave from the weather. On August 10, 2014, Joseph McConaughy of Shoreline, Washington , set a new supported speed record and the overall fastest known time for the PCT. The distance was covered in 53 days, 6 hours, and 37 minutes. This surpassed the previous record of 59 days, 8 hours, 14 minutes, set by Josh Garret on August 8, 2013, by more than 6 days. Joe was supported by a team of three hikers, Jordan Hamm, Michael Dillon, and Jack Murphy. McConaughy's record
455-481: A condition of undisturbed integrity," or State Cultural Reserves which consist of areas selected and managed to preserve the integrity of historic structures and features as well as areas with spiritual significance to California indigenous people. State Wildernesses are areas where the environment has not been affected by humans and are relatively undeveloped state-owned or leased lands which have retained their original characters and influence or have been restored to
546-817: A continental scale called the Great American Interchange , and are present in Anza-Borrego's fossils. Animals such as giant ground sloths and porcupines made their first appearance in North America at this time. The oldest terrestrial vertebrate fossils from the Colorado Desert predate the late Miocene invasion of the Gulf of California. These very rare fossils include a gomphothere (elephant-like mammal), rodent , felid and small camelid , and were collected from 10– to 12-million-year-old riverine and near-shore lake deposits. However,
637-686: A dedicated pedestrian/equestrian lane to the Bridge of the Gods across the Columbia River. Currently, PCT hikers and equestrians must cross the bridge walking in vehicle traffic lanes—a potential danger which the new lane will eliminate. The completion date for this project is unknown. The following notable locations are found along or adjacent to the route of the Pacific Crest Trail. They are listed from south to north to correspond with
728-451: A deficiency in precipitation due to the continental tropical air mass which has very dry warm air. As climate change increases there is potential for wetter years which bring about "super blooms," that boost tourism during the winter and early spring. Locals began to rely on seasonal tourism to boost their economies, and, along with wet years climate change has threatened the economy as it has the ability to produce longer droughts which threaten
819-500: A giant short-faced bear ; Smilodon , a saber-toothed cat ; Miracinonyx , the North American cheetah; Mammuthus imperator , the largest known mammoth ; Tapirus , an extinct tapir ; Equus enormis and Equus scotti , two species of extinct Pleistocene horses; Gigantocamelus a giant camel; and Capromeryx minor , the dwarf pronghorn . Within the state park, Mammuthus remains, including two complete skulls and
910-492: A near-natural appearance. State wildernesses can be established within other state parks system units. Natural preserves are nonmarine areas of outstanding natural or scientific significance established within the boundaries of other units to preserve features natural features such as rare or endangered species and their supporting ecosystems. Cultural preserves are those established also within other units to preserve cultural features such as sites, buildings or zones important to
1001-647: A partial skeleton, have been uncovered at 46 different archeological sites. Most of these sites are located in the Borrego Badlands. Gompotherium , Stegomastodon , Mammuthus meridionalis , and Mammuthus columbi are among the various mammoth fossils to be found in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. A Gompotherium jaw is on display at the University of California Museum of Paleontology, Berkeley. The Native Americans of
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#17327727592241092-624: A railway route to the Pacific. Blake first named this region the Colorado Desert. Since the late 19th century, numerous scientific studies and published papers have centered on the marine organisms that inhabited the ancient Gulf of California. Fossil assemblages from the classic Imperial Formation include calcareous nanoplankton and dinoflagellates , foraminifera , corals , polychaetes , clams , gastropods , sea urchins , sand dollars , and crabs and shrimp. The deposits also yield
1183-540: A recent study done in 2018. Some areas are habitats for the desert bighorn sheep . The peninsula bighorn sheep reside in Anza-Borrego. They have been federally endangered since 1998 and are one of the most iconic species of this state park. Observers count this endangered species to study the population, and monitor its current decline from human encroachment . The two biggest threats to bighorn sheep populations are anthropogenic influences and climate change. As humans continue to develop in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and
1274-423: A second round trip on November 28, 2006, cutting two weeks off his 2004 time. In 2014, Olive McGloin (from Ireland) became the first woman to thru-hike the PCT both ways in a single continuous round-trip. The youngest person to hike the trail is Christian Thomas Geiger, who at the age of 6 completed the trail with his parents Andrea Rego and Dion Pagonis. Christian, also known by his trail name Buddy Backpacker,
1365-409: A time of 51 days, 16 hours and 55 minutes, fifteen and a half hours faster than Sabbe's time. Olson was crewed by a small group of family and friends. On August 26, 2023, Karel Sabbe took back his record with a time of 46 days, 12 hours and 56 minutes, more than five days faster than Olson's time. Don and June Mulford made the first verifiable equestrian Thru-Ride of the PCT in 1959. In that year
1456-599: Is a long-distance hiking and equestrian trail closely aligned with the highest portion of the Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges, which lie 100 to 150 miles (160 to 240 km) east of the U.S. Pacific coast. The trail's southern terminus is next to the Mexico–United States border , just south of Campo, California , and its northern terminus is on the Canada–US border , upon which it continues unofficially to
1547-583: Is a non-profit educational organization and is the sole cooperating association of the park. It manages all sales at the State Park Visitor Center and State Park Store. The Anza-Borrego Institute, the education arm of the foundation, provides in-depth educational courses to more than 100,000 visitors each year. The institute offers in-depth field programs, a fifth-grade environmental camp, citizen science research, and Parks Online Resources for Teachers and Students . The foundation's mission
1638-553: Is divided into 21 districts. California's first state park was the Yosemite Grant , which today constitutes part of Yosemite National Park . In 1864, the federal government set aside Yosemite Valley for preservation and ceded the land to the state, which managed the famous glacial valley until 1906. California's oldest state park, Big Basin Redwoods State Park , was founded in 1902. Until 1921, each park
1729-486: Is estimated the average completion rate is around 14%. While most hikers travel from the southern terminus at the Mexico–US border northward to Manning Park, British Columbia, some hikers prefer a southbound route. In a normal weather year, northbound hikes are most practical due to snow and temperature considerations. Additionally, some hiker services are seasonal and may be better timed for northbound hikers. If snowpack in
1820-568: Is important to recognize the necessity to protect them and mitigate our impact on their limited and unique environment. Anza-Borrego State Park is located in the Colorado Desert Region of Southern California which is an extension of the Mexican Sonoran Desert. The Koppen Climate classification for Anza Borrego Desert State Park is BWh . The characteristics of this climate are typically hot and arid along with
1911-467: Is near Chester, California (near Mt. Lassen ), where the Sierra and Cascade mountain ranges meet. The overall elevation gain for the Pacific Crest Trail is approximately 489,000 ft (149,000 m). It was designated a National Scenic Trail in 1968, although it was not officially completed until 1993. The PCT was conceived by Clinton Churchill Clarke in 1932. It received official status under
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#17327727592242002-549: Is the largest state park system in the United States. California State Parks administers 279 separate park units on 1.4 million acres (5,700 km ), with over 280 miles (450 km) of Californian coastline ; 625 miles (1,006 km) of lake and river frontage; nearly 15,000 campsites; and 3,000 miles (4,800 km) of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails. Headquartered in Sacramento , park administration
2093-642: Is the largest state park in California and the third largest state park nationally. The park occupies eastern San Diego County and reaches into Imperial and Riverside counties, enveloping two communities: Borrego Springs , which is home to the park's headquarters, and Shelter Valley . The park is an anchor in the Mojave and Colorado Deserts Biosphere Reserve , and adjacent to the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument . The great bowl of
2184-635: Is to protect and preserve the natural landscapes, wildlife habitat, and cultural heritage of the park for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations. California State Park California State Parks is the state park system for the U.S. state of California . The system is administered by the California Department of Parks and Recreation , a department under the California Natural Resources Agency . The California State Parks system
2275-874: The Appalachian Trail with the National Trails System Act . The PCT was then constructed through cooperation between the federal government and volunteers organized by the Pacific Crest Trail Association . In 1993, the PCT was officially declared finished. The Trust for Public Land has purchased and conserved more than 3,000 acres (12 km ) along the Pacific Crest Trail in Washington. Consolidation of this land has allowed for better recreational access as well as greater ease to manage conservation lands. A bicycle touring route has been developed to parallel
2366-512: The Blancan - Irvingtonian North American land mammal ages boundary fall within the long geological record from the Anza-Borrego region. Environmental changes associated with these geological time divisions are probably better tracked by fossils from the Anza-Borrego region than in any other North American continental platform stratum . These changes herald the beginning of the Ice Ages , and
2457-682: The Colorado Desert ecosystem of the Sonoran Desert ecoregion . The higher extreme northern and eastern sections in the Peninsular Ranges are in the California montane chaparral and woodlands ecoregion. The park has about 600 species of native plants. The park contains bajadas and desert washes; rock formations and colorful badlands , large arid landscapes, and mountains. The bajadas are predominantly creosote bush-bur sage with creosote bush ( Larrea tridentata ) and
2548-549: The Laguna , Santa Rosa , San Jacinto , San Bernardino , San Gabriel , Liebre , Tehachapi , Sierra Nevada , and Klamath ranges in California , and the Cascade Range in California , Oregon , and Washington . The Pacific Crest Trail was first proposed around 1932 by Clinton C. Clarke as a trail running from Mexico to Canada along the crest of the mountains in California, Oregon, and Washington. The original proposal
2639-497: The National Park Service ) serving as acquisition officer, the new system of state parks rapidly began to grow. William Penn Mott Jr. served as director of the agency under Governor Ronald Reagan . In May 2008 The National Trust for Historic Preservation listed the park system as a whole on their list of America's Most Endangered Places . On January 10, 2008, Governor Schwarzenegger 's office announced that
2730-824: The National Trails System Act of 1968. The Pacific Crest Trail, the Appalachian Trail , and the Continental Divide Trail form what is known as the Triple Crown of Hiking in the United States. The Pacific Crest Trail is also part of the 6,875-mile Great Western Loop . The route is mostly through National Forest and protected wilderness . It also passes through seven national parks: Kings Canyon, Sequoia, Yosemite, Lassen Volcanic, Crater Lake, Mt. Rainier, and North Cascades. The trail avoids civilization and covers scenic and pristine mountainous terrain with few roads. It passes through
2821-731: The Pacific Crest Trail and the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail . Stargazing is another activity at Anza-Borrego. The park was designated an International Dark Sky Park by the International Dark-Sky Association in 2018. Ecotourism is big for Anza-Borrego. On average, the population of Borrego Springs increases by about 580% in peak wildflower superbloom season. This is a shift from around 3400 long term residents to around 200,000 tourists. The habitats are primarily within
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2912-402: The Triple Crown of Hiking , becoming the youngest person ever to do so. Teddi Boston hiked from Canada to Mexico on the PCT in 1976 at the age of 49. She was one of the first women to hike the trail alone. An autobiographical account of a woman hiking a portion of the PCT alone in 1995 at age 26 was written by Cheryl Strayed . Her memoir Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail
3003-518: The "Elephant Knees" along Fish Creek. Many of the marine fossils are closely related to forms from the Caribbean Sea . They document a time before the Isthmus of Panama formed when the warm Gulf Stream of the western Atlantic Ocean invaded eastern Pacific Ocean waters. As North and South America connected about three million years ago, terrestrial faunal north-south migrations began on
3094-471: The "yo-yo" circuit on his fourth attempt in November 2004. Williamson traveled a total of 5,300 miles (8,530 km) in 197 days, covering an average of 35 to 40 miles (56 to 64 km) per day when not in snow – an overall average of 27 miles (43 km) per day – wearing an extremely ultra-lightweight pack , which "without food, weighed about 8.5 pounds (3.9 kg)". Williamson then went on to complete
3185-406: The 2,000 miles of potential trail and planned a route, which has been closely followed by the modern PCT route. In recent years, Washington state clubwoman and educator Catherine T. Montgomery 's contributions to the initial concept of the Pacific Crest Trail have been explored and she is known as the "Mother of the Pacific Crest Trail". In 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson defined the PCT and
3276-784: The California State Park System will consider indefinite closures of all or part of 48 specific individual parks (one in five) to help meet the challenges of the looming (projected) $ 14.5 billion deficit facing California for its 2008-2009 budget year. On September 25, 2009, Governor Schwarzenegger's office announced that all state parks would remain open during the 2009-2010 fiscal year using one-time budget reduction methods in maintenance, equipment, and services. A record wet winter in 2023 caused more than $ 210 million in storm damage to California's State Parks. Responsible for almost one-third of California's scenic coastline (280 miles), California State Parks manages
3367-412: The Mexico–US border. The oldest person to thru-hike the trail is not fully established, with multiple competing claims. On August 7, 2013, Heather "Anish" Anderson of Bellingham, Washington , set the self-supported speed record. She completed the PCT in 60 days, 17 hours, 12 minutes, beating the previous record by almost 4 days. She documented this journey in her book Thirst . In 2018 she became
3458-687: The PCT became an official trail, Martin Papendick was the first known person to hike across three states of the PCT in 1952. After being one of the first to finish the Appalachian Trail in 1951, Papendick hiked between July 4 and December 1, 1952, from British Columbia to the Mexico–US border over the crests of the mountains along the Pacific Coast, a feat he reported in a periodical under the title "Pacific Crest Trails". On October 16, 1970, Eric Ryback, an 18-year-old student, completed
3549-440: The PCT on paved and unpaved roads. Thru-hiking is a term used in referring to hikers who complete long-distance trails from end to end in a single trip. Thru-hiking is a long commitment, usually taking between four and six months, that requires thorough preparation and dedication. The Pacific Crest Trail Association estimates that it takes most hikers between six and eight months to plan, train, and get ready for their trips. It
3640-462: The PCT, Ryback sued for $ 3 million but withdrew the suit after Wilderness Press revealed statements from the people who claim to have picked up the young hiker along highways parallel to the 2,600-mile trail. Ryback is in Smithsonian's top 9 list of people Cheating Their Way to Fame though it notes that "the claims that Ryback 'cheated' are still doubted by some". Richard Watson, who completed
3731-519: The PCT. Ryback carried an 80-pound pack on his 1970 thru-hike. He had only five resupply packages on the entire trip and was loaded with 40 pounds of food at the start of each leg. He often ran out of food and foraged or went hungry. Ryback also helped the Forest Service lay out future plans for the PCT. However, Ryback's claim is disputed. When the guidebook publisher Wilderness Press stated that Ryback had used motor transport in places along
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3822-504: The Pacific Crest Trail stretched a poorly-marked 2,400 miles from Mexico to Canada. More concept than footpath, the trail was an oft-broken, high-ridge track disappearing regularly from map and terrain. On April 19, 1959, on an empty scrub sage plain seven miles east of Tijuana, with four horses, Don and June Mulford began their journey north to the Washington–Canada border. The Mulfords went to Hollywood for three months immediately after
3913-528: The Salton Trough, extending northward past what would become the city of Palm Springs. These tropical waters supported a profusion of both large and small marine organisms. Through time, the sea gave way as an immense volume of sediment eroded during the formation of the Grand Canyon spilled into the Salton Trough. Little by little, the ancestral Colorado River built a massive river delta across
4004-585: The Sierra Nevada is high in early June and low in the Northern Cascades, some hikers may choose to 'flip-flop.' Flip-flopping can take many forms but often describes a process whereby a hiker begins at one end (on the PCT, usually the southern end) of the trail and then, at some point, like reaching the Sierra, 'flips' to the end of the trail at the Canada–US border and hikes southbound to complete
4095-519: The Sierra too soon nor the Northern Cascades too late. Most hikers cover about 20 miles (32 km) per day. In order to reduce their hiking time and thereby increase their chances of completing the trail, many hikers try to substantially reduce their pack weight. Since the creation of the Pacific Crest Trail there has been a large movement by hikers to get away from large heavy packs with a lot of gear. There are three general classifications for hikers: Traditional, Lightweight, and Ultralight . Before
4186-612: The State Parks and the millions of people who visit them each year. Parks are patrolled by sworn State Park Peace Officers , of which there are two classifications, State Park Ranger and State Park Lifeguards. Subdivisions of California State Parks include the California Office of Historic Preservation, Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division, and the Boating & Waterways Division. The Parks Forward Commission
4277-744: The Windy Joe Trail within Manning Park in British Columbia ; it passes through the states of California , Oregon , and Washington . The Pacific Crest Trail is 2,653 mi (4,270 km) long and ranges in elevation from roughly 110 feet (34 m) above sea level near the Bridge of the Gods on the Oregon–Washington border to 13,153 feet (4,009 m) at Forester Pass in the Sierra Nevada. The route passes through 25 national forests and 7 national parks. Its midpoint
4368-583: The border practically confined to the Anza-Borrego region." The park has natural springs and oases , with the state's only native palm, the California fan palm . Seasonal wildflower displays can be seen in many plant community association throughout the park. Superblooms , one of the biggest Anza-Borrego State Park attractions, are indispensable indicators of the increasingly severe implications of climate change, precipitation levels, and shifting seasonal starting and ending periods. Superblooms are fundamental healthy and natural aspects to this desert, as it boosts
4459-1155: The classification of units of the state park system. All units that are or will become part of the system, except those units or parts of units designated by the state legislature as wilderness areas or are subject to any other provision of law are classified by the State Park and Recreation Commission into one of these classifications. State Parks "consist of relatively spacious areas of outstanding scenic or natural character, oftentimes also containing significant [...] values. State recreation units "consist of areas selected, developed, and operated to provide outdoor recreational opportunities" and are classified as either State Recreation Areas, Underwater Recreation Areas, State Beaches, and Wayside Campgrounds. State Recreation Areas consist of "areas selected and developed to provide multiple recreational opportunities," and are selected for "having terrain capable of withstanding extensive human impact and for their proximity to large population centers, major routes of travel, or proven recreational resources." Underwater Recreation Areas consist of "areas in
4550-639: The first PCT thru-hike. His personal congratulations came by telegram from Edward P. Cliff, Chief of the U.S. Forest Service. Ryback is credited, recognized, and has been honored by the Pacific Crest Trail Association as the official first thru-hiker of the entire trail. Ryback completed the Appalachian Trail in 1969 (as a 16-year-old); the Pacific Crest Trail in 1970; and a route approximating today's Continental Divide Trail in 1972. Ryback's 1971 book The High Adventure of Eric Ryback: Canada to Mexico on Foot focused public attention on
4641-413: The first state park bond issue. Its efforts were rewarded in 1928 when Californians voted nearly three-to-one in favor of a $ 6 million park bond act. In addition, Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. completed a statewide survey of potential park lands that defined basic long-range goals and provided guidance for the acquisition and development of state parks. With Newton B. Drury (later to be named director of
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#17327727592244732-517: The first woman to complete the Triple Crown of Hiking in a single calendar year. Exactly nine years later, on August 7, 2022, Josh Perry improved upon the self-supported speed record, completing the PCT in 55 days, 16 hours and 54 minutes. In 2023, Nick Folwer set a new self-supported record of 52 days, 9 hours and 18 minutes. While he was in the Sierra Nevada , Hurricane Hilary hit California, and he needed to spend 41 hours sheltering in
4823-715: The high and forested Laguna Mountains , such as in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park . These highways climb from the coast to 2,400 ft (730 m) above sea level, then descend 2,000 ft (610 m) down into the Borrego Valley in the center of the park. Access from the south is via the southern portion of S2. A popular site to hike to near the visitor center is Hellhole Palms, a grove of California fan palms in Hellhole Canyon near Maidenhair Falls. The park also provides access points to
4914-655: The human history of California. State Marine Reserves have a uniform classifications established by the Marine Managed Areas Improvement Act: State Marine Reserve, State Marine Park, State Marine Conservation Area, State Marine Cultural Preservation Area, and State Marine Recreational Management Area. Pacific Crest Trail The Pacific Crest Trail ( PCT ), officially designated as the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail ,
5005-546: The local economy with the influx of tourism and is vital player in the desert biome. The high-country to the north and east has closed-cone pine forests , manzanitas and oak woodlands . The oases are prolific with many types of fauna, especially for bird-watching. Throughout the park, visitors may see bighorn sheep , mountain lions , badgers , kit foxes , mule deer , coyotes , greater roadrunners , golden eagles , black-tailed jackrabbits , ground squirrels , kangaroo rats , deer mouse, quail , and prairie falcons . In
5096-659: The most significant and abundant vertebrate fossils have been recovered from the latest Miocene through late- Pleistocene riverine and flood plain deposits of the Palm Spring Formation in the Vallecito and Fish Creek Badlands and Ocotillo Conglomerate exposed in the Borrego Badlands. These fossil assemblages occur in a 3.5-million-year-long, uninterrupted stratigraphic sequence that has been dated using horizons of volcanic ash and paleomagnetic methods. The bestiary for this savannah landscape includes some of
5187-503: The most unusual creatures to inhabit North America – animals such as: Geochelone , a giant bathtub-sized tortoise; Aiolornis incredibilis , the largest flying bird of the Northern Hemisphere, with 17-ft (5.2-m) wing span; Paramylodon , Megalonyx and Nothrotheriops , giant ground sloths, some with bony armor within their skin; Pewelagus , a very small rabbit; Borophagus , a hyena -like dog; Arctodus ,
5278-714: The nonmarine aquatic environment selected and developed to provide surface and subsurface water-oriented recreational opportunities..." State Beaches consist of "areas with frontage on the ocean or bays designed to provide beach-oriented recreational activities." Wayside Campgrounds consist of "relatively small areas suitable for overnight camping and offering convenient access to major highways." Historical units are "nonmarine areas established primarily to preserve objects of historical, archaeological, and scientific interest, and archaeological sites and places commemorating important persons or historic events." State seashores "consist of relatively spacious coastline areas with frontage on
5369-609: The northernmost end of an active rift valley and a geological continental plate boundary. The trough extends north from the Gulf of California to San Gorgonio Pass , and from the eastern rim of the Peninsular Ranges eastward to the San Andreas Fault zone along the far side of the Coachella Valley . Over the past seven million years, a relatively complete geologic record of over 20,000 ft (6,100 m) of fossil-bearing sediment has been deposited within
5460-936: The ocean, or on bays open to the ocean [...] possessing outstanding scenic or natural character and significant recreational, historical, archaeological, or geological values." State Historic Parks consists of 47 specially-designated historic sites across California, that highlight crucial events in the history of California and provide an educational opportunity for those interested in learning about Californian history, namely students. These include battlegrounds, Californian missions , historic estates, cave paintings , and colonial fortifications, among others. State Reserves "consist of areas embracing outstanding natural or scenic characteristics or areas containing outstanding cultural resources of statewide significance," and are classified as either State Natural Reserves which consist of areas selected and managed to preserve their ecology, fauna, flora, geological features, and scenic qualities "in
5551-469: The palo verde-cactus shrub ecosystems with the palo verde tree ( Parkinsonia microphylla ), cacti , and ocotillo . In the washes, Colorado/Sonoran microphylla woodlands can be found. These woodlands include such plants as smoke tree ( Psorothamnus spinosus ), velvet mesquite ( Prosopis velutina ), and catclaw ( Acacia greggii ). The park is home to elephant trees ( Bursera microphylla ), which are "fairly common in parts of Baja California but north of
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#17327727592245642-557: The park along the rift valley's western margin. Paleontological remains are widespread and diverse, and are found scattered over hundreds of square miles of eroded badlands terrain extending south from the Santa Rosa Mountains into northern Baja California in Mexico. Both marine and terrestrial environments are represented by this long and rich fossil record. Six million years ago, the ancestral Gulf of California filled
5733-526: The park date from six million to under a half million years in age (the Pliocene and Pleistocene epochs), or about 60 million years after the last dinosaur age ended. Anza-Borrego Desert State Park lies in a unique geologic setting along the western margin of the Salton Trough. This major topographic depression with the Salton Sink having elevations of 200 ft (61 m) below sea level, forms
5824-512: The parks and providing reservations while being overwhelmed by the responsibility for managing the park system. The sites managed and preserved by the department are categorized into different types. There are 87 State Parks, 63 State Beaches, 51 State Historic Parks, 32 State Recreation Areas, 16 State Natural Reserves, 14 State Park Properties, 8 Vehicular Recreation Areas, 2 State Marine Reserves, 1 State Historical Monument, 1 State Seashore, and 1 Wayside Park. The Public Resources Code provides
5915-439: The preserved microscopic plant pollen and algal spores to baleen whale bones and mammoth skeletons. Many of the species are extinct and some are known only from fossil remains recovered from this park. Combined with a long and complete sedimentary depositional sequence, these diverse fossil assemblages are an unparalleled paleontologic resource of international importance. Both the Pliocene - Pleistocene epoch boundary and
6006-410: The region's long-vanished tropical past. The inland of southeastern California was not always a desert . Paleontology , the study of the fossilized remains of ancient life, is the key to understanding this prehistoric world. The park has an exceptional fossil record which includes preserved plants, a variety of invertebrate shells, animal tracks, and an array of bones and teeth. Most fossils found in
6097-517: The remains of marine vertebrates , such as sharks and rays , bony fish , baleen whales , walruses and dugongs . Marine environments such as an outer and inner shelf, platform reef, nearshore beach, and lagoon , are all represented within the Imperial Formation. As the sea became more shallow, estuarine and brackish marine conditions prevailed, typified by thick channel deposits of oyster and pecten shell coquina that now form
6188-443: The reptile class, desert iguanas , chuckwallas , and the red diamond rattlesnakes can be seen. Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is home to multiple endangered species . Unfortunately, the building of roads and highways have a severe effect upon these species and roadkills are cause for serious concern. Roads not only contribute to habitat fragmentation which starkly divides ecosystems, but led to 18 roadkillings within just 5 days in
6279-566: The ride and were featured on network television. June's old press book yields a half-dozen TV-Guide pages, and she recalls, "Art Linkletter was such a nice man. We appeared on his 'House Party' show and he had coffee with us afterward". High Road to Danger , a syndicated TV show, made an episode on their ride. Even after they had returned home to the Northwest, there was continued TV coverage. A January 1961 TV Guide records their appearance on Portland's KOIN Red Dunning Show. The Mulfords even made
6370-519: The same time, sediments eroded from the growing Santa Rosa Mountains and the other Peninsular Ranges to spread east into the trough. These sediments provide an almost unbroken terrestrial fossil record, ending only a half million years ago. Here, the deposits of ancient streams and rivers trapped the remains of wildlife that inhabited a vast brushland savannah laced with riparian woodlands . This record of changing environments and habitats includes over 550 types of fossil plants and animals, ranging from
6461-517: The seaway. Fossil hardwoods from the deltaic sands and associated coastal plain deposits suggest the region received three times as much rainfall as now. The Anza-Borrego region gradually changed from a predominantly marine environment into a system of interrelated terrestrial habitats. North of the Colorado River Delta and intermittently fed by the river, a sequence of lakes and dry lakes has persisted for over three million years. At
6552-984: The state's finest coastal wetlands , estuaries , beaches , and dune systems. California State Parks contains the largest and most diverse natural and cultural heritage holdings of any state agency in the nation. State park units include underwater preserves, reserves, and parks; redwood , rhododendron , and wildlife reserves; state beaches, recreation areas, wilderness areas, and reservoirs; state historic parks, historic homes, Spanish era adobe buildings, including museums, visitor centers, cultural reserves, and preserves; as well as lighthouses , caverns , ghost towns , water slides, conference centers, and off-highway vehicle parks. These parks protect and preserve an unparalleled collection of culturally and environmentally sensitive structures and habitats, threatened plant and animal species, ancient Native American sites, historic structures and artifacts. The Department employs State Park Peace Officers Law Enforcement to protect and preserve
6643-608: The strata contain fossil clues to the origin and development of modern southwestern desert landscapes. The first fossils, marine shells from the ancient Gulf of California and freshwater shells from a prehistoric era Lake Cahuilla , the precursor of present-day Salton Sea , were collected and described by William Blake in 1853. Blake was the geologist and mineralogist for the Pacific Railroad Surveys commissioned by Congress and President Franklin Pierce to find
6734-408: The surrounding area, bighorn sheep continue to lose their habitat. Coupled with the increasing extreme temperatures and decrease in precipitation, bighorn shape face a decreasing free-standing water availability crisis. Bighorn sheep face considerable habitat loss at the hands of humans ranging from water diversion to noise pollution and habitat fragmentation. As critical members of this desert biome, it
6825-560: The surrounding desert is surrounded by mountains, with the Vallecito Mountains to the south and the highest Santa Rosa Mountains to the north which are in the wilderness area, without paved roads and with the only year-round creeks . Blair Valley is a valley in the State Park. It consists of the main Blair Valley and Little Blair Valley separated by a small mountain range over which Foot and Walker Pass leads. To
6916-549: The surrounding mountains and deserts include the Cahuilla , Cupeño , and Kumeyaay (Diegueño) Native American tribes. It was the homeland of these peoples for thousands of years, and their artists created petroglyph and pictogram rock art expressing their cultures. Common foods of their diets included the Agave deserti , jumping cholla cactus, jackrabbit , bighorn sheep , and Indian rice grasses. Food-processing and harvesting
7007-449: The tourist dependent towns nearby. As the environment changes with climate desertification, locals and developers search for ways to maintain tourism, some attempt to maintain steady tourism with mega development of resorts or artificial oases. However, a study conducted on North-West China deserts in 2020 showed that artificial oases vegetation is not acclimated to drought conditions, and they consume large amounts of groundwater which deplete
7098-409: The trail on September 1, 1972, was often credited as the first PCT thru-hiker because Papendick was generally unknown and Ryback may have accepted rides. The first woman to complete the PCT was Mary Carstens, who finished the journey later in 1972, accompanied by Jeff Smukler. The first person to thru-hike the entire PCT both ways in a single continuous round-trip was Scott Williamson , who completed
7189-424: The trail, or any combination of the two. The final major logistical step is to create an approximate schedule for completion. Thru hikers have to make sure they complete enough miles every day to reach the opposite end of the trail before weather conditions make sections impassable. For northbound thru-hikers, deep snow pack in the Sierra Nevada can prevent an early start. The timing is a balance between not getting to
7280-422: The trail. However, it is not currently possible to legally enter the United States from Canada by using the Pacific Crest Trail. Hikers also have to determine their resupply points. Resupply points are towns or post offices where hikers replenish food and other supplies such as cooking fuel. Hikers can ship packages to themselves at the U.S. Post Offices along the trail, resupply at general and grocery stores along
7371-407: The visitor center. The park has Wi-Fi access. The park is approximately a two-hour drive northeast from San Diego , southeast from Riverside or Irvine , and south from Palm Springs . Access on the east- Coachella Valley side is via County Route S22 and State Route 78 . Access on the west- Pacific Ocean side is via California County Route S2 and State Route 78. SR-79 provides access through
7462-416: The water table level and outcompete native vegetation that store water in their roots. Since deserts have such extreme weather, the species that inhabit them are highly dependent on each other, and developing on deserts or creating artificial oases will not only impact vegetation but also animals. The expanses of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park's eroded badlands also provide a different view into
7553-419: The west of the valley lies Granite Mountain , to the east the range of Vallecito Mountains . The valley can be crossed by dirt roads, e.g., to reach a look-out point over Smuggler Canyon or sites of Indian pre-Hispanic art. Borrego Palm Canyon is the site of park headquarters and has "the most famous view point in the park, overlooking barren, spectacularly eroded Borrego Badlands." Tamarisk Grove hosts
7644-401: Was also the youngest person to hike the Appalachian Trail until 2020. Other notable young hikers include Sierra Burror and Reed Gjonnes. Burror, who completed a continuous thru-hike of the trail in 2012 at the age of 9, is the youngest girl to thru-hike the trail. She completed her hike with her mother, Heather Burror. Gjonnes, who thru-hiked the trail in 2011 at age 11, went on to complete
7735-402: Was broken on August 14, 2016, by Karel Sabbe , a 27-year-old dentist from Ghent, Belgium . He covered the distance in 52 days, 8 hours, and 25 minutes, averaging over 50 miles a day and shaving almost a day (22 hours) off the previous record set by McConaughy. Sabbe was supported by his friend Joren Biebuyck. On July 22, 2021, 37-year-old ultra-runner Timothy Olson broke Sabbe's record with
7826-491: Was formed after the California Legislature called for the formation of a multidisciplinary advisory council to conduct an independent assessment and make recommendations. The commission issued a report in 2015 that noted the lack of maintenance for many parks along with visitors who do not reflect the diversity of California's population. The report also said the agency is using outdated technology for managing
7917-599: Was labor and time intensive. Roasting pits, bedrock milling and grinding features, cupule petroglyphs, and bedrock mortars all lead to this conclusion. Many artifacts have been found, such as obsidian , pumice , and fish bones, which tell us that these communities had extensive regionally internal trade networks. These were all observed at the CA-SDI-813, also known as the Mine Wash Site in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. The Anza-Borrego Foundation, founded in 1967,
8008-503: Was managed by an independent commission or agency. In 1927, the California Legislature, with the support of Governor C. C. Young , established the State Park Commission, and its original membership included: Major Frederick R. Burnham , W. F. Chandler, William E. Colby (Secretary), Henry W. O'Melveny, and Dr. Ray Lyman Wilbur . The following year, a newly established State Park Commission began gathering support for
8099-647: Was published in 2012 and reached #1 on the New York Times Best Sellers list. Her hike is the subject of the 2014 film Wild , starring Reese Witherspoon . The first two reported deaths on the Pacific Crest Trail were in November 1995, when thru-hikers Jane and Flicka Rodman were killed during a detour down California State Route 138 in Southern California , when they were struck by a motorist who lost control of his vehicle. They were less than 400 miles from their goal of reaching
8190-519: Was reached, the realignment is a long-term project; many details remain to be determined, as well as an Optimal Location Review—a lengthy process through which the ideal path for the new section of the trail is specified. Portland, Oregon's 40-Mile Loop proposes to extend the Springwater Corridor hiking and bicycling spur trail to connect the Pacific Crest Trail with the proposed Cazadero Trail . Plans are currently in progress to add
8281-994: Was to link the John Muir Trail , the Tahoe–Yosemite Trail (both in California), the Skyline Trail (in Oregon) and the Cascade Crest Trail (in Washington). The Pacific Crest Trail System Conference was formed by Clarke to both plan the trail and to lobby the federal government to protect the trail. The conference was founded by Clarke, the Boy Scouts , the YMCA , and Ansel Adams (amongst others). From 1935 through 1938, YMCA groups explored
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