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Photos of Clark Dry Lake at Anza Borrego Desert
After this blog about photos of Clark Dry Lake at Anza Borrego Desert, I believe I have one more blog to do to be finished with our trip. Normally I would not post so many photos and a bunch of blogs about one place, namely Anza Borrego Desert State Park, but I can’t help myself.
It’s such a fascinating place, so much to see and do and most people in California have no idea where it is even located. Although it is the largest state park in California. How about those apples? It is located about 2 hours Northeast of San Diego.
Now, I know what you’re gonna say. You think this is very similar to a far away place I visited several years ago, right? The Racetrack, which is near Death Valley. There are similarities but no rocks mysteriously move across the bed of this lake. A few years back, they figured out what moves the rocks at The Racetrack. It’s a thin layer of ice that forms at night and then melts in morning that moves the rocks.
Clark Dry Lake sits low in the valley at 560 feet elevation. Which means much of the moisture and rainfall flows into this lake bed but it never really fills up to be a lake. There are a few areas where it was moist. You can tell that some spots recently had water by the evaporated salt and the fact your feet make an impression by sinking ever so slightly into the terrain.
We had a bit of trouble finding how to get to Clark Dry Lake. Because we could see it from where we were photographing Desert Lupines. We sort of zigzagged through the washes, careful not to drive where vehicles were prohibited, until we finally found the road leading to the lake bed.
Flash floods are common in certain areas of Anza Borrego State Park, which is why some of the washes were closed. Also, we noted a few RVs parked further away but not as many as one would expect.
Photos of Wildflowers from Anza Borrego State Park
This is the entrance to the wildflowers from Anza Borrego State Park in Borrego Springs, California. Unassuming. You might think oh, just another state park, not THE largest state park in California with vegetation, succulents, cacti, and wildflowers exploding everywhere you look, nestled under Coyote Mountain and the Santa Ynez Mountains.
You’re just not prepared for the spectacular Super Bloom of the wildflowers from Anza Borrego State Park. A Super Bloom can occur after several years of hard rain to wake dormant seeds, and it usually happens once every decade or two.
No matter what you see in other photos or read about, this is a place that you absolutely must experience in person. Stop texting people, stop reading emails and pay attention to the glorious colorful display right under your very nose. Too much energy? Why not go on a hike at Palm Canyon?
It is a life altering experience, to truly feel connected to nature. The desert is full of life. Just slow down and enjoy the wildflowers from Anza Borrego State Park. You will see the sphinx moth caterpillars. Or, the golden crown on the barrel cactus below. Evening primrose, red ocotillo blooms, purple heliotrope, white desert chicory, monkey-flowers, white dune primrose, budding paddle cacti, mohave yucca, cholla cactus, madagascar palms, desert sunflowers and more.
If you go to view the wildflowers from Anza Borrego State Park, it is better to do it on a weekday because weekends are very crowded. My other suggestion is do not try to get lunch in the town of Borrego Springs. Either pack a lunch and take it with you or drive to the Anza Borrego Country Club. On Monday and Tuesdays, there is a food truck parked there, and Wednesday through Sunday offers a fabulous lunch without the crowds.
To get there from Sacramento, fly into San Diego on Alaska Airlines. The flight is a little over an hour. Rent an SUV at the airport and drive the two hours to Borrego Springs. Stay at the Borrego Springs Resort and Spa, which is very close to the Anza Borrego State Park. Airfare and accommodations, which include a king bed suite for two, is a total of $1,100.
