The Land Transfer

We dream of a day when Anza-Borrego Desert State Park becomes whole — when all lands within the Park’s established boundaries are protected forever. In the 1930s, efforts began to purchase, donate, grant, and set aside lands for ‘a great desert state park’ in Eastern San Diego County. Later, final boundaries were established for what was to eventually become the 1,000 square-mile Anza-Borrego Desert State Park that we know and love today.

In subsequent years, these in-holdings, large and small, caused serious difficulties for park managers charged with protecting the Park. On the ground, it became difficult for patrol rangers and visitors alike to determine where public property ended and private property began. Resource damage and trespass incidents were common. Some ‘in-holders’ demanded that the state park build access roads to their property. It was clear to most that to adequately preserve and protect the Park, a long-term land acquisition program was necessary to reduce the number of in-holdings and make the Park fully accessible and ‘ecologically whole’. 

Accordingly, one of the most important elements of our mission here at Anza-Borrego Foundation is to secure land from willing sellers and donors for eventual transfer to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Since ABF’s formation in 1967, more than 55,000 acres of critical inholdings have been acquired to protect resources and improve the management and operation of the Park. These acquisitions have ranged from the Riverside County line in the North to the Mexican Border. They include properties in the iconic areas of the Park, including Borrego Palm Canyon, the Borrego Badlands, and Coyote Canyon, to name a few, and contain critical natural resources, cultural sites, and habitat for endangered species.

 Stats & Highlights

• 17,597 acres of formerly private inholdings of land are being transferred to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park from the Anza-Borrego Foundation

• The 331 separate parcels of land represent the most complex transfer of land from a non-profit state park partner to the state in the history of California State Parks

• Almost 10,000 acres of the total are in designated State Wilderness Areas

• This transaction “dissolves” 310 miles of private property boundaries within the State Park, simplifying park patrol and protection efforts and decreasing park management costs

• The largest single parcel is 690 acres, and the smallest, a former mining claim, measures 3 feet by 402 feet 

• The oldest acquisition in the transfer was purchased by ABF 29 years ago, the most recent in 2016.

• Much of the land in the transfer preserves bighorn sheep habitat and provides connectivity to other protected lands, such as Cuyamaca Rancho State Park and federal lands managed by the US Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management

• The transfer includes 3,500 acres in the Borrego Badlands, which contain rich paleontological resources and serve as prime flat-tailed horned lizard habitat

• Over 6,000 acres are in Coyote Canyon  

• Hundreds of acres expand and protect the popular “Flower Fields” in the Borrego Valley, a popular springtime wildflower viewing area.