Culp Valley, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California

Even though I lived in Southern California for fifteen years, I don’t remember hearing anything about the Anza-Borrego Desert until I became a van dweller. Then, what I did hear and read made it sound like a great place. I’d have to check it out someday.

I was not impressed the first time I passed through. Okay, flat sandy desert with ocotillo, greasewood and off-road vehicles. Meh. It wasn’t speaking to me.

But I decided to give it another chance, this time armed with more information, including GPS coordinates of some promising camping areas. (Thanks, Campendium.)

First on my list was Culp Valley trailhead/campground up in the mountains on the west side of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. The highway out of Borrego Springs is narrow, steep and twisty, climbing from 600 feet to over 3,200 feet. I chugged my way along, enjoying the change in geography. “I’m liking this.”

Culp Valley is just below the summit, in a small bowl ringed by piles of house-sized boulders. Its unpaved road is narrow and lumpy with occasional small washouts. Large vehicles, or ones with low ground clearance, would have difficulties here. There are about a dozen wide spots, turnouts and back-in slots serving as campsites. They’re mostly small and none are very level. This is not a place that would make most RVers happy. It’s more for tent campers. There are no tables or fire rings, no water. There’s a nice vault toilet, though, with handicapped parking. Right now there are eight people well spread among five well-hidden campsites. It’s easy to pretend I’m the only one here.

I snagged a spot nestled between boulder outcroppings, next to sage, manzanita and cholla. And rabbits. A footpath leads to the top of one outcropping. From there I can see the desert stretching east to the Salton Sea and the Chocolate Mountains. I really like it here.

Sunrise. The thin lighter strip in the distance is the Salton Sea. 

One downside is that the elevation makes it decidedly chilly at night this time of year. However, that would be a positive thing in the summer, when it’s triple-digit hot down in the flats.

I have a couple of other areas to check out, so I’ll be moving on today. And down to where I can get cell service so I can post this.