None of us have ever been to another planet, but there are some pretty strange landscapes here in California that will make you feel like you have. Rivaling parks found in states like Utah and Arizona, the badlands in Southern California are fascinating and feel truly out of this world.
Most people don’t think of California as a state of vast deserts and eroded canyons, but that’s exactly what you’ll find at Anza Borrego Desert State Park.
The fascinating landscape of the Martian desert known as the Badlands seems to stretch on forever, an endless maze of ridges and valleys and rivers that have long since dried up.
Perhaps the most popular lookout over the badlands – and the desert beyond for that matter – is Fonts Point. The view from this vantage point is truly breathtaking and gives you a sense of just how vast this otherworldly landscape is.
Broken arroyos of badlands were formed by sediment deposits and water erosion. Seashell fossils have been found in the area, indicating that the entire area was once under the brackish waters of the Colorado River and the Gulf of California.
A close-up view of the canyons and ridges reveals the dry, cracked surface and mineral deposits on the surface.
Anza-Borrego is known as the International Dark Sky Park and is a fantastic place for stargazing. During some parts of the year, the Milky Way cluster can be clearly seen over the desert.
If you want to extend your visit and stay the night, you can book a place in one of the camps or enjoy the badlands in solitude. In fact, camping is allowed for free anywhere in the park; you just have to park your car within a car length of the street. If you are tent camping, you can pitch your tent further away from the road.
As if the badlands themselves weren’t enough to make you feel like you’re on another planet, the Anzo-Borrego Wind Caves are just a short walk away and offer a completely different view of the badlands.
Have you ever seen the Anza-Borrego Badlands in Southern California? We want to hear about your experience in the comments. Learn more about the Anza-Borrego Desert and its fascinating badlands at the Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Society website. If you’re looking for more adventure, check it out The Grand Canyon of SoCal.
Address: Anza Borrego State Park, Borrego Springs, CA 92004, USA
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