On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
The previous posts took us down the East Coast, all over Florida, then jumped to Texas and New Mexico. The ones in Part 2 will take us up through California, through two state parks and three National Parks.
We spent five days in Anza Borrego, in a great campsite with a view of Palm Canyon and the mountains. The only downside is that we’ve had high winds every day (20-30 mph, gusts to 40, trailer rocking). We braved the wind and hiked the Palm Canyon trail which leads to an Oasis. It was pretty easy, a three mile round trip with a stream crossing, which was also pretty easy because it was dry. The high point was a group of nine Bighorn Sheep on an adjacent slope.
We also drove around Borrego Springs to see the Sky Art in the surrounding area. These are 130 full-sized metal sculptures of contemporary and ancient animals, dinosaurs, and historical figures that were created by artist Ricardo Brecada and commissioned by Dennis Avery. They are dispersed on the Galleta Meadows Estate, the desert land Avery owned and are accessible to the public.
View from our campsite.
Peninsular Bighorn Sheep – there are nine in this picture
The Bighorn Sheep are a threatened/endangered species.
Palms and stream below, with water! The water didn’t make it out of the canyon.
Fan Palm Oasis. We couldn’t go farther because the area was closed to recover from fire.
This sculpture is called Aiolornis w/ Prey.
Detail showing the metalwork
This one called “Serpent” looks like the Loch Ness Monster. It’s laid out so that it appears to be going under the road.
The Serpent
OzarkHillbilly
Love that metal work. Too cool.
eclare
Those sculptures are kind of creepy. Looks like an interesting place.
Dennis Avery
sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-philanthropist-dennis-avery-dies-71-2012jul24-story.html
Sounds like a great person.
Manyakitty
The Serpent is amazing 🤩. Really good pictures.
Kristine
::imagines archaeologists a thousand years from now finding those sculptures:: I wonder what they’ll decide they were. What they signified.
Great photos.
WaterGirl
Yikes, that close-up of the metalwork is the stuff of nightmares. Amazing work, the metalwork seems fitting for the desert.
bluefoot
The photos are great. Despite my years in NorCal, I didn’t spend much time in SoCal which I regret. The sculptures are pretty surreal. I can’t imagine doing metalwork out in the desert sun. The bighorn sheep photo had me counting to see if I could see them all…like a Mr. Frog post. :)
Alison Rose
I feel like that sculpture should be the new national bird.
way2blue
Anza Borrego. I visited the park years ago with my family. We were lucky in that it was a super bloom year. But also learned that one son (at 5 years old) got easily car sick and we’d foolishly bought Kentucky Fried Chicken for the drive from San Diego. He alas adorned the boardwalk in front of reception… Thanks frosty for the memories!
Dmbeaster
The area is great though desolate. But so is Death Valley, and I love going there.
I was there the last twice in the last three years. It had a nice bloom last year. I did the walk to Goat Canyon and the trestle bridge three years ago, it’s challenging, though there is a good use trail (except for the last part, which is a scramble). It also has a nice oasis on the route.
It is a great Winter and early Spring destination.
🐾BillinGlendaleCA
@WaterGirl:
Try it at night.
hotshoe
California is such a long state. I live in central CA (not even that far north) — and it’s a whole day drive to reach the Visitor Center at Anza Borrego. The main route I-5 includes a pass which is often but unpredictably closed by snow. And of course any route from central CA to the south includes having to slog through/around greater LA.
Well, that’s my excuse for not visiting Anza Borrego before now. But two years ago I made it to the mountains near Julian for early spring hiking. So I have to admit my excuse isn’t a very good one. Maybe this March will be good for wildflowers …
The photos of the oasis canyon are inspiring. Good luck on the next stage of your trip!
WaterGirl
@🐾BillinGlendaleCA: No thank you. :-)
UncleEbeneezer
@hotshoe: Even from LA it’s a slog. We went a couple years ago and it took about 3 hours to get down/out there. We took the scenic route, driving in from the West, which was lovely but made it seem even longer.