We spent one night in Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area (OWSVRA). A great campsite with showers, a Discovery Center and lots of rangers patrolling the area. We took a short walk in the morning to Blowsand Hill and watched the motorcycles and ATVs climb up the hill and zoom around. We continued our trip into Anza Borrego Desert State Park and headed to the Visitor Center at the edge of the tiny town of  Borrego Springs. As we drove into Borrego Valley we passed through Galleta Meadows, a desert vista with strange creatures frozen in time and space!

Huge metal birds appear about to take off from the desert floor.

Detail of the gaping beaks of these mythical birds.

Elsewhere in the desert prehistoric sabre-toothed cats stalk the prehistoric horses.

Apparently there is paleontological evidence here of these creatures, as well as mammoths.

The sculptor captured the open mouthed fear the horse may have felt!

The sabre-toothed cat stalks the alert horse (who is missing an ear).

Detail of the sabre-toothed cat. They became extinct about 10,000 years ago.

We decided to take the ‘northern’ route through Glamis, the OHV recreation mecca. We stopped at a turnoff high in the dunes with a wonderful overlook. You can imagine why this area is used for many movie sets.

Looking west towards the Imperial valley.

Looking east towards the Cargo Muchacho mountains where we have camped in the past.

A sand rail enjoying a run through the dunes.

We woke up to a ruby red sunrise, and as the saying goes “Red sky in the morning, sailor take warning”. Sure enough the clouds obscured the sun and the wind picked up. We decided it was time to move our camp. We’ve been at this beautiful spot for 7 weeks already, time to see new country!

The sunrise reflected on the side of our ‘home’.

On one of our walks we came across this huge cactus lying prostrate on the ground, slowly decomposing back into the sand. I wonder why it was never gnawed by hungry jackrabbits or deer? It appeared to be deflating as the flesh dried and shrank.

Undisturbed for how long?

On our walk today we went north and then followed a wash east and came upon a great campsite. The only problem is we went cross country to find it, we didn’t see any navigable road to drive to it!

The colorful firepit looked too good to burn anything in, there was another firepit nearby that was well used!

This site was on the edge overlooking the wash we were traveling up. What a wonderful view of the distant Kofa mountains. We continued up the wash and soon found an even more enhanced campsite!

This amazing firepit/fireplace was down along the lower edge of the wash and looked recently used.

There was even a stash of firewood under the tree near the fireplace. There didn’t appear to be any cement used in its construction, only the rocks scavenged from the wash and the abundant sand.

On the back side there was a built in seat! The hot seat maybe?

Comfortable enough with an arm rest!