A Gem in the Desert

Last October, Borrego Springs’ former honorary mayor Robert Cassidy proudly handed over a toy stoplight to successor Robert Piva. Although it lacked the hoopla of a presidential changing of the guard, the multi-colored ornament stands a symbol of the California town’s dedication to a way of life.

“It’s the only stoplight in town,” Cassidy says with a chuckle. “And it’s the mayor’s job to keep it that way.”

“We don’t have a stoplight or a mall, but we could go to a mall and stoplight if we have to,” Piva jokes.

Of course, the lack of a stoplight has a lot to do with its location—smack dab in the middle of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, which, at 600,000 acres is the largest state park in the Lower 48 states. Residents have been known to jokingly describe their town as the state park’s “doughnut hole.”

This remote desert location isn’t lost on its 2,789 residents.

“Everybody in Borrego Springs wants to be here,” says 84-year-old Cassidy. “No one ends up in Borrego Springs by accident.” To offer some perspective, the nearest supermarket or movie theater is a 90-minute drive away.

“And if you don’t like the desert,” Cassidy says, “don’t come to Borrego Springs.”

“People who love the desert really love it here,” adds longtime resident Kelley Jorgensen, “and people who don’t usually leave.”

As you might expect, for most of the year it’s hot . . . really hot. The temperature usually tops 100 degrees every day for four months of the year, with summer temperatures frequently reaching 110. A typical year features just 7 inches of rain.

“You actually can fry an egg on the sidewalk,” Jorgensen says. “But it’s really small-town life at its best. No crime to speak of, everyone knows each other—and boy do the stars come out at night.”

Another part of Borrego Springs’ appeal lies in a vibrant arts community. The Performing Arts Center hosts a resident theater company, the Community Concert Association brings musical groups to town, a dance studio offers classes and concerts, and a dozen or so galleries display a vast variety of paintings and sculptures.

The town also sits amid breathtaking desert scenery that, in wet years, can draw 5,000 visitors on springtime weekends, when desert wildflowers bloom. The desert scenery is what first drew Piva to the area. “We had four kids and in 1961 we started taking them on trips to the desert,” he recalls. “I love the vast openness of the desert.”

There’s also plenty of hiking to satisfy the most ardent trekker. The Pacific Crest Trail passes near town, as well as one of California’s best equestrian trails.

The Borrego Valley had its first European visitors in 1772, but the town didn’t really get started until the first successful well was dug in 1926. The discovery of a year-round water source prompted the establishment of a thriving citrus-growing industry. If you’ve ever had a grapefruit from Harry & David’s Fruit of the Month Club, you’ve sampled the town’s main export. In fact, citrus farming remains Borrego Springs’ biggest industry, followed by tourism. Scenic landscapes and manicured golf courses make the town a popular destination for retirees.

New residents are often struck by Borrego Springs’ civic-mindedness. Donations paid for the high school’s new gymnasium, as well as a world-class skate park for skaters and skateboarders, and booster clubs continually fund civic projects.

Although there are plenty of vacant lots in town, Jorgensen says growth is limited because the town is surrounded by the park. And for residents, that’s just fine.

“We like it here because it’s so unique and serene,” Piva concludes. “We have the openness and the small population. That’s just how we like it.”

Robert Henry is a Los Angeles-based writer.

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