Weekend Oasis

I was desperate to get out of town. Over the last few weeks, the incessant traffic and concrete fortress of my urban neighborhood was threatening to swallow me whole. I longed to be somewhere where I could hear the birds sing, see the stars dance at night, and most importantly, be able to ramble aimlessly up a mountainside. On the advice of some friends, I decided to explore Anza –Borrego Springs Desert State Park for the first time on a recent weekend.

The town of Borrego Springs is only a two hour drive from San Diego and was an easy journey at the end of the work week. My goal for the weekend was to explore the desert, hike, and enjoy the desert evenings.

The first morning, I woke up shortly after sunrise due to the chatty birds conversing loudly in the early morning sun. With a spring in my step, I quickly got ready for the day of hiking and enjoyed a cup of fresh coffee in the crisp morning desert air. Having arrived after dark the previous night, I wasn’t prepared for the spectacular stark desert scenery that stretched out before me. It was hard to absorb the endless shades of brown and grey of the desert hills, the crisp brilliant blue of the cloudless sky, and the sun glowing in the morning air. Perfect. I could feel the stress of the city already easing from my shoulders.

The first day, I tackled the Borrego Palm Canyon Trail, near the visitor’s center, shortly before 8am and soon I was scrambling up boulders and traipsing up the well-trodden dirt path. The reward for this moderate excursion was stumbling onto an oasis of Californian Fan Palm trees clustered near a sputtering waterfall. The waterfall itself seemed surprised to have moisture this time of year and gurgled happily. While stopping for water perched high up on a boulder covered in delicious shade, I felt a great sense of tranquility wash over me. This is exactly what I needed to recharge my batteries.

After the hike, I washed off the desert grime and stretched my achy limbs. I went outside and settled into a well-worn chair under the vast desert sky. Wrapped in a light jacket and armed with an ice-cold beer, I wistfully recounted my favorite moments of the day. Soon the glorious desert sun slipped over the mountaintop and nighttime fell dark and heavy. The stars gradually gained momentum and progressively grew brighter and seemed to multiple by the second. I couldn’t remember the last time I had seen so many stars. Or felt this relaxed and in tune with my surroundings. The stillness of the night and the winking of the stars was the pinnacle to an already noteworthy day.