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Anza Borrego State Park and a Prickley Poppy flower
Photos: Ron Ory |
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The view from San Gregorio (Camp #51) north-west
towards Anza-Borrego's Coyote Canyon.
Photo: Greg Smestad
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The expedition followed the San Felipe Creek (and Wash) from
the marsh at San Sebastián to the Borrego Sink. Their
horses and mules exhausted, some people continued on foot,
and often there were two or three children on a horse. They
opened wells at the Borrego Sink and continued onward under
intense cold. Following the Coyote Creek, they passed into
today's Anza-Borrego
Desert State Park and encountered people of the Cahuilla
tribes.
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Sites of Interest
A. Ocotillo Wells and Expedition Camps
#50 and #51
After camping along a portion of the San Felipe Wash, they
passed through a gap in the clay hills on December
19, 1775. Anza called the previous night's camp (at the
Wash) Los
Puertecitos, or the Little Passes. It is commemorated
with California
Historic Landmark No. 635, located on state highway 78,
1.6 miles east of the town of Ocotillo Wells. Nearby, the
Ocotillo
Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area has a marked trail
that allows hikers to explore the area. Continuing northwest,
Camp #51 was at San
Gregorio, and is probably today's Borrego Sink located
on another portion of the Wash about four miles southeast
of the Borrego Valley airport. To the northwest of the airport,
a peak named Font's Point can be seen that affords panoramic
vistas of the expedition's path (access off of S-22).
B. Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and
Expedition Camps #52 and #53 (See
Father
Font's map in new window)
From December
20 to 22, 1775, Camp #52 was made along the Coyote Creek
at El Vado (The Ford). With plentiful water from the
creek and a little pasturage nearby, the animals recovered
and the colonists could rest. The site is within Anza-Borrego
Desert State Park (33° 20.6´N, 116° 23.6´W), six miles
northwest of Borrego Springs at the entrance to the Horse
Camp. A short distance to the east is the Desert Gardens portion
of the park created by the Anza-Borrego
Foundation and Institute. Traveling up the creek and canyon,
the expedition's next camp (#53) was at Santa
Catarina, situated at Lower Willows (33° 22.28´N,
116° 26.38´W). The campsites are both marked with California
Historic Landmark plaques. The park itself is the largest
California State Park, and contains two stretches of Anza's
route. These trails provide a rare opportunity to precisely
follow in the footsteps of the expedition surrounded by terrain
that has changed little since Anza's passage. Portions of
the park's trails are open to 4-wheel drive vehicles from
the south and north, but closed at Middle Willows, so there
is no through-driving. The park's Visitor Center (200 Palm
Canyon Dr., Borrego Springs) features interpretive exhibits
on the desert environment and the local Native tribe.
C. Presidio of San Diego and Mission
San Diego de Alcalá (Camp #67)
Although not an official part of the National Historic Trail,
Anza, Font and a group of soldiers diverted here to offer
their assistance after the expedition reached Mission
San Gabriel (near Los Angeles). Members of the Kumeyaay
(KumeYAAY) tribe had revolted, killing a priest and had burned
the Mission
San Diego. While there (January 11-February 8), Font used
his quadrant to measure the altitude of the Sun and
thus determine the latitude of the San
Diego Presidio (32°44.5´N). Such readings, taken throughout
the journey, were amazingly accurate and can be verified today
using modern electronic Global Positioning Systems.
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On the CD: Santa Catarina Springs
The Springs and Coyote Creek (listen to the
sound of Santa Catarina Springs at the beginning of
the audio file below). Anza and the colonists followed
the Coyote Creek upstream along banks covered in cattails
and willows. Near Camp #52 (December 21 and 22, 1775),
women of the Cahuilla tribe fled when they saw the expedition,
leaving their belongings. Anza returned the items when
others of their tribe returned later. Camp #53 was at
the springs itself, the major source of the creek. Coyotes
(Canis latrans), bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis)
and other animals still depend upon this creek, and
can find their way to it to drink and find food.
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Play MP3 file of Santa
Catarina Springs,
followed by Fandango and Nativity: La Xameico,
La Posada, Ron Kiel (Violin), Calicanto (Choral)
(playing time 4 minutes 21 seconds)
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Additional Resources
Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation
Area - 172 Highway 78, P.O. Box 360, Borrego Springs, CA 92004;
tel.: 760-767-5391,
web: ohv.parks.ca.gov
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park - 200 Palm Canyon Drive, Borrego
Springs, CA 92004;
tel.: 760-767-5311,
web: parks.ca.gov
Anza-Borrego Foundation - P.O. Box 2001, 595 Palm Canyon Drive,
Suite A, Borrego Springs, CA 92004;
tel.: 760-767-0446,
web: theabf.org
San Diego Presidio Site and Junipero Serra Museum - 2727 Presidio
Drive, Presidio Park San Diego, CA 92138;
tel.: 619-297-3258,
web: sandiegohistory.org
Mission San Diego de Alcala - 10818 San Diego Mission Rd.,
San Diego, CA 92108;
tel.: 619-281-8449,
web: missionsandiego.com
The Nautical Almanac, Astronomical Applications Department,
U.S. Naval Observatory - 3450 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington,
DC 20392; tel.: 202-762-1617,
web: http://aa.usno.navy.mil
Celestial Observation Handbook and Ephemeris 310 E. 6th Street;
Rolla, MO, 65401;
tel.: 573-364-6362,
web: rollanet.org/~eksi
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Coyote Creek offers a thin band of life in
the desert.
Photo: Greg Smestad |
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