The landscape has changed dramatically in Borrego Springs, California, in the past few months.
The colorful, sweet-smelling wildflowers and greenery have given way to a dry, dusty brown terrain parched by heat. I thought about that today as my husband and I rode our e-bikes throughout town and on the backroads, getting in some early morning ride time before the heat of the day settled in.
There’s one spot along DiGiorgio Road that always captures my eye. It’s a view that’s underrated, in my opinion. I see folks drive by it all the time on their way to someplace else, never stopping to see where the sky, mountains, and an expansive vista meet.
We paused there today during our ride and I noted how remarkably different it looked from the last time I had been there. In early January, winter rains had transformed this spot into a beautiful, green meadow.
Today, the field was bright gold and the carpet of winter annuals had turned to straw. Very different but scenic in a way that one would almost expect to see a cowboy riding by on a horse.
My husband and I have now lived here long enough to see a full year of seasonal changes. As folks newly experiencing full-time desert life, we’ve:
- …watched the fleeting wildflower blooms go through their full cycle of budding, blooming, and dying.
- …witnessed the land turn vibrant green after a good rain, and enjoyed the unique “desert rain” smell you get when the area’s creosote bushes get wet.
- …seen the land and mountains turn brown from the hot summer sun.
- …enjoyed the cooler temperatures of the fall months and delighted in a “mini bloom” of yellow Chinchweed.
We are continually amazed at how quickly the land changes here, sometimes even day by day. And the smallest things excite us, like looking out our front window and seeing new blooms on our cacti, or spotting patches of purple sand verbena, still left over from the early wildflower bloom, as we drive into town. Today, a Palo Verde in the most striking bloom we’ve ever seen excited us as we rode by.
This town really is a hidden gem. After ten years of visiting Borrego Springs as a tourist, I’m so glad we finally took the leap to call this place home.
If you’re curious what life in Borrego Springs is really like, both the good and the challenging, I’ve shared what the experience has been like so far in this post:
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