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Bow Willow, Mountain Palm Springs and Fish Creek

Part of Tent Camping, our guide to tent camping in San Diego County.

Bow Willow, Mountain Palm Springs and Fish Creek are basic Anza-Borrego camps. The park page lists each at $20 a night for a tent or RV site. It says most dirt roads need all-wheel or four-wheel drive. Site counts, amenities and booking method are not on the page.Checked October 23, 2026.

$20per night at each camp
$10day use, Bow Willow and Mountain Palm
$10extra vehicle
AWD or 4×4for most park dirt roads
Narrow slot canyon with pale rock walls and a sandy floor
A narrow desert slot canyon. Illustrative photo, not this exact place. RuggyBearLA, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Bow Willow and Mountain Palm SpringsTent or RV site $20; seniors $18; Disabled Discount $10; extra vehicle $10; day use $10. South end of the park; no street address on the page.
Fish Creek Primitive CampgroundTent $20; seniors $18; Disabled Discount $10; extra vehicle $10. Dirt-road access.
SeasonThe park page gives closure dates only for Tamarisk Grove, Vern Whitaker and Sheep Canyon, none for these three.
Who it suitsExperienced desert campers. The page sets no age limit that was read.
ContactAnza-Borrego Visitor Center, 760-767-4205

Missing Details

The page does not give site counts, amenities, how fees are paid or whether these camps are reservable or first come. The park’s 2019 superintendent’s order lists Fish Creek and Mountain Palm Springs among eight designated primitive camps; see Anza-Borrego Backcountry Camping.

The park says cell coverage is extremely limited or non-existent and recommends 1 gallon of water per person per day.

What We Could Not Verify

  • Number of sites, amenities and whether each camp is reservable or first come. The Visitor Center (760-767-4205) can confirm.
  • How fees are paid at Fish Creek and the season for all three. The Visitor Center can confirm.
  • Coordinates were not retrieved, so no map point is shown.

More in Tent Camping

FAQ

How much do these camps cost?

The park page lists $20 a night at each, with $18 for seniors and $10 for each extra vehicle.

Do I need a four-wheel-drive vehicle?

The park says most dirt roads require all-wheel or four-wheel drive. Check road conditions at the Visitor Center first.

Sources

  1. California State Parks: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

Checked October 23, 2026 by It’s San Diego. Cite this page: It’s San Diego (itssandiego.com), checked October 23, 2026. Free to quote with a link to this page; tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.