The Badlands in Anza Borrego State Park in Southern California formed about 4 million years ago.
The unique topography is primarily sandstone, mudstone and claystone.
This whole area was once an ancient sea, and fossils abound in this arid part of the desert.
“The Badlands may be the best place in North America to view sediments from the Pliocene and Pleistocene Epochs.”
The maximum summer temperature recorded here was was 122F .
The hottest I have experienced was 119F.
In the spring, fall and winter though, the Badlands are temperate and comfortable, good for hiking and exploring.
Cheers to you from The Borrego Badlands~
Factual Source: https://www.desertusa.com/anza_borrego/borrego-badlands.html#:~:text=In%20the%20Anza%20Borrego%20Desert,remote%20springs%20and%20mysterious%20concretions.
Fantastic pictures, very beautiful. Greetings Wolfgang
I am honored Wolfgang. Thank you my friend & Happy Easter დ
Wow! This planet never ceases to amaze. Every landscape has its own unique beauty.
“Every landscape has its own unique beauty.” I so agree with you. Beauty can be found in the most unexpected places დ
So true!
Yes it can. It is up to us to find it დ
An interesting place to visit except in summer. Definitely on the uninhabitable side of the land spectrum.
I like it in the summer, but, you have to be incredibly careful, and your activity is is shortened by the weather. You can hike, early or late, but always briefly. Surprisingly, despite the hostility, the desert supports an amazing variety of wildlife დ
Very interesting place. I love how the blue sky contrasts with the land.
Yes, the desert has a tendency to place visual emphasis on the brilliant hue of the sky. Thanks for noticing დ
There were badlands on my father’s ranch in southern Alberta. As kids, we would look for fossils in them and there was once an archaeological dig by the University of Toronto on the site. It got very hot there too in the summer. Amazing scenery.
How fascinating! I would love to see this! Alberta is so stunning. What and incredible place to spend time as a child დ
What a fascinating topography! Thanks for sharing your beautiful photos 🙂
Thank you much more Rosaliene for your thoughtful kindness დ
Spectacular scenery Cindy, I’d love to go searching for fossils there.
Leslie xoxo
Let me know when you are coming. It is best in spring when the wildflowers bloom დ
That would be lovely. I certainly will let you know when we are coming. Right now we are back in shut down. So nobody is going anywhere.
Leslie xoxo
So sorry to hear this.
Cool, I didn’t know there was a California badlands.
Bloggers teach us all sorts of cool stuff all the time. It is one of blogging’s many benefits დ
Great photos! I see how this area got its name.
Yes. It is beautiful, but very bad for the unprepared დ
I can’t believe I haven’t explored that area yet, beautiful!😍
If you decide to go, give me a holler, if you need any tips… დ
Such an interesting area, and it really does look like a sea-bottom. I experienced 50C (122F) when I lived in Arizona, and it’s not an environment you want to encounter without copious supplies of water. I would like to visit, but not in summer!
Those sorts of temperatures need very careful planning. I was able to tolerate shaded time with lots of water outside better when I was younger. Now it must be very brief დ
Thanks for bringing back memories of my visit to the Badlands. Beautiful place.
I am so pleased that you have visited Pat and enjoyed the experience. Happy Easter! დ
Fabulous photos
Grazie mille Sheree დ
😎
How small the camper looks in the picture. I have been there many, many years ago, when I was a student at UCLA. I remember the heat!
How cool is that! My husband got his PhD at UCLA so we are like family! 😉
I like the way you think 😁💕
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Austere and beautiful. Thank you for capturing these views, Cindy!
Thank you more for your kind appreciation დ
I like badlands, Cindy. Each has a unique character, while, at the same time, resembling other badland areas, whether you are wandering through South Dakota, the southwest or California. Similar geological history. They are great for nature lovers, photographers and budding geologists. Thanks for the reminder. –Curt
Spoken like a true desert rat to another. So I am in complete accord. I love the desert დ
🙂
Though the plants look old and broken and the earth shows its glorious colour. Badlands are fit to be called Goodlands. It shows nature at its best. Love the shots, they are amazing. 🙂
I love your new name ‘Goodlands’ my friend and I agree with you. Stay safe & well დ
I hate the heat! I once went to Death Valley during the winter and found that too warm even! Alberta has badlands as well.
Great post Geological Cindy!
You are definitely a creature of the north! დ
If it gets colder all I have to do is put warmer clothing on,but In the heat you can only strip down so much and don’t forget about the radiation! That stuff will age you at twice the rate!
You definitely live in the right place!
Oh, Cindy, the California Badlands are too hot for me, even though I like the landscape very much. Northeast of Calgary near the town of Drumheller we also have an area known as the Badlands. It’s where lots of Dinosaur fossils have been found.
My son has dinosaur from your Badlands, Lots of these places were former seas and rich forests in the distant past. Fascinating დ
Certainly, these are fascinating places to visit.
Indeed დ
So many stories within these magnificent Badlands. You have captured the soul of the landscape.
Awww, thank you Rebecca. Happy Easter my friend დ
Wow! The Wild, Wild West at its best!
Happy Easter, dear Cindy, and stay safe!
Happy Easter to you my friend! And yes, it is good to know there are still unspoiled parts of the wild, wild west left. დ
What a fascinating record of the Earth’s history. The landscape does have its own unique beauty.
The desert is a different sort of savage beauty and it is a fascinating place to explore. Happy Spring Liz დ
Our daughter took my husband and me out to the desert to explore on one of our first trips to San Diego. I was surprised at how much plant life there was.
The desert ecosystem supports a huge variety of plant and animal life which is quite surprising considering how inhospitable it appears.
Once more, an important lesson in geography from you. I have never heard of the Borrega Badlands, but they are magnificent.
Pretty and I have been to the Badlands in South Dakota more than once and loved them. But we’ve never been to yours.
Another wish on our list. Thanks!
Thank you Sheila. Martha Stewart says, “We should learn something new everyday.”
Yes Martha. Smiling…. Happy Spring Sheila დ
I spent a couple days out there when the desert was in bloom. A unique beautiful area. I boarded a plane in -20 Minneapolis and flew into San Diego 70 and took a jeep over the mountains into the desert 107 degrees. Oh to be young again. Saw a road runner and a coyote cross a trail in front of us…Funny moment.
How awesome that you did that! I love the temp change. That’ll warm you up. The roadrunner and coyote sighting means they realized you needed special greeting! 😉
Desolate…but pretty in its own way!
The still silence of the desert is a wonderful antidote for civilization and it’s discontents დ
Fascinatin!! Thanks for sharing the important Badlands topography, Cindy. Great post!!
So pleased you enjoyed Isabel & thank you for stopping by დ
We’ve been to the Badlands in SD but not in CA. There is stark beauty to this barren landscape!
There is indeed stark beauty and lots of remarkable life! დ
Such awesome photos of the Badlands! This is even bigger than Badlands National Park. Youi have convinced me to make a trip or two there one of these days when it will be easier to travel.
Please let me know before you visit and I can give you some tips to optimize your experience დ
Great photos! I think I would enjoy hiking here. Happy Easter Cindy.
Alison
You would. It is best in winter or spring. Happy Easter Alison დ
The badlands look “bad”, in the good way!
Great shots of a seemingly austere, yet rich place on earth.
Thank You Cindy!
Happy Easter, or Passover….whatever you celebrate!
Happy Easter Resa! And your right, The Badlands are good!!! 😉
😀
YIKES!!! 119 deg. F!! The landscape reminds me somewhat of the Painted Desert and other places in Arizona and New Mexico. I definitely would visit such a place only in one of the “colder” seasons – which would be good because the cold seasons here are REALLY cold!
Nice photo essay, Cindy!
Yes, visiting in the winter would be an ideal option for you. Escape the freeze and warm up in a comfortably warm desert დ
122º is HOT! It is nice topography though and the thought of seeing fossils is intriguing. I expect with so little rain this year, the desert blooms are subdued?
This year there is no superbloom at all and limited blooming that I could see. The ocotillos were blooming though, which always looks striking. I may post some photos of them. Hope all is well with you Eliza. დ
Yes, thanks… Happy Easter! Will there be an egg hunt for the twins? 🙂
Oh yes! We will set it all up soon.
Grandma’s delight is theirs ten-fold! 🙂
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The Badlands – reminds me of some childhood memories of cowboys and Indians 🙂
Yes. You can just imagine Wyatt Earp riding up on his pony! 😉
Or the Lone Ranger and Tonto 🙂
Exactly! 😉
Beautiful and interesting. Seemingly empty, yet full of stories.
And lots of wild animals, hiding and waiting for night to come out and play!
Reblogged this on Ed;s Site..
Thank you for your thoughtfulness Ed & cheers to you დ
I’d never heard of this area before – interesting!
Happy to make the introduction & cheers to you დ
Oh, und wie ich diese Wüsten Landschaften mag meine liebe Freundin. Sie errinnert mich sehr stark an die Wüste Negev in Israel, die ich oft besuchte. durchquerte. Frohe Ostern, liebe Cindy…
Ich war noch nie in Israel und würde gerne gehen. Frohe Ostern, mein Freund დ
Looking at these pictures, I was thinking how much nicer this area is than our cities. Until, that is, you mentioned the temperature of 122° and that changed my mind … at least for summertime! Still, it would be a fun place to spend a week hiking and exploring! Thanks, Cindy!
It is glorious in the spring when the wild flowers bloom. I love the silence, space and lack of people and development დ
I would love that! Any place that gets me away from people and buildings … back to nature!
You think like me დ
😊
Your usual good work. The white van gives a good sense of perspective
I often forget to include something that gives perspective and a sense of scale, so thank you for noticing Derrick დ
🙂
Interesting topography. 🙂 Beautiful captures.
Grazie mille დ
Even though it looks mostly rock but I see few dried up plants. I am wondering whether there are few that can live in such harsh condition. This place must be a treasure for scientists.
Surprisingly, the desert support and extensive web of life, both flora and fauna. There are lots of plants and animals that are adapted to live and thrive in the desert დ
I love it when the earth shows us different stages of her existence. I find it fascinating.
Yep. It helps to know we are just along for the ride. დ
For someone who can’t get out, and has been locked-down in a three-roomed flat for a year, this was enlivening and lovely. Thank you, petal. ♥
I am so sorry about you being locked in for an entire year. It sounds extremely difficult. Sending you cheers and hope for a speedy release დდ
Bless you, Cindy. ♥
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Happy Easter to you and yours, my friend! ʸ(ᴖ́◡ु⚈᷉)♡⃛
Happy Easter my friend & cheers დ
Thank you! Have a great week! ʸ(ᴖ́◡ु⚈᷉)♡⃛
Visa versa to you 2UX2 დ
❤⃛ヾ(๑❛ ▿ ◠๑ )
Interesting. I didn’t know there were badlands in CA. I’ve been to the ones in SD.
Southern California deserts have lots of relatively unknown and lesser visited places. Happy Easter Brad. დ
Happy Easter!
Happy Easter Brad.
I always hear the Bruce Springsteen song in my head whenever anyone mentions the Badlands. ;0) Beautiful photos, per usual, Cindy.
Ah yes! Now I am hearing it too! 😉
😂😂😂
I can see where they get their name! Super photos!!
Thank you Jennie and Happy Easter დ
You’re welcome, Cindy. Happy Easter. 💕
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Really wonderful fotos, thank you for sharing. Marie
Very happy you enjoyed Marie. Thank you & Cheers to you! დ
Lovely, in a stark kind of way. Happy Easter, Cindy!
Thanks much Debbie & Happy Easter my friend დ
Certainly bad looking land. Hoping you’re having a nice Sunday. 🙂
You too & cheers დ
Wonderful captures Cindy 💛
Grazie mille Val & cheers my friend დ
Magnificent captures of this unique and special place , Cindy!
Thank you Amy & cheers to you my friend დდ
Thank you – these photos really capture the space
You are most welcome. Thank you for letting me know you enjoyed them & cheers to you დ
I learned several new things here today. Lovely photos, as always. I love your appreciation and perspectives on the beautiful flora and fauna throughout the world.
Awwww…..So appreciated! You make me happy I posted. Cheers to you დ
….and cheers to you, too.
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Beautiful. And I thought I was old.
Laughing….None of us can compare in age to dirt!
Great photos of the area, Cindy. I’ve never been a desert person but my last husband and his kids loved that area. I think they took dune buggies and motorcycles and rode in the area. At least that’s the best my memory comes up with. I know they talked about it a lot.
There are sections out of the park where people do that and enjoy it.
I was never a fan of the loud dust disturbing activity.
I just see, hear, breathe, and feel it, in this so fragile, so ancient, mostly undiscovered ecosystem. Love to you Marlene დ
Amazing photos. I haven’t ever seen any of these. Did you look for fossils?
No. It is a state park, so you are supposed to leave fossils en-situ. I gone fossil hunting in the past though and enjoyed it დ
Even Badlands have their very own stark beauty. Thanks for the pictures, Cindy! 🙂
Thank you more for your appreciation & cheers to you დ
Cindy, thank you for these stunning photographs!
Reblogged this on charles french words reading and writing and commented:
Please enjoy these stunning photographs from Cindy Knoke!
I am so grateful for thoughtful friends like you Charles. Thank you for your kindness and cheers to you! დ
From what I hear on NPR, 115F days are getting pretty common in Phoenix, AZ. A bit toasty for me. – Oscar
Yep. It is amazing how it saps the energy right out of you. დ
They look BAD, but interesting, and finding a fossil would be cool, at least if it were in the fall or winter:)
Spring is nice too, but by May it is getting HOT! დ
Fascinating! I imagine being in that environment in person is pretty breathtaking!
It is not for everyone, but it has a subtle, savage sort of beauty, appreciated by those who like deserts. დ
I can understand that.
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The contrast of bright blue sky and the rugged brown cliffs is awesome. Loved these sprawling landscapes captured by you.
So appreciated. Thank you very much Monica დ
There are no any signs of life there.
There is life but it hides from us. There are a big variety of snakes and reptiles, hardy birds like roadrunners, and mammals like coyotes and pumas. დ
I believe so, but it is not visible for human eyes. And probably it is right, it is safer for them.
With no people the Nature is revive fast and have real beauty. Recently, I’ve read some articles and watched documentary about Chernobyl zone. After people left it because of catastrophe of 1986, the wild life in 30 years just had it renaissance. Nowadays, so many kind of birds and animals live there with no human intrusion. And the most surprising thing, they do not suffer of radiation like people do.
Yes, even with covid, wild animals are taking back their spaces from people who can no longer dominate them. It is good to see.
Incredible landscape!
Yes, thank you. Deserts have such austere and savage beauty დ
Great blog with some wonderful articles. Glad to find your blog!
Happy to have just found yours! Beautiful places and photos. დ