Kellys Grade to Font’s Point — Anza-Borrego Badlands Overlook Road
Sand, badlands, and a view worth every stuck wheel.
Font’s Point sits at the edge of the Borrego Badlands like the rim of a broken world. To get there, you leave S-22 (Borrego Valley Road) and punch south through four miles of deep, shifting sand wash that swallows unprepared rigs whole. Named for Pedro Font, the Franciscan diarist who traveled the Anza Expedition of 1775–76 through this corridor, the route drops you onto a sandstone promontory above 1,000-foot eroded canyons carved by flash floods over millions of years. The badlands spread east into the Salton Trough — bare, layered, ancient — and on clear mornings you can see the Salton Sea glinting twenty miles out. There’s no trail to miss; the wash is the road.
The sand here is the honest enemy. Even experienced drivers deflate to 15 PSI and still get stuck in the softer sections mid-wash. A locker helps but isn’t mandatory — momentum management is. Best season is November through April; summer temps routinely crack 110°F and the wash becomes a convection oven. No permit required for Anza-Borrego Desert State Park day use. No water on route. Bring a compressor, a recovery board, and at least two gallons per person. Cell service dies fast. What you get at the top is one of the most jaw-dropping badlands views in North America, completely free and almost never crowded on a weekday.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Difficult |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | Backcountry, High Clearance |
| Surface | Sand |
| Features | Historic, Remote, Scenic |
| Length (miles) | 8 mi / 12.9 km |
| Duration | Half day |
| Max elevation (ft) | 1294 ft |
| Best season | November-April |
| Minimum vehicle | 4WD high-clearance with low range |
| Nearest town | Borrego Springs, CA |
| Land manager | California State Parks — Anza-Borrego Desert State Park |
| Permit required | No |
| Cell service | None |
| Water crossings | No |
| Dispersed camping | Yes |
| Official sources | parks.ca.gov |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
| Copy both for Google Maps directionsClick to copy the directions URL · or open it directly in a new tab | |
| Find on Google | Search on Google → |
Location
Trail Conditions
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Frequently asked questions
Can a stock Tacoma or 4Runner handle Font's Point Road?
Only if it has true 4WD with low range and genuine high clearance — this is non-negotiable. Stock body-on-frame trucks with A/T tires can make it, but soft-roaders, crossovers, and 2WD anything will get buried in the loose wash sand before they're halfway in.
When is Font's Point Road actually driveable?
November through April is the reliable window — summer heat is dangerous and monsoon rains can make the wash completely impassable with soft, rutted sand. Even in good season, check recent trip reports because a single rain event can change conditions drastically overnight.
Do you need a permit or pass to drive this trail?
No permit required, but Anza-Borrego Desert State Park does not charge a day-use fee for vehicle entry on this road — it's open desert access. California State Parks manages the area, so standard state park rules apply: no collecting, no off-designated-route driving.
What's the hardest part of the drive and what actually makes it difficult?
The loose, deep sand in the wash is the whole challenge — there are no rocks or ledges, but the sand will swallow a vehicle running the wrong tire pressure in minutes. Airing down to 15-18 PSI is standard practice; drivers who skip that step are the ones who end up needing a recovery.
Is there any gas or water available before or at the trailhead?
Borrego Springs is your last stop for gas and water — stock up there because the trailhead has nothing, the trail has nothing, and cell service is completely dead the entire route. Carry more water than you think you need; desert heat and a stuck vehicle are a bad combination.
Trail track
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