San Diego County’s state parks among best in California, poll says

Desert Sunflowers abound along Henderson Canyon Road in Borrego Springs Photo by Chris Stone Several San Diego County state parks were among the best in the state in several categories according to a poll disclosed Wednesday by the California State Parks Foundation The poll highlighted California s best places for hiking camping views wildflowers kid-friendly adventures and more We launched the first ever Best of California s State Parks poll to honor and highlight the deep connection that people have to our parks declared Rachel Norton executive director of California State Parks Foundation These places represent the incredible diversity of experiences we can find in our state parks from exploring the California coast to learning about our history With summer approaching we hope Californians will use the Best of California s State Parks poll results to get inspired to get outdoors with family and friends Norton added Anza-Borrego Desert State Park was deemed the best in the state for viewing wildflowers and Torrey Pines State Beach was at the top for best place to picnic Each spring if the desert gets enough rain Anza-Borrego Desert State Park transforms into a sea of vibrant wildflowers with desert lilies dune primroses and blooming ocotillo spreading across the landscape a declaration from the foundation explained With sweeping ocean views golden cliffs and the sound of waves just moves away Torrey Pines State Beach offers an unforgettable backdrop for a seaside picnic the comment continued Its coastal breezes and scenic trails make it the perfect spot to relax and refuel between adventures The following other local parks earned honorable mentions Anza-Borrego Desert State Park for camping Palomar Mountain State Park for both picnicking and dog-friendly adventures and Cardiff State Beach for best beach This spring the California State Parks Foundation invited members and supporters to nominate and vote on their favorite parks across ten categories More than people participated Countless of the survey participants also sent in photos and personal stories and memories about why the parks are special to them The California state park system includes state park units -plus miles of coastline miles of lake and river frontage campsites miles of trails historic buildings and more than known prehistoric and historic archaeological sites