El Vado campsite (transl. the Ford on the Anza Trail) in the Borrego Valley, Borrego Springs, California in San Diego County, is a California Historical Landmark No. 634 listed on March 3, 1958. The El Vado campsite was a desert camp for the Spanish Commander Juan Bautista de Anza and Father Francisco Garcés expedition of 1775 and 1776. The expedition camped for three days and two nights from December 20 to 22, 1775. At the campsite the expedition rested and watered its stock of mules, cattle, and horses. [1]

El Vado
Anza Borrego near the El Vado campsite
LocationBorrego Springs, California
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Coordinates33°18′06″N 116°23′03″W / 33.30168°N 116.3843°W / 33.30168; -116.3843
BuiltDecember 20-22, 1775.
DesignatedMarch 3, 1958
Reference no.634
El Vado is located in California
El Vado
Location of El Vado in California
El Vado is located in the United States
El Vado
El Vado (the United States)

The expedition passed though the Imperial Valley then though the Colorado Desert, now the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. The expedition's goal was to start Spanish missions in California and presidio forts though Las Californias to the San Francisco Bay. The expedition route is now the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail.

A historical marker is near the campsite in the desert on Horse Camp Road and Borrego Springs Road in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. The marker was placed there by the California State Parks Commission working with the Kiwanis Club of Borrego Springs.[2]

Panoramic view from Font's Point westward over Borrego Valley to the Laguna Mountains

See also edit

External links edit


References edit

  1. ^ "El Vado campsite #634". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved 2012-10-07.
  2. ^ "The Anza Trail Historical Marker". www.hmdb.org.