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Borrego Springs, California: Beasts of Borrego Springs

RoadsideAmerica.com Team Field Report

Address:
786 Palm Canyon Drive, Borrego Springs, CA
Directions:
From CA-78 drive north 12 miles on either Yaqui Pass Rd or Borrego Springs Rd into town. At the town's only traffic circle, continue north a little over two miles to the Sand Monster (this map point). A printed map to all sculptures can be picked up outside the town Welcome Center at 786 Palm Canyon Drive.
Phone:
760-767-5555
RA Rates:
Major Fun
Save to My Sights

Dinosaur statue.

Beasts of Borrego Springs

Over 130 rusty life-size sculptures of dinosaurs, big prehistoric mammals, a few humans, and at least one sea monster, are scattered over three square miles of desert.

Roadsideamerica.com Report... [03/21/2021]

Visitor Tips and News About Beasts of Borrego Springs

Reports and tips from RoadsideAmerica.com visitors and Roadside America mobile tipsters. Some tips may not be verified. Submit your own tip.

Statues of Dinosaurs and Monsters

Go to the Kiwanis grapefruit stand next to the Wells Fargo bank and pick up a town brochure. It has a map of the exhibit locations. All were very accessible by driving a car to them although on fairly rough dirt roads.

[Bob, 02/14/2019]

Sand Serpent.

Statues of Dinosaurs and Monsters

There are a variety of sculptures -- horses, elephants, scorpion, turtles, dinosaurs, people doing different "deserty" things... It's worth cruising around to take some fun photos. The area is probably best explored by ATV, motorcycle or off road vehicle, but you can cruise around and spot many of the sculptures by car as well.

[Matthew Luther, 01/16/2015]

Mammoths.

Dinosaur Statues - Ice Age Statues

We didn't know we could download a map of where the statues are and we missed half of them. Don't do as we did. There is a lot of information on galletameadows.com. As of 12/2008, there was a beautiful mammoth, wild horse and saber tooth tiger exhibit.

[Nichole G., 12/24/2008]

Elephant-like dinosaur.

Dinosaur Statues

Surrounding the little town of Borrego Springs there are numerous (10 plus!) life-sife metal statues of dinosaurs. My husband surprised me with a drive from San Diego out to the desert last month and I had no idea these were in our back yard. We did learn, though, to park and walk up to the statues if you do not have a 4x4, or else you will be calling the local guy to have your truck wenched out of the sand like we did when we drove up to the camels. (Not fun in 100 degree heat) The tow truck driver and his friend were there within 10-15 minutes of us calling them and were very nice and told us of the rest of the statues south of Borrego Springs my husband did not know about.

Best to go during the fall, winter or spring. There are tortoises, saber tooth tigers, mammoth elephants, camels, sloths, Gomphotherium (weird looking ancient elephants). A local Perris (North of San Diego) aritist Ricardo Breceda made the satues and did a beautiful job that was commissioned by Dennis Avery (land owner of Galleta Meadows and Avery stationary supply). I do hope they add more!

[Cindy Thompson, 09/22/2008]

The statues began arriving in 2008. Dennis Avery owns several square miles of Borrego Springs, and has commissioned over 70 statues. Sculptor Breceda has said that he's done making them, but he's said that before.


Nearby Offbeat Places

Giant Tennis BallGiant Tennis Ball, Borrego Springs, CA - 3 mi.
Liar Peg Leg Smith MonumentLiar Peg Leg Smith Monument, Borrego Springs, CA - 5 mi.
Rancheti the YetiRancheti the Yeti, Ranchita, CA - 10 mi.
In the region:
Desert View Tower, Jacumba, CA - 46 mi.

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