'California's Grand Canyon' Is An Underrated Vista Point With Awe-Inspiring Sunsets And Surreal Views

Hidden inside Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, the largest state park in California, is a stretch of yellow-gold badlands, packed with ancient fossils and bathed in desert sun. To see this incredible landscape for yourself, you will need to head to Font's Point, also commonly known as "California's Grand Canyon." When you stand at the top, you'll be rewarded with truly breathtaking views of the creased ridges and jagged cliffs below. Despite how beautiful this place is, it's never crowded. You won't exactly be alone in nature if you come on a weekend (especially in spring when wildflowers bloom around the park) but you're unlikely to ever have to compete for views at this underrated spot.

This remarkable place is particularly impressive at sunrise and sunset when the sun's rays make deep shadows across the landscape. While you won't be able to see much of the land beyond once the sun sets, you'll be able to see an incredible light show above as the skies grow darker and the stars emerge. That's because the Borrego Badlands and Font's Point are located in an International Dark Sky Park, recognized as one of the best parks in America for stargazing.

Exploring Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is an incredible journey into the wild landscapes of California, but it's not necessarily an easy proposition. Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is huge and remote — which is a big part of what makes it so interesting to visit. Getting to the park itself isn't too difficult, though. While San Diego International might be one of the worst airports for layovers in the U.S. due to lack of seating, it's the perfect place to fly in if you want to make your way to Font's Point.

Font's Point is only about two hours and 15 minutes by car along I-8 E from San Diego, California. While driving into the park isn't hard, getting to Font's Point can be tougher. You'll need to take a rough dirt road there. Depending on the weather conditions in the park, you may need a four-wheel-drive vehicle in order to complete the drive successfully. Adventurous hikers looking for a challenge may even enjoy hiking in — but come prepared with plenty of water and sunscreen as this is a desert road and there's very little shade along the way.