When I am looking to switch up my weekend routine or feel a sense of wanderlust, I often look for intriguing destinations to visit. The Desert View Tower and Boulder Park in Jacumba is eclectic, unique, other-worldly, and so much more.
One sunny San Diego afternoon I made the decision to see what the Desert View Tower was all about. Driving in the blazing heat amid the middle of summer may have not been the ideal time to visit the barren east county desert, but the sights at this unusual lesser-known gem made it worth it. After an hour and ten minute drive from downtown San Diego, I arrived at the Desert View Tower and Boulder Park.
The Desert View Tower and Boulder Park is situated in essentially the middle of nowhere, about 80 miles east of downtown San Diego. A somewhat scenic drive through the desert, and past the infamous $7.77 Acorn Casino prime rib dinner billboards, will take you to the town of Jacumba. Most likely, even if you are a San Diego resident, you haven’t heard of Jacumba, which comes as no surprise. This eclectic town is not known for much aside from the Carrizo Gorge Railway and the nearby nudist resort. Yet taking exit 77 and driving to the end of In-Ko-Pah Road will lead you to one of Jacumba’s greatest treasures.
Desert View Tower
In 1923, Bert Vaughn, owner of the town of Jacumba, built a stone lookout tower to attract visitors to the town. He had bought the whole town of Jacumba, with the thought that it would become a border crossing. This never came to fruition, and Vaughn made his fortune in other avenues. The Desert Tower never did become as visited as Vaughn might have hoped, however thousands of visitors still come to visit this eclectic stop each year. Over the years, the Tower has grown to include a gift shop on the bottom floor of the tower, and a museum-of-sorts on each of the floors leading up to the top of the tower.
Admission price to tour the top of the tower and boulder park are $6.50 for adults and $3.50 for children, at the time of this post. Upon entering the Desert View Tower, pay the clerk and take a quick tour of the unique trinkets sold in the gift shop. After exploring the bottom floor, make your way up the stairs. Each floor will have a number of different interesting artifacts ranging from old photos of the Desert View Tower to replicas of the tower to hand-woven blankets.
At the top of the tower, you can check out the sweeping views of the expansive Anza Borrego desert. For views stretching even further, insert a quarter into the telescope at the top of the tower to see all the way to the Salton Sea and Mexico.
Boulder Park
In addition to the Desert View Tower, another point of interest in this same area is Boulder Park, a collection of rocks that have been weathered by the wind into caves and pathways. This collection of rocks is anything but ordinary. Some of the rocks have been painted to resemble animals, humans, and creatures. W.T. Ratcliffe, the artist behind these unique rocks, sculpted a number of quartz granite boulders to reflect creatures popular during the Depression-era. He spent two years during the 1930s completing this masterpiece that is still enjoyed to this date.
Today both the Desert View Tower and boulder park are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Driving Directions
From downtown San Diego: Take Interstate 8 East toward El Centro for 75 miles. Take exit 77 for In-Ko-Pah Park Road. Turn left toward In-Ko-Pah Park Road. Turn right onto In-Ko_pah Park Road. Follow the road for 1.3 miles until you reach the entrance for the Desert View Tower & Boulder Park. Park in the dirt lot.
Address: Old Hig 80, In-Ko-Pah Park Rd, Jacumba Hot Springs, CA 91934
Phone: 619- 766-9139
Hours: 7 days a week EXCEPT Wednesdays, 8AM-5PM (call to confirm before visiting)
Restroom Facilities
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