Ocotillo Wells, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ocotillo Wells
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A 4x4 truck at the Ocotillo Wells State Vehicle Recreation Area
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 Ocotillo Wells
Location in California
Ocotillo Wells
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  California |
| County |  San Diego |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP codes |
92004
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| Area code(s) | 760 |
Ocotillo Wells is a small place in San Diego County, California, United States. It's not a city with its own government, but rather an "unincorporated community." This means it's part of the county but doesn't have its own town council.
Ocotillo Wells is about 3 miles (4.8 km) west of the Imperial County line. It sits along California State Route 78 at an elevation of 163 feet (50 m). The name "Ocotillo Wells" became official in 1962. Sometimes, people might confuse it with another place called Ocotillo, California, which is about 29 miles (47 km) south.
The ZIP Code for Ocotillo Wells is 92004. The phone area code is 760.
Contents
Places to Visit in Ocotillo Wells
Ocotillo Wells has a few interesting spots. The Ocotillo Wells County Airport is a small airport with two dirt runways. You can see white blocks marking the ends of the runways.
The Los Puertecitos Historic Site is a historical place about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) west of the community on State Route 78.
Local Businesses and Services
You can find gasoline in nearby towns like Borrego Springs (17 miles or 27 km west) or Westmorland (18 miles or 29 km east). There's also the Blu-In Cafe about 3 miles (4.8 km) east, which used to have gas, a restaurant, a store, and an RV park. However, gas has not been available there since 2011.
Several small shops in the area sell things for off-road vehicles and rent all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). Many of these businesses close during the hot summer months. A traditional restaurant called My Desert Rose used to be here, but it burned down in 2008.
The Split Mountain Store and the Iron Door are about 1 mile (1.6 km) south of State Route 78 on Split Mountain Road. These places are open part-time in summer and full-time when the weather is cooler. The Split Mountain Store sells groceries, drinks, and parts for off-road vehicles. The Iron Door is a small bar where you can find pool tables and see local items displayed on the walls.
Weather in Ocotillo Wells
Ocotillo Wells has a hot desert climate. This means it has short, mild winters and very long, extremely hot summers.
| Climate data for Ocotillo Wells, California (normals 2003–2020, extremes 2003–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 88 (31) |
92 (33) |
101 (38) |
108 (42) |
115 (46) |
124 (51) |
122 (50) |
122 (50) |
121 (49) |
112 (44) |
99 (37) |
89 (32) |
124 (51) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 80.1 (26.7) |
83.2 (28.4) |
93.8 (34.3) |
101.0 (38.3) |
106.4 (41.3) |
115.4 (46.3) |
117.6 (47.6) |
116.2 (46.8) |
112.1 (44.5) |
102.1 (38.9) |
90.8 (32.7) |
79.3 (26.3) |
119.0 (48.3) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 68.8 (20.4) |
73.1 (22.8) |
79.6 (26.4) |
85.7 (29.8) |
93.7 (34.3) |
102.3 (39.1) |
108.1 (42.3) |
107.8 (42.1) |
101.9 (38.8) |
90.7 (32.6) |
78.6 (25.9) |
68.2 (20.1) |
88.2 (31.2) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 58.8 (14.9) |
62.4 (16.9) |
68.7 (20.4) |
73.6 (23.1) |
81.4 (27.4) |
88.9 (31.6) |
95.7 (35.4) |
95.7 (35.4) |
89.9 (32.2) |
79.1 (26.2) |
67.1 (19.5) |
57.6 (14.2) |
76.6 (24.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 48.7 (9.3) |
51.8 (11.0) |
57.8 (14.3) |
61.4 (16.3) |
69.2 (20.7) |
75.5 (24.2) |
83.3 (28.5) |
83.5 (28.6) |
77.9 (25.5) |
67.5 (19.7) |
55.7 (13.2) |
47.0 (8.3) |
64.9 (18.3) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 36.7 (2.6) |
39.9 (4.4) |
45.3 (7.4) |
50.2 (10.1) |
56.7 (13.7) |
65.1 (18.4) |
74.8 (23.8) |
73.8 (23.2) |
66.3 (19.1) |
55.5 (13.1) |
43.9 (6.6) |
36.2 (2.3) |
33.6 (0.9) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 27 (−3) |
28 (−2) |
39 (4) |
45 (7) |
51 (11) |
60 (16) |
71 (22) |
67 (19) |
59 (15) |
39 (4) |
36 (2) |
32 (0) |
27 (−3) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.68 (17) |
0.81 (21) |
0.54 (14) |
0.13 (3.3) |
0.03 (0.76) |
trace | 0.28 (7.1) |
0.37 (9.4) |
0.26 (6.6) |
0.25 (6.4) |
0.19 (4.8) |
0.49 (12) |
4.03 (102) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 2.2 | 2.3 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 2.1 | 15.1 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Schools and Education
There are no schools directly in Ocotillo Wells. Students living here attend schools in the Borrego Springs Unified School District.
Off-Road Fun in Ocotillo Wells
Ocotillo Wells is famous for its Ocotillo Wells State Vehicle Recreation Area. This is a huge area where people can ride off-road vehicles like dirt bikes, ATVs, and dune buggies. It's managed by the California Department of Parks and Recreation.
You can camp for free in many spots along State Route 78. Some popular camping areas include Main Street, Holmes Camp, County Line Road, and Pole Line Road. These spots offer easy access to many trails for riders of all skill levels. Any vehicle with a license plate or off-road registration can be used in the park.
Cool Natural Spots in the Park
The park has several unique natural features to explore:
- Blowsand Hill: You can see this sandy hill from State Route 78.
- Devil's Slide: This is a small sand dune next to a steep, rocky hill.
- Shell Reef: A place where you can find ancient shells.
- Gas Dome: A natural gas vent.
- Pumpkin Patch: A field of round, rock-like formations.
You can get a map of these locations and other trails at the ranger station.
Military Plane Incident in 2020
On September 29, 2020, two military planes had an accident near Ocotillo Wells. A US Marine Corps (USMC) F-35B fighter jet was trying to get fuel from a USMC KC-130J tanker plane in the air. The two planes collided. The F-35B crashed near Ocotillo Wells, but its pilot was able to safely eject (parachute out). The KC-130J tanker made an emergency landing in a farm field nearby, and all eight crew members on board survived.
Ocotillo Wells in Movies
Part of the 1971 movie, The Andromeda Strain, was filmed in Ocotillo Wells. For the movie, a special farm station and planted fields were built there.
See also
In Spanish: Ocotillo Wells para niños
