History

The permanently protected state park surrounding the
Borrego Valley has seen little change since it was first discovered by the Spaniards in the 1700's when Juan Bautista
de Anza found one of the first land routes from Mexico to California. In 1776, Anza led a group of soldiers, colonists, horses, cattle and mules on an epic 1,600-mile march from Culiacan, Mexico, through the Borrego Valley, eventually founding the Pueblo of San Francisco.

"Borego" first appeared on a county map in 1883 as a misspelling of the Spanish word "borrego" which means "a yearling lamb." More likely, "Borrego Springs" was so named because of the sheepherders who watered their flocks at the local spring in the late 1800's.

In 1937, in the heart of the Mission Revival period, the first structure in the Borrego Valley was built by Dana Burks, an early developer of Palm Springs. The simple adobe house was originally named the Desert Lodge.

In 1960, Copley Press (owner of The San Diego Union-Tribune, the Borrego Sun, Today's Local News and Enlace), purchased the Desert Lodge and officially changed the name to La Casa del Zorro Desert Resort. "El Zorro," or "the fox" in Spanish, was the nickname of James Copley's mistress who made her home in this desert retreat. La Casa del Zorro quickly became a coveted desert oasis and a romantic escape.

In 2007, GH Capital, LLC purchased La Casa del Zorro and in the summer of 2008 the resort was completely remodeled and reborn as Borrego Ranch Resort & Spa—an ultra-luxurious hideaway that honors the finest attributes of California hospitality, both past and present.