San Deigo Historic Site 634 EL VADO

In 1774 Captain Juan Bautista de Anza opened the overland trail from Sonora toCalifornia which bears his name. It was badly needed to keep Californian settlements supplied, and in contact with Mexico, in case of a war with a maritime power.

On his second expedition over the route he brought the first white women toCalifornia among the settlers in his party, who were sent out to found San Francisco. On this journey Captain de Anza stopped from December 20 to 22, 1775, at El Vado, in the mouth of Coyote Canyon, 7.1 miles north of Christmas Circle in Borrego Springs.