AGUA CALIENTE, CA
Status: Closed; reopening efforts in process
A public airstrip in Anza-Borrego, on state park land, was operated by San Diego County for decades. It was closed in April 2025 by a single staff letter to Caltrans requesting that the Airstrip’s permit be canceled.
The RAF is working with multiple agencies to rebuild the runway, reinstate the airport permit, and reopen the airport.
Agua Caliente Airport
Updated 10/01/26
For decades, this public airstrip in Anza-Borrego provided aviation access to California’s remarkable state park lands through a partnership with San Diego County. The airstrip was closed in April 2025 following a staff letter to the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), without Board authorization on record or completion of the steps outlined in the County’s agreement with State Parks. The County is able to use it and 920 acres of Park land at no cost. The contract requires the County to use the revenue from the campground and Hot Springs to maintain all of the facilities, including the airport, and keep them open for public use.
Today, reopening the airstrip requires coordination among three agencies. While the process takes time, the RAF is committed to working collaboratively with all involved to help restore this longstanding recreational aviation access for future generations.
Where things stand today
Caltrans has acknowledged that county staff did not have the authority to revoke the permit and is willing to streamline its reinstatement once the runway is rebuilt. After five months, county supervisors have directed staff to determine what is needed to reopen the airport. However, they were unaware of the county’s contractual obligation to keep the airstrip open. Because of the closure, the county has already repaid $274,450 in state grant funding, with another $190,000 still owed.
Next: two letters are being drafted for the County Board of Supervisors. We expect a hearing date this autumn.
Why This Airstrip Matters
There are very few public airstrips left in California where you can land, walk about half a mile, and be sitting in a natural hot spring. Agua Caliente is one of them. The campground, the springs, and the badlands are all within walking distance of the runway.
Pilots have been flying in since the 1950s. It has also served as a firefighting staging point, an emergency landing option across a long stretch of empty desert, and a training destination for student cross-countries.
Who is Involved?
| California State Parks | County of San Diego | Caltrans Aeronautics | Gillespie Field Development Council | RAF and AOPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owns the land. Holds the operating agreement and the remedies under it. | Operates the airstrip. The Board of Supervisors can direct staff. | Issues the state airport permit. Controls reinstatement. | County and El Cajon joint authority. Voted unanimously in support. | Pilot organizations working on the issue. |
Timeline
List of Services
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2008List Item 1
State Parks and County of San Diego execute a fourth consecutive 20 year Operating Agreement governing Agua Caliente Hot Springs and the County Air Strip (effective Nov. 1, 2008).
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September 2009List Item 2
An internal County memo is written that is later relied on as authority.
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March 2025List Item 3
County Director of Airports writes to Caltrans Aeronautics requesting permanent revocation of the airport permit and a finding that the airport is unnecessary to the state system.
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April 2025List Item 4
Caltrans deems the County's request received / airport deactivated. Caltrans formally revokes Permit No. SD-030.
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September 2025
County staff informs State Parks that the airport has been permanently closed and its operating permit revoked—five months after the revocation and without requesting State Parks’ consent.
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February 2026
The airport disappears from FAA aeronautical charts. The RAF investigates and raises concerns that county staff did not have the authority to close the airport.
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April 2026
County Public Works Director Jamie Abbott asks Caltrans about reinstating the permit, noting that Board of Supervisors approval is required for policy decisions.
Caltrans outlines the steps for reinstatement, including FAA approval, physical restoration, and additional agreements and approvals if ownership or operation changes.
RAF CA State Liaison Douglas Lumgair requests county financial records related to the airport and park. The request is acknowledged, but no records have been provided as of this writing.
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May 2026
The Gillespie Field Development Council unanimously supports reopening Agua Caliente and formally offers airport and park funds toward reconstruction.
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August 2026
California State Parks refers the matter to its legal department.
What You Can Do To Help
Thank you for your comments in support of reopening Agua Caliente Airstrip.
Recent Comment Period Closed on 9/16
RAF California Liaison Doug Lumgair was notified of a critical decision-making meeting on Wednesday, September 16, to consider reopening this outstanding recreational fly-in destination.
Hundreds of people commented in support of reopening Agua Caliente before the meeting at 9 am on September 16.
For more information, reach out to RAF California Liaison Doug Lumgair at dlumgair@theraf.org.
Get in Touch
RAF volunteers leading the effort:
Doug Lumgair, RAF CA Liaison
dlumgair@theraf.org, (707) 484-6418
Mike Finkle, RAF CA Ambassador
mfinkle@theraf.org, (909) 938-1336
Know something we don't?
If you have flown into Agua Caliente or have
photographs or records relating to its operation or maintenance, Doug and Mike would like to hear from you.
Support the work
The RAF is a volunteer organization.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the airstrip closed right now, and can I land there?
The airstrip is closed. Pilots do not have permission to land there.
Who actually owns the airstrip?
California State Parks owns the land. San Diego County has operated the airstrip for decades, most recently under an agreement signed in 2008. Caltrans issues the permit that lets it operate as a public airport.
Why can't the County just reopen it?
The airport state permit was revoked at the direction of a county staff member who did not have the authority to do so, but now, to reinstate the permit, the county supervisors have to approve the process, and they do not yet seem to understand the full situation (that they are required by the State Park contract to do that).
