Following record winter rains, colorful poppies, yuccas and other wildflowers are about to explode ... [+]
Following a huge wave of winter storms, the California desert is expecting another spectacular wildflower super bloom.
March and April are normally the peak months, but the bloom can extend into May and even June or July at higher elevations.
Below are four super-sized California desert national and state parks where the spring blooms is always spectacular.
A few rules to remember. Stay on the trail and don’t tread on the flowers. Park only in designated parking areas and not in the middle or on the shoulder of the road. And always adhere to that famous wilderness motto: Take nothing but pictures.
Visitor take advantage of a rare opportunity to wade through knee-deep water in Lake Manley, which ... [+]
Death Valley: Floaties & Flowers
Come for the flowers, stay for the floaties.
With more than five inches of rain falling in the national park since last August, a tiny pond called Bad Water that’s normally the lowest point in North America (282 feet/86 meters below sea level) has morphed into Lake Manly.
Here and there, the transient waterbody is deep enough to kayak, paddleboard, relax in a floatie, or take photos that include the snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains reflected in the lake’s surface.
Death Valley boasts a progressive spring bloom that gradually makes its way higher, starting on the valley floors and foothills in between February and April, reaching 3,000-5,000 feet in April and May, and peaking above 5,000 feet between May and July.
Among the typical spring flowers are orange or purple mariposa lilies, desert five spots (with their five red spots), bright yellow desert golds and desert dandelions, and purple sage.
Although some park roads remain closed because of flooding, all nine campgrounds are currently open, as are the Oasis at Death Valley, Stovepipe Wells Village and Panamint Springs Resort.
Is Death Valley on the verge of another springtime super bloom? Visitors will know by the middle of ... [+]
Mojave Preserve: Blooming Dunes and Cinder Cones
The third largest unit of the entire National Park System, Mojave National Preserve sprawls across a massive expanse of high desert between Interstates 40 and 15.
Joshua trees are its most iconic plant, but like elsewhere in California’s arid interior, much smaller flora take the spotlight come spring.
Wildflowers suddenly appear in the most unlikely places: the huge Kelso Dunes in March and April; the volcanic Cima Cinder Cones in March and Cima Dome in April; and the park’s higher mesas and mountains in May.
Keep an eye out for more blooming succulents like the yucca, cholla cactus, hedgehog cactus, beavertail cactus, and Mojave mound cactus.
In the wake of the winter rains, some preserve roads are still under repair. Both campgrounds are currently open. There’s no indoor lodging inside the park, however there are plenty of hotel and motel options in the nearby towns of Barstow, Needles and Primm.
Joshua Tree National Park is expecting another explosion of cactus flowers and other desert blooms ... [+]
Joshua Tree: Rock Stars and Cactus Flowers
From U2 and the Eagles to the late Gram Parsons and Kate Pierson of the B52s, the Joshua Tree region is linked to many rock stars.
The Eagles famously posed for the cover and publicity shots for their self-titled first album in the Cholla Cactus Garden on the park’s Pinto Basin Road in March of 1972 — at the height of the spring bloom. In fact, the LP’s inner sleeve features the photo with bright red cactus flowers.
Wildflowers are already present at lower elevations along the southern (Palm Springs) side of the park. Higher elevations in the heart of the park are slated for a huge bloom in March and April, with some of the flowers enduring till June on the mountaintops.
Among the top spots for springtime color are Jumbo Rocks (the park’s social media darling) and nearby Twin Tanks, the Indian Cove area near Twentynine Palms, and Hidden Valley and Cap Rock, where Gram Parsons’ ashes were scattered after his death in 1973.
All national park roads and campgrounds are currently open. There’s no indoor accommodation inside the park, but plenty of places to crash in the Palm Springs area on the south side and Yucca Valley/Twentynine Palms area in the north.
A giant metallic dragon by artist Ricardo Breceda slithers its way across Galleta Meadows on the ... [+]
Anza-Borrego: Dinosaurs and Dragons
Way down south in San Diego County, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and Borrego Springs village are legendary for spring flowers.
With more than 600 species of native plants, there’s plenty of color to go around. Last year’s bloom spanned early February to mid-April, but by all current indications it will start and peak later this spring.
Among the top spots for flower viewing are Coyote Canyon and along Henderson Canyon Road north of Borrego Springs; June Wash and Vallecitos Creek near Agua Caliente on the park’s south side; and the Cactus Loop Trail off Highway 78 in the middle of the park.
Or head for the Galleta Meadows Sculptures — 130 life-sized dinosaurs, dragons, ice age beasts, and contemporary animals by artist Ricardo Breceda — that look especially striking when surrounded by a carpet of spring flowers.
Anza-Borrego offers a mix of state park, county park, and private campgrounds that range from primitive to modern RV resorts. There are also upscale options like the historic La Casa del Zorro (opened in 1939) and the Wild West-themed Palm Canyon Resort.
