California’s deserts are gearing up for one of their rarest, most gorgeous tricks. After months of steady rain, the desert is approaching the part of spring that turns empty stretches of highway into parking lots. The superbloom.
California State Parks says this spring is expected to deliver a moderate-to-strong wildflower season across several desert parks. The agency pointed to widespread fall and winter rainfall as the driver behind the coming bloom. “The desert landscape is beginning to burst with color,” the department said in a recent release, adding that additional parks should follow in the weeks ahead.
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is already getting attention, particularly along Henderson Canyon Road, where primroses and early yellow blooms have started appearing. Borrego Palm Canyon and Coyote Canyon are also responding to recent storms, though the window never stays open for long.
Farther north, Red Rock Canyon State Park is starting to fill in. Primroses, lacy phacelia, and coreopsis have appeared against the park’s red cliffs, creating high-contrast displays that tend to peak fast once warmer weather arrives.
Hundreds of Thousands Will Come to See California’s Wildflowers
For more predictable viewing, state officials recommend several parks that historically perform well during strong bloom years. Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve State Natural Reserve remains the most closely watched site, with peak viewing typically landing between mid-March and May. The reserve offers a live PoppyCam feed during the season for visitors checking conditions before making the drive. Or for people in Minnesota just to see what’s going on.
Other reliable stops include Saddleback Butte State Park, Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park, and Chino Hills State Park. These locations delivered strong displays during major bloom years in 2017, 2019, and 2023, seasons that brought hundreds of thousands of visitors from across the world.
A few less publicized areas are also worth watching. Hungry Valley State Vehicular Recreation Area and Eastern Kern County Onyx Ranch SVRA have produced notable wildflower blooms during previous wet years.
Wildflower season usually runs from mid-February through May, with daily changes driven by elevation, temperature, and wind. State Parks has one message it repeats every year. Do not pick the flowers. Look all you want. Take all the photos. Keep your hands to yourself.
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