California is set for an impressive super bloom season - here's where to see the wildflowers
Mar 13, 2024 鈥 3 min read
Desert wildflowers of Anza-Borrego 漏Sam Antonio Photography/Getty Images
It's rare to witness a scene as beautiful as a superbloom. It's such a delight鈥攁ll those mood-boosting, energy-sparking colors and hues. With memories of 2023's super bloom still fresh, officials from California State Parks suggest we're in for another treat this year. And it may even outshine the previous super bloom.
Super blooms, when flower blossoms burst to life en masse, are a relatively rare floral phenomenon, even in places renowned for vibrant native wildflowers. But after another winter of heavy rain, California鈥檚 desert landscapes are again expected to burst into brilliant carpets of color this spring.
Park officials have said that this season is expected to be "impressive" and could top last year's super bloom, which was the first the state had experienced in four years.
Where can I view super blooms this year?
Several parks, including in San Diego County, are highlighted as prime locations. Individual poppies are already starting to bloom there and should stick around until at least mid-May if the weather doesn't shift to warmer and drier days. The same goes for , where early bloomers like primrose, phacelia, and woolly sunflower have already been spotted.
Other parks expected to put on a good show include , and at the foot of the Santa Ana Mountains.
Officials say it is impossible to predict precisely where, when, and if wildflowers will bloom elsewhere this year. Cold weather or a hot spell could halt an intense bloom. Some displays might be modest if they do occur, while others could be over as quickly as they began鈥攁s in Death Valley National Park, where most wildflowers are referred to as 鈥渆phemerals鈥 because they are so short-lived.
"If the weather remains mild, the bloom is expected to be better this year compared to last year. If the weather turns hot, this could affect the bloom in the next few months," a California State Park representative explained.
Super blooms traditionally occur in desert areas of California, Nevada and Arizona but are not exclusive to these regions. Drought-free winters often lead to wildflowers emerging across the United States, from deserts in February to alpine areas into fall.
How to view super blooms responsibly
Viewing superblooms responsibly is crucial. Previous blooms have seen large influxes of visitors, leading to road closures, traffic jams, and habitat damage. In Los Angeles, shuttle busses were deployed in Lake Elsinore during 2019鈥檚 super bloom to manage traffic. Some parks reported habitat damage from people going off trail to take photos鈥攖rampling on fields and flowers in search of the perfect shot, and pulling up wildflowers to create bouquets and crowns. In 2017, in Riverside County was forced to close trails temporarily due to wildflower losses.
While many wildflower tourists are well-behaved, California State Parks is again asking for help protecting these unique natural resources, especially when the state sees significant blooming.
鈥淚n recent years, California has been lucky to see spectacular wildflower blooms in many public lands, including in state parks,鈥 said State Parks Director Armando Quintero. 鈥淲e welcome all Californians and visitors from around the world to experience this natural phenomenon and ask all to keep the 鈥楤eauty in the Bloom鈥 by staying on designated trails and taking only photos, not flowers.鈥
California State Park's website provides detailed information, safety tips, and predictions on where super blooms will occur this year. You can also see real-time bloom conditions via the .
Ready to plan your trip to California? Here are your next steps:
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