Californians can soon expect a wildflower explosion.
Those lucky enough to travel to one of California’s stunning desert parks can soon see the bright bulbs pop up, a signature first sign of spring.
Vibrant yellow, white, and purple blooms are already popping at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park along Henderson Canyon Road and at Red Rock Canyon State Park, with eye-catching displays of primroses, lacy phacelia, and coreopsis on show.
“This spring, California State Parks expects a moderate-to-strong wildflower bloom across desert state parks, thanks to widespread rainfall during the fall and winter,” a California State Parks department press release read.
“The desert landscape is beginning to burst with color … with additional parks expected to display vibrant blooms in the weeks and months ahead,” it added.
Borrego Palm Canyon and Coyote Canyon are also starting to see these beautiful displays of color.
As to where visitors can see all the beauty, park officials list the following for prime views: Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve State Natural Reserve, Chino Hills SP, Eastern Kern County Onyx Ranch State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA), Hungry Valley SVRA, Saddleback Butte SP and Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland SP.
There’s also a PoppyCam live feed for visitors who want to check out The Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve from mid-March to May.
These same parks experienced spectacular views in 2017, 2019, and 2023, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world to see the colorful display.
The wildflower season typically runs from as early as mid-February through May, with the mosaic of colors offered changing daily.
One quick reminder, it is against the law to pick wildflowers in state parks, so officials ask you to keep the “Beauty in the Bloom” and just capture the beauty with your eyes, by staying on designated trails and only taking photos.
