Wondering where to see the super bloom in Southern California? You’re in luck — I’m sharing my favorite spots plus best tips for seeing the wildflowers!
Spring is my favorite time of year in Southern California. Everything is blooming and the air is intoxicating with the fragrant aroma of blossoming flowers. This year we are blessed with a super bloom, an explosion of wildflowers, thanks to all of the rain we’ve had this winter. Here’s where + when you can catch the super bloom of wildflowers in Southern California!
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WHERE TO SEE THE SUPER BLOOM IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
1. Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
We hit up Anza-Borrego Desert State Park last weekend and were greeted with the beginnings of the super bloom, as seen in the pictures above + in this post. The park itself, which is about 1.5 hours from Palm Springs, is absolutely stunning and the swaths of purple and yellow fields are breathtaking. Click here to see Anza-Borrego Desert State Park’s info on where to see the wildflowers. The best time to see the Super Bloom is in March and early April.
Note: It was very windy, so bring a jacket!
2. Antelope Valley Poppy Fields
These are some of the prettiest flower fields I’ve ever seen and they don’t happen every year. In fact, I can’t believe the last time we were in the Antelope Valley Poppy Fields was FIVE years ago! According to the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve website, as of March 2nd, “the poppy plants are still small and a few have started blooming. We expect the bloom will be best mid-March through April.” I’m hoping to get out there in a few weeks!
Note: We took our pictures outside of the preserve + were careful not to walk on the poppies themselves. Same with the above photos — I would tip-toe over to a barren spot + them put my shoes on to get the shot.
3. Lake Elsinore/ Walker Canyon Poppy Fields
I’ve never been to Lake Elsinore and Walker Canyon, but the pictures online have me planning to change that VERY soon. According to the LA Times, they might only be in peak season another week or so — eek, grab your keys! I mean, look at these pics of the poppies!
Note: It seems like this is a very popular spot, so if you can go on a weekday and early morning, that’s likely your best bet. Also, poppies are super fickle. They only open when the sun is out, so check the weather before you go to make sure it won’t be cloudy or rainy.
4. Thousand Palms/Coachella Valley Preserve
We also popped out to Thousand Palms last weekend, where we saw the very early beginnings of the wildflowers. You can just barely spot fields of gold in this post, but they are sure to be popping as March marches on.
Note: As we tend to be crowd-adverse and they do not allow pets (Odee was with us), we didn’t actually go into the official Coachella Valley Preserve, so there may be more there.
5. Joshua Tree National Park
Word on the street is that the southern entrance to Joshua Tree is about to reach peak super bloom status. The LA Times reports, on March 6th: “Right now you can expect to see tall purple blooms with light yellow desert dandelions and golden poppies mixed in.”
6. Diamond Valley Lake
According to the LA Times: The wildflower trail at Diamond Valley Lake opened last weekend. Golden poppies and other wildflowers are starting to bloom, but peak isn’t expected until mid-March. If conditions hold, they may last through April. The trail is open Wednesdays through Sundays.
Note: It’s $10 to park and $3 per person for hikers. To get there, take Highway 79 to Domenigoni Parkway and Angler Avenue. Stay on the trails to avoid encountering rattlesnakes + to not harm the native species!!!
BEFORE YOU GO
You can check this website for current Super Bloom information in California.
PHOTOS by FRED MOSER
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p.s. Sunflower Fields in Provence + Lavender Fields in Plateau de Valensole.
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