6 Places to See the Desert Wildflowers

Anyone who has not spent much time in the desert may picture it as a sort of plantless and lifeless place. However, in most deserts, this couldn’t be further from the truth. While cactuses and some low-growing trees often thrive year round, the springtime is when the desert really comes to life. Every spring, wildflowers bloom on a variety of plants in the desert. These flowers can bloom in a variety of colors and sizes. Depending on the volume of rain seen over the winter, there may even be a superbloom. A superbloom is a rare phenomenon where the desert experiences "a disproportionately high level of wildflower growth, where many of the flowers bloom at the same time. The result is vast fields of densely growing wildflowers, which is truly a sight to behold. However, even in years where the desert does not yield a superbloom, one can expect to see wildflowers growing. If you have an RV, this can be a great time to take it out to enjoy the spring blooms and see the wildflowers for yourself. Follow along for a list of the some the best places to see desert wildflowers in the springtime.

1. Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is located in Southern California, about two hours east of San Diego. This park stretches across both the Colorado Desert and the Sonoran Desert. It provides a home to many species of wildlife and a wide variety of flora and fauna. In the spring, the number of wildflowers here can vary. This depends on the amount of rain seen over the course of the winter season. However, park visitors can expect to see several types between March and May. These include fairy dusters, Indian mallows, beavertails, desert marigolds, canterbury bells, apricot mallows, firecracker ocotillos, claret cup cactuses, and more.In 2017, the bloom was so great that it could be seen from space. No matter how full the bloom is on any given year, visitors can still expect to see beautiful colors in the springtime. There are several camping areas as well as a paid campground, giving RVers a variety if sites to choose from.

2. Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve

Located about an hour and a half north of Los Angeles, Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve is a favorite wildflower viewing area for people all over America. Each spring, the entire reserve comes alive with fields of some of the most stunning arrangements of fiddlenecks, red maids, forget-me-nots, and, of course, poppies. The reserve has about eight miles of hiking trails available, and there is a .7-mile long ADA-compliant trail, as well. The bloom generally begins in early March and lasts through mid-May. To preserve the reserve’s beauty, visitors are prohibited from walking amongst the fields of wildflowers or picking them. However, they are more than welcome to snap as many photos as they would like!