Anza Borrego: Welcoming The Wildflowers of Spring

Wildflowers are blooming at Anza Borrego State Park, inviting visitors to welcome spring a few weeks early. The rainfall this winter have livened up our neighborhoods, bringing green back to our once dry hillsides. In addition to green hillsides, something special is happening in the desert. Experts are calling it a super bloom. Take advantage of the end of the drought, by making a mini-vacation to Anza Borrego to see for yourself.

Here’s a guide to make the most of your time:

Getting to Anza Borrego from San Diego:

Drive two hours east on the 8 to the 79 to the 78, taking Yaqui Pass Drive until you reach the State Park. Planning on going with a group? Try to carpool as much as possible. Parking is limited, and RV parking should be coordinated in advance.

Exploring the Grounds:

Spend the afternoon exploring the different wildflower options, seeing seas of white, pink, and purple contrasted with the desert terrain. Take advantage of the natural beauty and create a reflective retreat, awakening your mind to life and seasons, spending time drawing the flowers, creating a poem out of what you see, or simply hiking through the beauty of nature’s variety.

Visitor Area: Garden & Parking Lot

• Flowers to Expect: Phacelia, Desert Dandelion, Desert Chicory, Tiny Red Pygmy Stonecrop, Filaree, Popcorn Flower, Poppies, Fiddlenecks, Shrubs: Chuparosa & Brittlebush

Borrego Palm Canyon

• Flowers to Expect: Phacelia, Cuparosa, Brittlebush, Desert Lavender, Desert Chicory, Ocotillo, Desert Wishbone, Desert Deandelion, Canterbury Bells, Brown-Eyed Evening Primrose

Henderson Canyon Road

• Flowers to Expect: Sunflower Fields (not yet in full bloom), Desert Lilies, Sand Verbena **Caution in pulling to the shoulder, soft sand

Coyote Canyon

• Flowers to Expect: Spectacle Pod, Brown-Eyed Evening Primrose, Dune Evening Primrose, Sand Verbena **Caution when entering during/following heavy rain

Rockhouse Canyon Road

• Flowers to Expect: Dandelion, Chicory, Phacelia, Monkey Flower, Barrel Cactus

Yaqui Well Trail

• Flowers to Expect: Fishhook Cactus, Fiddleneck, Filaree, Fremont Desert Thorn, Agave, Desert Dandelion, Whispering Bells, Pygmy Poppy, Gold Poppy, Popcorn Flower, Chia, Dune Evening Primrose, Trailing Windmills

Plum Canyon

• Flowers to Expect: Desert Apricot, Turpentine Broom, Wishbone, Cuparosa, Desert Chicory, Viguiera, Fiddleneck, Phacelia, Desert Rock-Pea, Popcorn Flower

Carrizo Badlands Overlook

• Flowers to Expect: Lupine, Brown-Eyed Evening Primrose, Spectacle Pod, Creosote Bush, Desert Lilies (expected early March)

Staying the Night:

Camping at the park is booking up quickly. Reserve a spot for mid-April for $25 a night, with space for up to 8 guests.

Photo Credit: Tim Buss, Flickr-Creative Commons (edited)

We hope you are able to catch the magic of the wildflowers before the season comes to an end.