Rare ‘Super Bloom’ Bursts Californian Desert to Life with Vibrant Wildflowers

Anza-Borrego Desert
Photo credit: Stephen Matera

Many East coasters saw a recent bout of snow outside of their windows, but for those on the opposite side of the U.S., it’s a different story. Southern California deserts are experiencing a super bloom of wildflowers, in which the fields burst to life with a bevy of brilliant colors. The stunning effect was brought on by months of unusually heavy rainfall. As a result, the flowers have just hit their peak of blossoming.

In this season’s super bloom, there are two previously-sparse places that have since exploded in natural beauty. The Anza-Borrego Desert (about two hours from San Diego) and Walker Canyon in Lake Elsinore each offer their own version of splendor.

In the Anza-Borrego, there’s a bevy of flowers to see. But, depending on the time, the types of flowers will change. The Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association says that they’re in the midst of a “rolling bloom,” and that different species will appear at different times. But throughout this period, visitors can expect to see white desert lilies, yellow desert dandelions, and purple notch leaf phaelia.

Walker Canyon doesn’t have as much visual variety, but it does offer a spectacular look at orange poppies. In fact, they’re so marvelous that they’ve caused a traffic jam! According to the Press-Enterprise, local drivers impeded the road by slowing down (or stopping) to look at the wildflowers.

As outdoors enthusiasts make the trek to these Southern California locales, they’ve chronicled the beauty on Instagram. Check out some gorgeous shots from the super bloom, below.