California Super Bloom Guide: Best Wildflower Spots in Greater Palm Springs
This spring, Greater Palm Springs transforms into a vibrant oasis as desert wildflowers unleash a spectacular "super bloom" across Palm Springs and Southern California. Our expert guide helps you discover the region's full floral splendor!
In 2019, the area dazzled with colorful wildflowers and lush greenery, creating the perfect opportunity for a wildflower-inspired trip to Greater Palm Springs. Here's your complete guide to the top spots for viewing wildflowers in Palm Springs and beyond.
Where to Find Wildflowers Near Palm Springs
Tammy Martin, Executive Director, and Colin Barrows, Conservation Coordinator, of Friends of the Desert Mountains, explain that the "spring bloom reveals the true essence of the desert."
Whether hiking trails or joining guided tours, wildflowers are blooming everywhere. Experts predict a robust super bloom, peaking from March through April.
Self-Guided Hikes
Greater Palm Springs offers expansive hiking trails weaving through desert mountains. Here are top self-guided spots teeming with yellow and purple desert wildflowers.
Martin and Barrows urge visitors to "stay on the trails" to protect these delicate blooms. Recommended wildflower hikes:
Coachella Valley Preserve | Thousand Palms
(Notch Leaf Phacelia at Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve)
A hidden gem amid palm trees, this vast preserve bursts with beautiful wildflowers—ideal for stunning photos.
Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Visitor Center | Palm Desert
Nestled against dramatic desert mountains, this center showcases wildflowers like Brown-eyed Primrose, Beavertail Cactus, Fishhook Cactus, and Barrel Cactus.
La Quinta Cove to Lake Trail | La Quinta
This 6.6-mile trail features wild plants such as Desert Five-Spot and Ghost Flower. Keep an eye out for bighorn sheep!
Lykken Trail | Palm Springs
One to two miles in, reach "Vista Point" for Desert Sunflowers hugging the mountainside, plus sweeping oasis views.
East Indio Hills Badlands | Indio
This 4.7-mile rocky hike glows with yellow and purple wildflower blooms.
Guided Tours with Desert Adventures
Desert Adventures Red Jeep Tours & Events simplifies exploration with 4WD vehicles and expert guides. Ride through the oasis, learn its history near the San Andreas Fault, and spot rare wildflowers.
(Desert Sunflowers and Arizona Lupine at Metate Ranch, Red Jeep Tour)
(Sand Blazing Star at Metate Ranch, Red Jeep Tour)
(Ghost Flower at Metate Ranch, Red Jeep Tour)
Guided tours reveal hidden gems. "Super rare flowers like the Ghost Flower, unseen in over 20 years," notes Emelie Pittendrigh, Reservations and Group Booking Coordinator. Naturalist Guide Lane Romans adds: "These seeds awaited rain for years—now blooming spectacularly."
San Andreas Fault Jeep Tour
(Wildflowers at Metate Ranch, Red Jeep Tour)
Private tour at Metate Ranch on the San Andreas Fault: Spot Sand Blazing Star, Rock Daisy, Desert Sunflower, Sand Verbena, Arizona Lupine, Brown-eyed Primrose, Red Barrel Cacti, Notch Leaf Phacelia, Ghost Flower, Suncups, and more.
(Red Barrel Cacti at Metate Ranch)
Joshua Tree National Park Tour
Private tour of America's 16th-largest park, where iconic Joshua Trees frame blooming wildflowers for a unique perspective.
Anza-Borrego
California's largest state park explodes with wildflowers. At Anza-Borrego State Park, find Sand Verbena, Brown-eyed Evening Primrose, Desert Sunflowers, Spectacle-pod, Desert Lilies, Lupine, and Dune Primrose.
Read more about exploring Anza-Borrego State Park and staying in Borrego Springs.
Wildflower Events
Join hikes, exhibits, and tours to celebrate the bloom. Check Friends of the Desert Mountains for spring events.
Wildflower Nature Walk | Saturdays through March 23
Stroll Randall Henderson Trail, learning to identify wildflowers.
Wildflower Bus Tour | March 20
Discover local blooms with provided field guides, handouts, and hand lenses.
Birding Walk
Explore Art Smith Trailhead with expert birders to spot local wildlife.
(Desert Sunflower at Metate Ranch)
The 2019 super bloom lasted through April. For more botanical insights, explore The Plant-Lover's Guide to Greater Palm Springs.
