California wildflower watching

[travel_monkeys]

I don't know if anybody out there is planning to go wildflower watching this spring in California. I'll say here what I just said to a friend of mine in Los Angeles. This spring head to the northern Sierras or north of SF (Marin, Napa, Sonoma, etc). I live in San Luis Obispo on the central coast and if we get our usual rush of spring weekend warriors they're going to be disappointed this year. It's been really dry all winter and we're not getting our usual late winter blooms. And the hills are dull gray-green instead of their usual winter lush green.
The drought has been all of southern Cal., so wildflower watchers in the desert (Death Valley, Joshua Tree) are in for a weak spring as well. Better off heading north this year.
I was just warning a friend about this so I figured I'd throw it in here.

[Mark Sedenquist]

his spring head to the northern Sierras or north of SF (Marin, Napa, Sonoma, etc). I live in San Luis Obispo on the central coast and if we get our usual rush of spring weekend warriors they're going to be disappointed this year. It's been really dry all winter and we're not getting our usual late winter blooms.

I think you are correct. I was out at Nelson yesterday (near Las Vegas) and about the only thing in bloom is brittle bush -- quite a marked contrast from last year's extravaganza in the desert!

Mark

[travel_monkeys]

I think you are correct. I was out at Nelson yesterday (near Las Vegas) and about the only thing in bloom is brittle bush -- quite a marked contrast from [URL="http://www.roadtripamerica.com/GettingOutThere/Wildflower-Road-Trips.htm"]last year's extravaganza in the desert

Yeah, last year we had above average rainfall in the winter which usually means good wildflowers in spring. This year has been dry to the extreme. Most people around here seem to prefer the sunshine but here's to hoping we get more rain next yr. Nothin' like the green hills of the central coast from Jan-Mar.

[Mark Sedenquist]

Yeah, last year we had above average rainfall in the winter which usually means good wildflowers in spring. This year has been dry to the extreme.

I have always loved seeing those lush and vivid green hills of the central coast in the Spring. Of course, the straw-colored grasses framing the California Live Oaks in the summer is pretty special too. Odd year for weather, astounding amounts of rain along the northern California coast, record floods in Reno and dry in SLO. Very odd.

Mark

[Mark Sedenquist]

I am not really sure that this will really be a "SUPERBLOOM" year -- at least not in the Mojave Desert, but here is a map that Tom Herbertson built today based on a route that shows some of the places that I like to go when I am in Antelope Valley of Southern California. Only part of the map shows Antelope Valley. But I would recommend clicking on all of the RTA icons for Natural Wonders ("NW" on the brown flags) found in the area for more specific recommendations.

The portion for Antelope Valley is the upper part of the map, basically everything west of the town of Lancaster! The longer route provides a loop trip back to LA.


Click here for this RTA Library Map

[DonnaR57]

Our local PBS station had reporters out at Anza-Borrego State Park, east of San Diego, reporting on the annual flower bloom. They're expecting a LOT of flowers this year.


Donna

[Mark Sedenquist]

Yes, the early reports from all over San Diego County have been pretty hopeful.

Here are the daily reports from our colleagues at DesertUSA.com:

Anza-Borrego Wildflowers

Southern California

Joshua Tree National Park

A few places in Nevada and Utah

Phoenix and Northern Arizona

[Southwest Dave]

We were fortunate enough to enjoy the bloom just south of Joshua tree NP along Cottonwood Springs road on March 5th 2019.





Dave.

[Mark Sedenquist]

Very cool to see these photos!

Thanks for sharing.

Some parts of So California are truly worth of the moniker "Super Bloom"

Here are some photos from Lake Elsinore

And here is a very good list of links for going and seeing them yourself.

Mark

[Rick Quinn]

I'm not getting out and about too much these days, pending my upcoming spine surgery, but as others have reported, Arizona is having a banner year for wildflowers. i was out by Apache Lake in February, and took this shot of some golden poppies:



Yesterday, we drove up normally dry and rocky South Mountain, which was as green and pretty as I've ever seen it. Nice view of Phoenix and Camelback Mountain, with yellow-blooming Brittlebush in the foreground:



Plus more poppies, which covered much of the mountainside near the peak with all the television towers:





Good stuff!

Rick