Yes, we are indeed having a spring wildflower superbloom in the Southern California Desert and I’m so grateful. We have had a near perfect weather pattern of intermittent rain and sunny days this winter, and the earliest wildflowers like sand verbenas and mallows have already started to bloom. Don't miss seeing this incredible natural phenomenon with about a million of your friends, yes it gets crowded! But sometimes, you just have to jostle through the crowds to see something amazing.
The wildflower scent wafts in the air like a siphon drawing and releasing the most ethereal and sweet perfume into the desert air. The indigenous plant life of the Sonoran and Mojave deserts are the original desert apothecary of the high desert and low deserts. Be careful on the trails and in the open desert, it may look soft, but the cactus thorns are wicked, and are anything but soft. Already the desert sages, sand verbenas, and mallows have started to bloom, which will soon be followed by our treasured palo verde and desert willow trees. The views of the desert moon have been incredible lately, and some nights, it’s been so bright that the mountains and the green desert floor are visible at night. There are really amazing opportunities for photography and videography this spring superbloom season.
The Superbloom this year is going to be SUPREME! Desert wildflowers will be blooming on almost every inch of the desert floor, starting from the lowest elevations and working their way up into the mountains as the weather gets warmer and sunnier.
Some prime wildflower viewing areas of the Borrego Springs area are going to be Coyote Canyon, Henderson Canyon Old Springs County Preserve, Fonts Point, Inspiration Point & Maidenhair Falls will all be blooming with desert wildflowers at different times depending on their elevations. Old Springs preserve and trail is an early bloom location as it's the lowest elevation, and there's an incredible view of Fonts Point from below as you hike.
The low elevation areas of the Anza Borrego Desert State Park have already begun to start blooming, and there is green almost as far as the eye can see, a rare treat for desert dwellers! The base of Coyote Canyon, Old Springs, Henderson Canyon, and the open desert between Borrego Springs and the Anza Borrego Badlands are perfect areas to see blooms starting today and this week.
Wishing everyone a Supreme Superbloom Season from the California Desert! It's going to be crowded, the grocery stores and gas stations just might possibly run out of food bev and gas, The hotels may be full, the restaurants may be slammed, and the bars may be standing only. Please make sure you have what you need when you come out to our remote paradise, water, food, sunscreen, hiking sticks, hats, full tank of gas or full battery for your vehicle. Mostly, you'll need to bring your patience.
I can't wait to be surrounded by the wild blooming desert botanicals and get back out on the trails. Book your accommodations now if you're coming to the desert for more than a day trip, availability is already slim!
My favorite restaurant in Borrego Springs is the newly opened Epicurious Social Club, so make sure to call ahead and make a reservation if you're going to be here during peak wildflower season. The food is delicious, and the service is just as good. I'm so happy the owners opened up here and I think they will have a lot of success in their iconic mid-century modern location adjoining the Art Institute.
Calico’s modest storefront bakery and cafe has my other favorite food in the valley, they make their own dough and bake everything on site, and truly serve some of the most delicious food you will ever find. Whether pizza, quiches, sandwiches, or desserts, everything they make is amazing, and perfect for a picnic in the desert.
After lunch, I always like to visit the Borrego Art Institute, they have a rotating selection fo different artist’s work, and there’s always something interesting to see in there. They have a great curated gift shop section, and many of the artworks are for sale as well.
Please enjoy the desert wildflower superbloom this year in a safe, respectful way, and especially after all the years of drought, it’s wonderful to be completely surrounded by green foliage and flowers in the desert. Absolutely savor it, take lots of photos and videos, because before you know it, the desert starts to heat up, all of the vegetation cooks off, and it’s back to the old landscape of browns and beiges and desiccating plant life. If only one thing we know for certain, it’s that it will look like that dry, dusty, desert far longer than it will look like the lush green panorama than it is now and for the next month or two.
Thank you for reading.
All the best,
William Z. Brennan & Desert Mountain Apothecary
