Will we have a wildflower bloom this season?

As spring approaches, many are wondering if Anza-Borrego Desert State Park will experience one of its famed wildflower blooms this year. Unfortunately, due to the desert receiving virtually no significant rain this season, a large-scale bloom is not expected. These breathtaking blooms, which blanket the desert floor with vibrant colors, require substantial and well-timed rainfall to occur—a weather pattern we haven’t seen this year.

However, while a significant bloom is unlikely, the good news is the desert will still have some blooms here and there with higher concentrations in remote canyons. Hardy plants like agave, brittlebush, and ocotillo blossoms can still be found, adding splashes of color to the landscape. Visitors who take the time to explore will be rewarded with the simple beauty of these resilient desert plants..

If you’re interested in learning more about the Park’s wildflowers join us for an exciting wildflower retreat! Click here for more information.

Check back here as we will update weekly as the wildflower season unfolds. 

So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodbye! The wildflower season is officially over, with only a few remaining cacti blooms and small pockets of flowers here and there. 

Watch for blooms starting in the higher elevations, including Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. You can follow Cuyamaca Rancho State Park’s updates on their Facebook page here. 

Thank you for following along during what was a spectacular wildflower season! As we say goodbye to the wildflowers until next time, we hope you made some memories and experienced the bloom. 

If you’d like to receive non-wildflower Park updates, event information, and tips for exploring the Park, please subscribe here.

If you’d like to support our work, including our conservation efforts, please consider a donation today!

Flowers are still blooming along Henderson Canyon Road, in Coyote Canyon and Arroyo Salado. Larger patches of sand verbena are also blooming near Truckhaven Trail off highway S-22. Cacti look like they will start blooming soon!

Skip the crowded Visitor Center and go right to the flowers! Print the most recent wildflower map below at home before heading to the Park.

If you’re looking for specific types of flowers and their locations, use the interactive map here. 

If you’re looking for locations to where to see the most flowers, use this simple map to get to Coyote Canyon, Henderson Canyon, and Arroyo Salado. 

If you’re looking for specific types of flowers and their locations, use the interactive map here. 

Directions to most recent wildflower areas:

Henderson Canyon Rd. from Borrego Springs Town Center:

Drive east along Palm Canyon Drive and continue halfway around the Christmas Circle roundabout, then turn right back onto Palm Canyon Drive.

In about a half-mile turn left onto DiGeorgio Road.  Drive 3 miles north on DiGeorgio Rd. and turn right onto Henderson Canyon Road. Drive east on Henderson Canyon Road for a few miles until you see the yellow fields of yellow Desert Sunflower and the White flowered Dune Evening-Primrose.

Coyote Canyon from Borrego Springs Town Center: 

Drive east along Palm Canyon Drive and continue halfway around the Christmas Circle roundabout, then turn right back onto Palm Canyon Drive.

In about a half-mile turn left onto DiGeorgio Road. Continue north on DiGeorgio Road for about 5 miles to the end of DiGeorgio Road pavement. There is an interpretive ramada on the right side of the unpaved road. You can explore the wildflower adjacent to the interpretive ramada, or you may choose to drive further up the main road up into Coyote Canyon.

It can be very sandy with some dips, so be careful to stay on the two-track portion of the road and avoid adjacent sandy areas. There are narrow portions of this road, so be aware of other vehicle on turns. You can judge whether your vehicle can drive in this area. Ideally you should have a high-clearance, all-wheel or four-wheel drive vehicle. There are currently good flowers along the way with the carpets of purple Sand Verbena, yellow Desert Dandelion, white-flowered Desert Chicory, white-flowered Spectacle Pod, and an occasional white-flowered Desert Lily.  

Be careful not to walk on top of mounds with animal burrows.  They can collapse and you may twist an ankle if the burrow collapses.       

Thousands of visitors come to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park each year to enjoy the beauty of unique and captivating desert wildflowers in bloom. However, it’s crucial for visitors to practice responsible behavior, such as staying on designated trails and avoiding trampling the delicate wildflowers, to ensure the preservation of these natural wonders for everyone to enjoy.

This may be the year of the Desert Lily (Hesperocallis undulata)! They are starting to bloom in various places in the Park including right off the Borrego Salton Seaway near Palo Verde Wash and Henderson Canyon.

Here are some fun facts about this “Lily”.

• The Desert Lily (Hesperocallis undulata) is not a true lily (Lilium genus), despite its common name containing the term “lily.” It belongs to the family Amaryllidaceae, which is different from the family Liliaceae to which true lilies belong.
• It is native to the deserts of California, Arizona, and northern Mexico, where it thrives in sandy, well-drained soils.
• The Desert Lily produces large, white, funnel-shaped flowers with a sweet fragrance. Each flower typically has six tepals (petal-like segments), and the plant itself can grow up to 3 feet tall.
• Typically, the Desert Lily blooms during the spring, especially after winter rains. The flowers emerge from bulbs that remain dormant underground during dry periods.
• To survive in arid conditions, the Desert Lily has adapted mechanisms to conserve water and withstand high temperatures. Its bulbs store water and nutrients, enabling the plant to endure long periods of drought.
• While the Desert Lily is not considered endangered, it faces threats from habitat destruction and over-collection. Conservation efforts aim to protect its natural habitat and ensure its continued survival in the wild.

Blooms are arriving in the heart of Borrego Springs along Henderson Canyon Road, the lower sandy dune portions of Coyote Canyon and in the southern portion of the state park along Highway S2 southeast of Agua Caliente County Park. Additionally, areas near June Wash moving northeast toward Fish Creek and Arroyo Tapiado are beginning to show the early bloomers like primrose, phacelia, and wooly sunflower. If moving south along the Highway S2, four-wheel-drive vehicles are recommended on any unpaved park road.

Photo of Henderson Canyon taken 3/1/24

Photos of wildflowers in Henderson Canyon taken this week by our Board Member, Paulette Donnellon. 

There has been a decent amount of rain, and a bloom could happen, but it depends on many factors that are still unknown. The Park is monitoring the rain/weather/plants and we will notify the public if a significant bloom starts.

• Please call the Wildflower Hotline at (760) 767-4684 for weekly updates!

The recent heat has taken a toll on the desert wildflowers and there are only small pockets of flowers left in scattered areas of the Park. It’s time to say “good-bye” to this year’s bloom and look forward to next year!

Visitor Center
Location: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Visitor Center off Palm Canyon Drive. Head west on Palm Canyon Drive until it terminates at the Visitor Center parking lot. Flowers are low to the ground and scattered all throughout the desert floor. Look closely along pathways at the VC, Campground Trail, Little Surprise Canyon, and Hellhole Canyon. Flowers: Brittlebush, Heliotrope, Chuparosa, Barrel Cactus, Beavertail Cactus, Desert Dandelions.

Cactus Loop Trail
Location: Tamarisk Grove Campground. Directions: Take County Road S3, 20 minutes south of Borrego Springs. Head through the Yaqui Pass and look for the tamarisk trees and the campground. Flowers: Fishhook Cactus, Cholla, Beavertail Cactus

Visitor Center
Location: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Visitor Center off Palm Canyon Drive. Head west on Palm Canyon Drive until it terminates at the Visitor Center parking lot. Flowers are low to the ground and scattered all throughout the desert floor. Look closely along pathways at the VC, Campground Trail, Little Surprise Canyon, and Hellhole Canyon. Flowers: Brittlebush, Heliotrope, Chuparosa, Barrel Cactus, Beavertail Cactus, Desert Dandelions.

Start of Coyote Canyon: (For the first mile past the end of the pavement.)
Directions: Go north on DiGiorgio Road, one road east of Christmas Circle. The pavement ends about three miles north of Palm Canyon Drive. Park at the interpretive kiosk OR drive a half mile on the sandy road and park. Look for flowers for the next one mile. The road is sandy, and passable with care with 2WD. Coyote Canyon past Desert Gardens is 4WD. Dogs allowed on the road on a leash.
Flowers: Sand Verbena, Desert Primrose, Desert Lily, Desert Sunflower

Henderson Canyon Road
Between Borrego Valley Road and Highway S2. Directions: Park safely off the pavement and walk north in the flower field. Flowers: Sand Verbena, Dune Primrose, Desert Lily, Desert Sunflower

Cactus Loop Trail
Location: Tamarisk Grove Campground. Directions: Take County Road S3, 20 minutes south of Borrego Springs. Head through the Yaqui Pass and look for the tamarisk trees and the campground. Flowers: Fishhook Cactus, Cholla, Beavertail Cactus

Start of Coyote Canyon: (For the first mile past the end of the pavement.)
Directions: Go north on DiGiorgio Road, one road east of Christmas Circle. The pavement ends about three miles north of Palm Canyon Drive. Park at the interpretive kiosk OR drive a half mile on the sandy road and park. Look for flowers for the next one mile. The road is sandy, and passable with care with 2WD. Coyote Canyon past Desert Gardens is 4WD. Dogs allowed on the road on a leash.
Flowers: Predominate color is purple – mostly sand verbena, Arizona lupine is starting to appear, some brown eyed primrose and some desert primrose.

Henderson Canyon Road
Between Borrego Valley Road and Highway S2. Directions: Park safely off the pavement and walk
north in the flower field. Flowers: Predominate color is yellow -mostly desert sunflower. Some sand verbena remain, but not much. Currently towards the middle to the east. West portion is starting.

Cactus Loop Trail
Location: Tamarisk Grove Campground. Directions: Take County Road S3, 20 minutes south of Borrego Springs. Head through the Yaqui Pass and look for the tamarisk trees and the campground.
Flowers: Fishhook Cactus, Beavertail, Barrel Cactus. Parish’s Goldpoppy and Emory’s Rockdaisy are dominate right now and a few Bigelow’s Monkeyflower.

June Wash
Location: Mile 41 on County Rd S2, an hour south of Borrego Springs. 3 miles south of Agua Caliente County Park. PARK at the start of the wash with 2WD. Deep sandy road, OK for 4WD. Flowers are
2/10ths of a mile past the entrance of June Wash, and along the road and washes, good for walking. Flowers: Sand Verbena, Desert Sunflower, Dune Primrose, possible Desert Lily

Vallecito Creek Road
Location: Mile 43 on County Rd S2, an hour south of Borrego Springs. A little more than 3 mile south of Agua Caliente County Park. The wash is sandy, and only passable by vehicles with 4WD. Good for driving. Flowers: Sand Verbena, Desert Sunflower, Dune Primrose, possible Desert Lily

Visitor Center
Location: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Visitor Center off of Palm Canyon Drive. Head west on Palm Canyon Drive until it terminates at the Visitor Center parking lot. Flowers are low to the ground and scattered all throughout the desert floor. Look closely along pathways at the VC, Campground Trail, Little Surprise Canyon, and Hellhole Canyon. Flowers: Brittlebush, Heliotrope, Chuparosa, Barrel Cactus, Beavertail Cactus, Desert Dandelions. Hellhole Canyon: Mostly Distant Phacelia and fiddleneck from the parking to the junction of the CRHT. Beyond the CRHT you start to see brown eyed evening primrose, Emory’s Rockdaisy and Fremont’s Pincushion.

Start of Coyote Canyon: (For the first mile past the end of the pavement.)
Directions: Go north on DiGiorgio Road, one road east of Christmas Circle. The pavement ends about three miles north of Palm Canyon Drive. Park at the interpretive kiosk OR drive a half mile on the sandy road and park. Look for flowers for the next one mile. The road is sandy, and passable with care with 2WD. Coyote Canyon past Desert Gardens is 4WD. Dogs allowed on the road on a leash. Flowers: Sand Verbena, Desert Primrose, Desert Lily, Desert Sunflower

Henderson Canyon Road
Between Borrego Valley Road and Highway S2. Directions: Park safely off the pavement and walk north in the flower field. Flowers: Sand Verbena, Dune Primrose, Desert Lily, Desert Sunflower

Cactus Loop Trail
Location: Tamarisk Grove Campground. Directions: Take County Road S3, 20 minutes south of Borrego Springs. Head through the Yaqui Pass and look for the tamarisk trees and the campground. Flowers: Fishhook Cactus, Beavertail, Barrel Cactus

June Wash
Location: Mile 41 on County Rd S2, an hour south of Borrego Springs. 3 miles south of Agua Caliente County Park. PARK at the start of the wash with 2WD. Deep sandy road, OK for 4WD. Flowers are 2/10ths of a mile past the entrance of June Wash, and along the road and washes, good for walking. Flowers: Sand Verbena, Desert Sunflower, Dune Primrose, possible Desert Lily

Vallecito Creek Road
Location: Mile 43 on County Rd, an hour south of Borrego Springs. A little more than 3 mile south of Agua Caliente County Park. The wash is sandy, and only passable by vehicles with 4WD. Good for driving. Flowers: Sand Verbena, Desert Sunflower, Dune Primrose, possible Desert Lily

Visitor Center
Location: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Visitor Center off of Palm Canyon Drive. Head west on Palm Canyon Drive until it terminates at the Visitor Center parking lot. Flowers are low to the ground and scattered all throughout the desert floor. Look closely along pathways at the VC, Campground Trail, Little Surprise Canyon, and Hellhole Canyon. Flowers: Brittlebush, Heliotrope, Chuparosa, Barrel Cactus, Beavertail Cactus, Desert Dandelions.

Start of Coyote Canyon: (For the first mile past the end of the pavement.)
Directions: Go north on DiGiorgio Road, one road east of Christmas Circle. The pavement ends about three miles north of Palm Canyon Drive. Park at the interpretive kiosk OR drive a half mile on the sandy road and park. Look for flowers for the next one mile. The road is sandy, and passable with care with 2WD. Coyote Canyon past Desert Gardens is 4WD. Dogs allowed on the road on a leash. Flowers: Sand Verbena, Desert Primrose, Desert Lily, Desert Sunflower

Henderson Canyon Road
Between Borrego Valley Road and Highway S2. Directions: Park safely off the pavement and walk north in the flower field. Flowers: Sand Verbena, Dune Primrose, Desert Lily, Desert Sunflower

Cactus Loop Trail
Location: Tamarisk Grove Campground. Directions: Take County Road S3, 20 minutes south of Borrego Springs. Head through the Yaqui Pass and look for the tamarisk trees and the campground. Flowers: Fishhook Cactus, Beavertail, Barrel Cactus

June Wash
Location: Mile 41 on County Rd S2, an hour south of Borrego Springs. 3 miles south of Agua Caliente County Park. PARK at the start of the wash with 2WD. Deep sandy road, OK for 4WD. Flowers are 2/10ths of a mile past the entrance of June Wash, and along the road and washes, good for walking. Flowers: Sand Verbena, Desert Sunflower, Dune Primrose, possible Desert Lily

Vallecito Creek Road
Location: Mile 43 on County Rd, an hour south of Borrego Springs. A little more than 3 mile south of Agua Caliente County Park. The wash is sandy, and only passable by vehicles with 4WD. Good for driving. Flowers: Sand Verbena, Desert Sunflower, Dune Primrose, possible Desert Lily

Visitor Center
Location: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Visitor Center off of Palm Canyon Drive. Head west on Palm Canyon Drive until it terminates at the Visitor Center parking lot. Flowers are low to the ground and scattered all throughout the desert floor. Look closely along pathways at the VC, Campground Trail, Little Surprise Canyon, and Hellhole Canyon. Flowers: Brittlebush, Heliotrope, Chuparosa, Barrel Cactus, Beavertail Cactus, Desert Dandelions.

Start of Coyote Canyon: (For the first mile past the end of the pavement.)
Directions: Go north on DiGiorgio Road, one road east of Christmas Circle. The pavement ends about three miles north of Palm Canyon Drive. Park at the interpretive kiosk OR drive a half mile on the sandy road and park. Look for flowers for the next one mile. The road is sandy, and passable with care with 2WD. Coyote Canyon past Desert Gardens is 4WD. Dogs allowed on the road on a leash.
Flowers: Sand Verbena, Desert Primrose, Desert Lily, Desert Sunflower

Henderson Canyon Road
Between Borrego Valley Road and Highway S2. Directions: Park safely off the pavement and walk north in the flower field. Flowers: Sand Verbena, Dune Primrose, Desert Lily, Desert Sunflower

Cactus Loop Trail
Location: Tamarisk Grove Campground. Directions: Take County Road S3, 20 minutes south of Borrego Springs. Head through the Yaqui Pass and look for the tamarisk trees and the campground. Flowers: Fishhook Cacti

June Wash
Location: Mile 41 on County Rd S2, an hour south of Borrego Springs. 3 miles south of Agua Caliente County Park. PARK at the start of the wash with 2WD. Deep sandy road, OK for 4WD. Flowers are 2/10ths of a mile past the entrance of June Wash, and along the road and washes, good for walking.
Flowers: Sand Verbena, Desert Sunflower, Dune Primrose, possible Desert Lily

Vallecito Creek Road
Location: Mile 43 on County Rd S2, an hour south of Borrego Springs. A little more than 3 mile south of Agua Caliente County Park. The wash is sandy, and only passable by vehicles with 4WD. Good for driving. Flowers: Sand Verbena, Desert Sunflower, Dune Primrose, possible Desert Lily

Start of Coyote Canyon: (For the first mile past the end of the pavement.)
Directions: Go north on DiGiorgio Road, one road east of Christmas Circle. The pavement ends about three miles north of Palm Canyon Drive. Park at the interpretive kiosk OR drive a half mile on the sandy road and park. Look for flowers for the next one mile. The road is sandy, and passable with care with 2WD. Coyote Canyon past Desert Gardens is 4WD. Dogs allowed on the road on a leash.

Henderson Canyon Road
Between Borrego Valley Road and Highway S2. Directions: Park safely off the pavement and walk north in the flower field.

Cactus Loop Trail
Location: Tamarisk Grove Campground. Directions: Take County Road S3, 20 minutes south of Borrego Springs. Head through the Yaqui Pass and look for the tamarisk trees and the campground.

June Wash
Location: Mile 41 on County Rd S2, an hour south of Borrego Springs. 3 miles south of Agua Caliente County Park. PARK at the start of the wash with 2WD. Deep sandy road, OK for 4WD. Flowers are 2/10ths of a mile past the entrance of June Wash, and along the road and washes, good for walking.

Vallecito Creek Road
Location: Mile 43 on County Rd S2, an hour south of Borrego Springs. A little more than 3 mile south of Agua Caliente County Park. The wash is sandy, and only passable by vehicles with 4WD. Good for driving.6.

Bow Willow Campground and Hiking Trail
Location: Travel south of County Rd S2, about 12 miles south of Agua Caliente County Park. The road is sandy, and only passable by vehicles with 4WD. Park at the campground.

Start of Coyote Canyon- Directions: Go north on DiGior­gio Road, one road east of Christmas Circle. The pave­ment ends about three miles north of Palm Canyon Drive. Park at the interpretive kiosk OR drive a half mile on the sandy road and park. Look for flowers for the next one mile. The road is sandy, and passable with care with 2WD. Past De­sert Gardens, Coyote Canyon past Desert Gardens is 4WD. Dogs allowed on the road on a leash.

Henderson Canyon Road- Be­tween Borrego Valley Road and Highway S2. Directions: Park safely off the pavement and walk north in the flower field.

June Wash- Location: Mile 41 on County Rd S2, an hour’s south of Borrego Springs. 3 miles south of Aqua Caliente County Park. PARK at the start of the wash with 2WD. Deep sandy road, OK for 4WD. Flowers are along the road and washes, good for walking.

Please check out the Park’s wildflower map here: Anza-Borrego Desert SP ® (ca.gov). This map will get updated weekly.

Currently there are patches of flowers in the following areas:

Northern part of the park include:

Henderson Canyon Rd. (sand verbena, desert sunflower and desert primrose)

Southern part of the park include:

June Wash (sand verbena)

Remember: Please do not stop in the road. Pull over to the side of the road to view the wildflowers, wildlife, and to take photos. Park within one vehicle length of the road and do not park on any vegetation. Leave no trace and take only memories. Please leave the wildflowers for others to enjoy. Give wildlife their distance and allow them access to water.

There are some areas of sand verbena, desert sunflowers and desert primrose along the eastern portion of Henderson Canyon Road.

While the Park is not anticipating a super bloom this season, we are seeing some flowers starting to bloom in the canyons. We will update with more information as we receive it.