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Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Wildflower Reports For 2009
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2009 Reports:
May 1, 2009 The Park reports: The wildflower season is winding down for the year.
While there are cacti blooming in the lower elevations
of the park, the remaining annuals are mostly found
in the higher elevations of the park. This is the final update from the park.
Apr. 23, 2009 The Park reports: The show of flowers on the valley floor is done with but there are still lots of flowers to see with a bit of hiking in the canyons and at higher elevations.
Around the valley floor look for the red flames of the Ocotillo blooming all over along the roadsides, especially along Borrego Springs Road near Texas Dip and Highway 78 in that area.
Around the Visitor Center there are Indigo bushes and Palo Verde trees blooming. The cactus are also putting on a nice show with Beavertail and Cholla blooming all over and some of the Hedgehogs starting as well.
Hiking up Hellhole Canyon towards Maidenhair Falls there are still nice flowers and shrubs blooming.
The Yaqui Well trail is still very nice for flowers and the Cactus Loop has cactus blooming.
The majority of the canyons off of Highway 78 and down S-2, which are at a higher elevation, have a greater variety of flowers blooming for those willing to do some hiking.
Plum Canyon has flowers including Wishbone, Chuparosa, Chicory, Viguiera, Fiddleneck, Phacelia, Desert Rock-Pea, and Popcorn Flowers. To get to the walk you have to drive about two miles off Highway 78 on a dirt road which is good for 2 wheel-drive vehicles.
Mine Wash Road off of Highway 78 has a great display of Poppies and Brittlebush going up the hillside near the beginning and Spiny Senna and Dandelions along the road. At the Village Site there are Pincushions, Desert Lavender, Dandelions, and Cholla starting to bloom.
For those with high-clearance, Nolina Wash as well as most of the canyons off the highway do have nice displays of flowers.
In the south end of the park, Carrizo Overlook has Lupine, Dandelions, Chicory, and Beavertail Cactus blooming.
For those with 4WD there are flowers in Canon Sin Nombre and Indian Gorge. There are also flowers around Bow Willow and Mountain Palm Springs.
Coming down Montezuma Grade on S-22 look for flowers all along the roadside and there is also a chance of seeing sheep up there. Stop at the Culp Valley Campground to look for Goldfields, Brittlebush, and Poppies.
Mar. 30, 2009 Jim reports: Sorry no pictures, but Indian Gorge/Valley in southern Anza Borrego is glorious, especially shrubs: Chuparosa, Brittle Bush, Senna, mirabilis laevis covering the entire valley floor and up to the ridgetops. Lots of phacelia, pincushion, chicory and much more. People up at headquarters seemed unaware.
Mar. 22, 2009 Abbyann reports: My husband Jim and I spent a few days in the southern part of Anza Borrego recently. We hiked in Indian Valley on March 19th and Canyon Sin Nombre March 20th. The flowers were spectacular. Best yet. It was very warm. Desert lavender, Chuparosa, Brittlebush, Popcorn Flowers, Pincushions, Desert Dandelions, Chickory, Desert Senna, and lots of cacti were blooming up Indian gorge and in Indian Valley. Just off S-2, heading toward Canyon Sin Nombre we found Lupines, Brown-eyed evening primrose, Desert Lilies, Desert Sunflowers and more blooming cacti. Now is the time to go if you haven't made it to see the flowers yet.
Mar. 22, 2009 ABDS Park reports: The flower show has moved from the big fields to the canyons where there are a wide variety of flowers just coming into bloom. There are still nice fields of Desert Dandelion along Borrego Springs Road but the main flower areas are going to require some walking
Walking around the Visitor Center and along the trail to Palm Canyon Campground, look for Chicory, Popcorn Flowers, Desert Dandelion, Chuparosa, Brittlebush, Cheese Bush, Phacelia, Little Gold Poppy, Fiddleneck, and Desert Lavender blooming. The Barrel and Beavertail Cactuses are starting to bloom all around the area.
Hiking up Palm Canyon you will see Apricot Mallow, Rock Daisies, Brittlebush, Chicory, Desert Lavender, and Phacelia as well as many other flowers. Coming down the alternate trail you will see some great displays of Rock Daisies, Fagonia, Rhatany, and Phacelia.
The Cactus Loop Trail cross from Tamarisk Grove is great for flowers right now. The Fish-Hook Cactus are blooming in clusters along the trail and the Barrel Cactus are starting. Also look for Poppies, Whispering Bells, Wishbone, Ghost Flowers, and Bigelow’s Monkey Flowers.
The easier Yaqui Well Trail also across from the campground has some nice displays of flowers.
For a longer walk, Plum Canyon is really nice right now. There are large multi-color displays of Wishbone, Chuparosa, Chicory, Viguiera, Fiddleneck, Phacelia, Desert Rock-Pea, and Popcorn Flowers, as well as quite a few flowers that are budding and should be blooming soon.
Mine Wash Road off of Highway 78 has a great display of Poppies and Brittlebush going up the hillside near the beginning and Spiny Senna and Dandelions along the road. At the Village Site there are Pincushions, Desert Lavender, Dandelions, and Cholla starting to bloom.
Narrows Earth is a great short trail with Poppies, Chicory, Phacelia, Chuparosa, Whispering Bells, California Evening Primrose, and Pincushions.
In the south end of the park, Carrizo Overlook has Lupine, Dandelions, Chicory, and Beavertail Cactus blooming.
On your way into the park on any of the major highways, especially from the east and in the south end of the park, look for Desert Dandelions, Brittlebush, Desert Sunflower, Creosote, and Lupine along roadsides. Look for the red flames of the Ocotillo blooming all over along the roadsides.
Thank you and we look forward to seeing you in beautiful Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
We remind you that the Park remains a place of beauty, grandeur, and solitude all year long. Map PDF
Mar. 19, 2009 Kahlee reports: Anza Borrego Desert State Park – Northern & Central Borrego Valley. Visited Monday, March 16th. Coming in on S22 (Borrego-Salton Seaway) from 86S was very picturesque with flowers lining the roadsides along the badlands above the Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area. As soon as I turned onto Henderson Road, any easily accessible wildflower areas at roadside were packed with people, as were the trailheads for all the western canyons and the ABDSP Visitor Center. The Desert Gold bloom along Henderson Canyon was past peak.
Coyote Canyon Jeep Trail had nice displays of Desert Dandelion, Arizona Lupine, Ocotillo, Sand Verbena and others, but caterpillars were fast devouring the flowers. Plus, except for cactus, high temperatures this week should make everything toast in short order. You can drive the Jeep Trail with care in a 2WD sedan as far as Desert Gardens, but high clearance is recommended and you’ll need 4WD beyond the Second Crossing. Watch for areas of soft sand and lots of oil pan biting rocks! Other nearby areas to explore are Gallete Meadows (loaded with Desert Dandelion) and any of the canyons around the Visitors Center.
Along with the flower varieties noted in the primary list above, this part of Borrego Valley featured Bigelow's Monkey Flower (Mimulus bigelovii); Desert Lily (Hesperocallis undulata); Dune Evening Primrose (Oenothera Deltoides); Mojave Aster (Xylorhiza tortifolia); Brown-Eyed Evening Primrose (Camissonia claviformis ssp. Rubescens); Sand Verbena (Abronia villlosa); Spectacle Pod (Dithyrea californica); and non-native Tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissima).
Anza Borrego State Park – Glorieta Canyon, Southern Borrego Valley. Finding the access roads to Glorieta Canyon is challenging, but once located, they are drivable with care in a 2WD sedan. You will have to maneuver through some large rocks in the roadway at various points, so know your vehicle’s clearance limitations really well.
To get to Glorieta Canyon, go south on County Road S3 from Christmas Circle/Palm Canyon Drive for about 3 miles. You will pass through a residential area and be in open desert at this point. On your right, you'll see an unnamed dirt road with a small pumping station surrounded by a fence and covered with a corrugated steel roof. Do not turn here; this is only mentioned as a point of reference. Go approximately .25 mile farther to the next unnamed dirt road and turn right. Approximately .8 mile down that road you will come to a "T" intersection. Turn right. Go approximately .2 miles to another "T" intersection and turn left. Go for another .8 miles and you’ll see some State Park signs. Turn right and follow the road to Glorieta Canyon for about 1.5 miles to the trailhead.
Throughout this area, the amazing flower show includes all of the species noted in the primary list above as well as Bigelow's Monkey Flower (Mimulus bigelovii); Desert Agave (Agave deserti) and Spiny Senna (Senna armata). In particular, Desert Dandelion blankets large areas among the Creosote Bush, Agave, Ocotillo and various kinds of cactus, with creamy yellow blossoms spreading out all along the drive up to the canyon itself. Brittlebush densely populates the red rocks around the canyon trailhead along with big colorful patches of Phacelia and Chuparosa punctuating the landscape. There are some huge red barrel cactus here and several of them are in bloom. Watch out for Cholla everywhere. These are Teddy Bears you don't want to hug.
Mar. 19, 2009 Juli reports: Went for the wildflowers on Monday March 16, and got a bit of a bonus - between mile marker 14.5 and 15.0 on Montezuma grade, we spotted a pair of bighorn, mother and lamb.
Mar. 18, 2009 ABDS Park reports: The flower show has now largely moved from the big fields to the canyons where there are a wide variety of flowers just coming into bloom. Along Henderson Canyon you will still see Desert Sunflowers and Lupine along the side of the road. The mouth of Coyote Canyon at the end of DiGiorgio is fading fast with the heat and the arrival of the caterpillars.
However, up near Desert Garden look for Desert Lilies, mixed in with Lupine, Desert Dandelions, Fremont Pincushions, Desert Sunflowers, Brittle Bush, and Chicory.
A short walk up Little Surprise Canyon will reveal a wide variety of flowers. There is a nice display of Ghost Flowers going up the canyon wall near the beginning in the left fork. Proceeding up the main trail you will see Desert Poppy up the canyon walls. While you are walking look for Sand Blazing Star, Phacelia, Fiddleneck, Chicory, Pincushion, Wishbone, Chuparosa, Desert Lavender, Ocotillo, Lupine, and many other varieties as new flowers are blooming every day.
Link to new map.
Mar. 15, 2009 David reports: Fish Creek wash and Sandstone Canyon, near Split Mountain in the Anza-Borrego state park Saturday, March 14, 2009. Very few people there. We camped in Sandstone Canyon and went to the end of the road in a 2wd pickup, a few rough spots, but relatively easy. I don't know the names of the flowers, but they sure are pretty!
Mar. 15, 2009 Kiryl reports: We took attached photo (3/14/2009) at Anza-Borrego Desert State park, area close to Henderson Canyon Road/Coyote Creek. It was best place we visited there. Flowers at Occotillo flats were all consumed by caterpillars.
Mar. 15, 2009 Debi reports: I was just in the park for the 1st time. How spectacular. I found a lot of flowers at Henderson road but got several of these shots on the cactus loop trail - which I hiked 5 times in my four days there - a beautiful trail. Want to return soon.
Mar. 12, 2009 David reports: Just a quick note to let you know that in places on the south facing sides of both branches of Little Surprise Canyon are whole areas covered in Ghost flowers! Attached is a single Ghost!
Mar. 11, 2009 Jon reports: I have been visiting the Anza Borrego desert all week looking for stunning photos and really appreciate what desertusa readers have been posting, so I thought that I should give something back about what I have been seeing. The bloom does not appear to be all that great compared to what I have seen from photographers in previous years, but I have managed to capture a few decent images that are worth sharing. The 2 best locations that I have visited all week are Borrego Palm Canyon and Henderson Valley Road. The best display of flowers in the entire area was along Henderson Valley Rd about 1.5 miles north of the road. I visited this location 3 nights in a row and these are the best images I made.
The brittlebush is looking great about 1 mile from the parking lot up Borrego Palm Canyon. I was there the past few mornings and got this image.
Mar. 11, 2009 ABDS park reports Little Surprise Canyon is really living up to its name this year and a short walk up there will reveal a wide variety of flowers. There is a nice display of Ghost Flowers going up the canyon wall near the beginning in the left fork. Proceeding up the main trail you will see Desert Poppy up the canyon walls. While you are walking look for Whispering Bells, Sand Blazing Star, Fagonia, Phacelia, Fiddleneck, Chicory, Pincushion, Wishbone, Chuparosa, Desert Lavender and many other varieties as new flowers are blooming every day.
With the warmer temperatures this past week, the flowers are really out. A short stroll away from the car into the fields reveals many colors and variety of flowers. The mouth of Coyote Canyon at the end of DiGiorgio has Brown-Eyed Primroses, California Evening Primroses, Dune Evening Primroses, and Verbena. As you continue up towards Desert Garden, look for Desert Lilies, mixed in with Lupine, Desert Dandelions, Popcorn Flowers, Fremont Pincushions, Desert Sunflowers, Brittle Bush, and Chicory. For more information and PDF map on wild flower location click here Borrego Springs area ----------------Total Park Area
Mar. 11, 2009 David reports: Found this single bloom on a beavertail and one on a barrel. Both were taken today, 3/9 on the upper trail into Palm Canyon just before it meets up with the wash.
Mar. 9, 2009 Ken reports: On Sunday, Mar 8, I headed to Anza Borrego to see the bloom first hand. The flowers along Henderson Canyon Rd did not disappoint. But for a real treat, continue heading west on Henderson Canyon Rd all the way to the end where it intersects with Borrego Springs Rd. There is an area called Galleta Meadows. I parked and continued to walk west toward the mountains. The Beaver Tail Cactus, Ocotillo's and Desert Lillies were beginning to flower. I also found a blooming Fish Hook Cactus, Monkey Flower and Blue Phacilia. So much variety, so much beauty!
Mar. 9, 2009 Mitch reports: The beavertail and barrel cacti were photographed in Canon Sin Nombre also March 7. The image of Carrizo Badlands was shot at Arroyo Del Diablo morning of Sunday, March 8.
Click Here to See more photos from this weekend 3- 7&8 -09
Mar. 8, 2009 Tom reports: These were taken 3-7-09 about 2 miles north of Henderson Canyon Rd, near the foot of Coyote Mountain. (Olympus D595Z)
Mar. 7, 2009 DUSA reports: Henderson Canyon Rd. has a good display, and is at its peak, unless we get more rain. If it stays cool it will last for a while. Lots wildflower along the first part of Coyote Canyon. It was 70 with some wind. (Canon D40)
Mar. 6, 2009 Dick reports: Wildflowers Ocotillo Wells, north west side of devils slide.
Mar. 6, 2009 Eileen reports: The Desert Sunflowers and Verbena blooming in Henderson Canyon. I was there March 5, 2009. It looks like there are still more blooms to come - with buds showing things are not quite at peak yet.
I took this pictures (below) on the Palm Canyon trail on Thursday, March 5, 2009. There are still lots of young greens and buds that will take a few hot days in a row before they get near to full bloom.
Mar. 4, 2009 Charity reports: We visited Borrego Springs and the Anza Borrego Desert on Tuesday, March 3. We first went to Little Surprise Canyon, which is behind the restroom at the trailhead for Hellhole Canyon on S22 at the bottom of Montezuma Grade. The canyon was filled with flowers. There were numerous Gold Poppies, Desert Chicory, Lupine, Phacelia, Popcorn Flower, Desert Dandelion, and Brown Eyed Primrose. The canyon walls and hillsides were filled with blooming Blazing Star, a few were down close enough to see. The chuparosa and desert lavendar were really blooming there as well, making it a spectacle of color.
The mouth of Coyote Canyon was not as good as it has been in past years, but still worth checking out because there are lots of blooming Sand Verbenas, Dune Evening and Brown Eyed Primrose, Desert Sunflower and a few Dune Sunflowers, Arizona Lupine, Spanish Needles, lots of Desert Dandelions, Fremont Pincushion, Popcorn Flower, and Bottle Washer.
The sunflower fields along Henderson Canyon Road are really yellow right now, and farther along Henderson Canyon toward Peg Leg Monument there is a really nice area of Sand Verbena and Dune Evening Sunflower on the north side of the road in a little bowl, along with a dense stand of Arizona Lupine on the south side of the road. There are Desert Lilies blooming in the little rocky washes on the north side of S22 just past the turnoff to Rockhouse Canyon Road, just get out and walk around and you will find them. There was also a lot of Chicory and some Desert Stars in this area.
There are also lots of flowers blooming along Highway 78, just take a walk up any wash there like Quartz Vein or Nude Wash and you will find many of the above named species blooming in abundance, especially the Gold Poppy and Chuparosa. The Brittlebush are blooming at all the low elevation areas, as are the ocotillo and chuparosa and desert lavendar, and the cactus are starting to put out buds.
We took a quick trip up Plum Canyon but its still too early for many flowers there yet, the only thing blooming was the chuparosa but it was very green. As a side note, we spotted several caterpillars already feasting on flowers at the mouth of Coyote Canyon, who knows how long it will take before they are all devoured!
Mar. 3, 2009 David reports: Photo taken at the entrance of Coyote Canyon.
Mar. 3, 2009 ABDS Park reports: With the warmer temperatures this past week, the flowers are really out. A short stroll away from the car into the fields reveals many colors and variety of flowers.
The mouth of Coyote Canyon at the end of DiGiorgio has Spectacle Pods, Brown-Eyed Primroses, Verbena, and Dune Evening Primroses. As you continue up towards Desert Garden, look for Desert Lilies, Lupine, Desert Dandelions, Popcorn Flowers, Fremont Pincushions, Chicory, Phacelia, and Verbena.
Along Henderson Canyon the Desert Sunflowers are really blooming as are the Verbena and Brown-Eyed Primrose. As you approach Peg Leg there a large patches of Sand Verbena mixed with Dune Evening. Also look for Lupine, Brown-Eyed Primroses, and Spanish Needles.
Walking around Palm Canyon Campground and up the Palm Canyon Trail look for Chicory, Brown-Eyed Primroses, Popcorn Flowers, Desert Dandelion, Wishbone, Chuparosa, Brittle Bush, Cheese bush, Phacelia, Wishbone, Little Gold Poppy, Fiddleneck, and Desert Lavender blooming.
Arroyo Salado has Desert Lilies and Lupine popping up. If you head up Buttes
Pass Road towards the Slot look for Desert Sunflowers, Brown- Eyed Primrose, Lupine, Chicory, Popcorn Flower, Ocotillo, and Desert Lilies
At the entrance to Hawk Canyon there are fields of Desert Dandelion, and as you continue in, look for Pincushion, Brown-Eyed Primrose, Lupine, Brittle Bush, Desert Lavender, and Verbena.
Heading into the Fish Creek area of the park look for fields of Brown-Eyed Primroses, and Desert Sunflowers as well as Desert Lilies as you proceed into the Split Mountain area.
Along S-2 in the south end of the park near the Carrizo Overlook, look for Desert Dandelions and Brittle Bush extending up the hillsides and Lupine, Verbena, and Chicory along the road. If you go to the Overlook keep your eye out for Golden Desert Trumpet and Desert Five-Spot.
On the road into Bow Willow there are clumps of Phacelia as well as Chicory, Desert Dandelions, Desert Lilies, Chuparosa, Desert Lavender, and Popcorn Flower.
Mar. 2, 2009 Jared reports: I was out at Anza-Borrego on Sunday 3/1/09 and I am happy to report that the desert lilies are starting to bloom nicely. There are several just starting and some that are about halfway through their bloom. Unfortunately they are scattered here and there and are sometimes difficult to find but it's well worth looking!
The Ocotillos are starting to bloom like crazy, as is the desert sand verbena and desert sunflower. I saw a few Fremont Pincushions here and there, as well. I found the lilies along Borrego Salton Sea Way toward the Imperial County Line along the north side of the road (they are scattered about).
Mar. 1, 2009 John reports: Coyote Canyon, just north of the entrance sign. Lots of blooms everywhere. I went up as far as Garden Center, not as much blooming up there, other than the Ocotillo. 2nd picture taken on Henderson Canyon Rd. OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA E30
For Feb and Jan 2009 reports click here
2008 Wildflower Season - Videos 
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