2026 Death Valley Wildflower Reports
01/04/2026 Recent precipitation patterns across the desert interior, including Death Valley, are now above typical seasonal norms in many locales — a rare but encouraging sign for wildflowers.
Death Valley has an extremely low average annual rainfall (≈2.36 inches) under normal conditions, so any widespread rain is significant for biological activity.
Wildflower Outlook
- Improved winter rainfall sets the stage for increased chances of desert annual displays, particularly in basins and bajadas.
- While a true superbloom — a synchronized explosion of flowers — remains rare and dependent on continued rain and cool spring temperatures (a phenomenon only seen in select years), conditions this year are much better than in recent drought-era springs.
Jan 01, 2026 Angelo Reports: Plenty of large Hairy Desert Sunflower specimens along HWY178, East of Poison Canyon, near Searles Valley. Date 12/12/2025
Share Your Wildflower Photos & Reports for Death Valley with DesertUSA
Please share your wildflower pictures for Death Valley wildflowers, including the date and location. We will post your photos on our Wildflower Reports page, so others can learn where and when to view the spectacular displays.
- E-mail your digital photos and reports to Jim@desertusa.com. Use Wildflower Report as the subject of your e-mail. Let us know where you took the image, the date, and how you would like us to give you photo credit (first name, etc.)
- Text your photos to 760-740-1787. Be sure to include the location and the name you want to be credited for the photos.
Note: Spring is one of the most beautiful times of the year in the desert, but it can also be a time for caution. Rattlesnakes lie dormant during the cold fall and winter months and awaken from hibernation in the warm months of March and April. Another reason to stay on the trails. More…
Maps and more information on where to stay and what to see in Death Valley
Photos tips: Most digital point-and-shoot cameras have a macro function – usually symbolized by the icon of a little flower. When you turn on that function, you allow your camera to get closer to the subject, looking into a flower for example. Or getting up close and personal with a bug. More on desert photography.
Mojave Desert Wildflowers – This book is the standard by which all other wildflower books are measured. The author, Jon Mark Stewart, has combined super photography with concise information. This book has an entire color page for each wildflower covered, with a discussion of the wildflower. 210 pages with 200 color photos. More…
Desert Wildflowers and Plants Field Guide Kindle Edition
Other DesertUSA Resources
Wildflower Information & Hotlines