Every spring, wildflower lovers and nature photographers eagerly wait to see if one of California’s most dazzling natural spectacles happens: the super bloom. And in March this year, a super bloom exploded in parts of Death Valley, both the driest and lowest point in North America.
When conditions are ideal—think plentiful winter rain, mild spring temperatures, and a little luck—the state’s rolling hills and desert landscapes burst into waves of vibrant California poppies, bluebells, lupines, and other native blooms.
But super blooms don’t happen every spring season, and the number of flowers varies from region to region and year to year. Californians might remember that the last Death Valley super bloom was in 2016. More recently, 2023 saw one of the wettest winters in the state’s history, and the record-breaking precipitation sparked super bloom events across the state (the profusion of flowers were even visible from space). Then in 2025, there was “limited wildflower bloom,” per California State Parks, which cited low rainfall.
For a true super bloom to occur, a high proportion of seeds that have remained dormant and built up in soil over several years must bloom at once. That means that some destinations across the state that didn’t experience a super bloom in the past few years are more likely to see one in the future. There is no scientific definition for what constitutes a super bloom, but when these delicate conditions are met, the results are gorgeous—rolling hills and desert landscapes burst into carpets of color.
As of this writing, California State Parks has said the 2026 wildflower bloom will be “moderate-to-strong,” and in some places, like Death Valley, lower elevations are already past peak bloom; they even created a map with bloom updates. Don’t miss these ephemerally beautiful displays of springs. Here’s what you need to know about the California super bloom phenomenon and wildflower season in 2026.
Where to see a super bloom or wildflower displays in California
Death Valley National Park
Death Valley National Park is considered one of the most inhospitable places on the planet, known for sizzling temperatures. But in 2025 the park saw record rainfall; more rain fell between September and November than the park usually sees in an entire year, resulting in an astounding super bloom that hit in early March 2026.
The desert was painted in shades of gold, purple, pink, and white flowers, thanks to flowers like the bear poppy, mariposa lily, desert chicory, and lilac sunbonnet.
While the National Park Service reports that Death Valley’s lower-elevation wildflowers are now past peak bloom, “Higher elevations will have blooms April–June (these flowers tend to be in clusters between shrubs and don’t create hillsides of color).” NPS updates bloom locations every few days, so check before you go.
Irish Hills Natural Reserve
Located in San Luis Obispo County, this reserve has been covered in blooms since mid-March, according to the excellent Theodore Payne Foundation Wild Flower Hotline. Here, you may see black sage, pink-blossomed coast morning glory, Ojai fritillary, a cousin of the chocolate lily, and blue-eyed grass dotting the oak-lined trails and rocky outcrops.
Yellow and orange poppy flowers surround Joshua Trees during a super bloom of wildflowers in the California desert.
Photo by Alexandra Bilham/Shutterstock
Joshua Tree National Park
One of the state’s most visited national parks, Joshua Tree is about a 3.5-hour drive from Los Angeles. Here, visitors can find wildflower classics like the golden poppy, as well as gorgeous desert blossoms like prickly pears, evening primroses, Mojave asters, and desert paintbrushes. Wildflowers in Joshua Tree at lower elevations are typically in bloom January to mid-April, while flowers at higher elevations of 5,000-feet-plus might be visible April through June.
Mount Tamalpais State Park
Mount Tamalpais State Park is a Bay Area icon, where redwood groves, fern-lined canyons, and golden grasslands come together. Peak wildflower season is April through May, and trails like Matt Davis, Steep Ravine, and Cataract Falls usually offer good opportunities to see milk maids, Indian paintbrush, checkerbloom, goldfields, and baby blue eyes.
Trione-Annadel State Park
This Sonoma County state park’s extensive trail system winds past seasonal creeks, hidden ponds, and volcanic rock formations, making it a go-to spot for outdoor adventure. Wildflowers are in peak bloom in April and May, when it’s possible to see monkeyflowers, goldfields, buttercups, and irises on the hillsides, especially on a trail around Lake Ilsanjo.
Mojave National Preserve
At 1.6 million acres, Mojave National Preserve is the third largest expanse in the National Park System’s portfolio, but also one of its least visited, making it an ideal place for wildflower viewing in relative solitude.
The Mojave was in less of a drought in 2025 than average, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, so there’s a strong possibility of splashes of wildflower blooms this year. Visitors might catch desert flowers such as Bigelow’s monkeyflower, Mojave prickly poppy, and desert pincushion.
The California poppy, seen hear near Mendocino, is the state’s official flower and one of the most common wildflowers to spot during the spring.
Photo by Bob Pool/Shutterstock
The best time to see a super bloom
Super blooms do not occur annually—they are a rare phenomenon that usually happen only once every 10 to 15 years. However, the three most recent super blooms in California were in 2017, 2019, and 2023 (and in 2016 for Death Valley specifically).
Typically, super bloom season occurs roughly from February through May (the same time wildflower season would normally happen), often peaking in mid-March. However, super bloom timing varies not only by region but my elevation. The higher the elevation, the later wildflowers bloom.
- The Central Coast: mid-March to mid-April
- Los Angeles County: mid-March to early April
- The Mojave: April and May
- The Sierra Foothills: mid-March through late April
- The Bay Area: late April to mid-June
- The High Sierra: June and July
During the few months that super blooms last in California, people from all over the state—and the country—travel to experience them. In 2019, some locations, such as Lake Elsinore, experienced as many as 100,000 visitors in a single weekend.
More than 6,500 native plants and wildflowers grow in California, including California buckwheat, seen here at Alviso Marina County Park outside San Jose.
Photo by Sundry Photography/Shutterstock
How to see a super bloom
Consider bringing a wildflower guide so you know what you’re looking at, or using apps like Google Lens or PictureThis. A handheld magnifying lens with 10x magnification can also be useful; you’ll be able to better see the colors, patterns, and features of the blooms. Travelers interested in a guided experience can check out the California Native Plant Society, whose local chapters sometimes offer guided walks and field trips.
A hat and sunscreen, bug repellent, sturdy hiking shoes, and ample water are all musts, given the heat of California’s deserts. And when you’re out looking for wildflowers, remember the three most important tenets of basking in nature in general: remain on trails at all times, leave no trace (carry out your trash and any you might see), and don’t touch any flowers.
Keep up to date on wildflower blooming thanks to the free Wild Flower Hotline, run by the Theodore Payne Foundation. Each Friday from March through May, it posts online and recorded updates (call 818-768-1802, ext. 7) on the best locations to see spring wildflowers in southern and central California.
Related: California’s One of the Best States for Road Trips—11 Photo-Worthy Drives That Prove It
This article was originally published in 2023 and most recently updated on March 19, 2026, with current information. Sophie Friedman contributed to the reporting of this story.
