Wildflower season is here! These will be the best spots to see them across Southern California in 2019
If Southern California’s wildflower season had an opening weekend, it would be the first weekend of March.
This is usually when the region starts to transition from rainy winter to sunny spring, cueing flowers to bloom and parks to prepare for crowds of visitors. As rainy as this winter has been, many flower lovers are hoping for a “superbloom” — an exceptional season in which bright flowers blanket the hillsides (and social media feeds).
Some areas, especially in drier, warmer locales, are already bursting with early-blooming flowers including poppies, fiddleneck and lupine. Other areas will get going in mid-March to April, while higher elevations are the latest bloomers, with the season peaking in May and even early June.
Of course, it all depends on the weather. How much longer the rainy weather sticks around and how quickly after that it heats up will determine just how good this year turns out to be and how long the season lasts, experts say. All discussion below about peak times are estimates, not guarantees.
Some other things to keep in mind: Be prepared with essentials such as water, food, sunscreen, extra layers of clothing and a map that will work even if your cellphone doesn’t. Know the cardinal rules of wildflower viewing: Stay on trails, park in designated areas, take your trash home and don’t pick flowers.
Wherever you’re headed, check the website or social media accounts of the agency in charge. It may have policies you need to know (like whether your dog is allowed), tips to maximize your fun (like where the best current blooms are) or information keep you safe (like what areas aren’t accessible).
Wildflower excursions are popular, so be patient if there are crowds — or schedule trips for the less-busy weekdays if you can. And sunny mornings to early afternoons are the optimal time to be out looking for beautiful blooms.
Here are the places across Southern California that outdoors aficionados say have some of the best wildflower displays. Two other good resources for inspiration are the Theodore Payne Foundation’s wildflower hotline (theodorepayne.org/learn/wildflower-hotline or 818-768-1802 ext. 7) and www.desertusa.com.
Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve
Location: 15101 Lancaster Road, Lancaster
What to know: The namesake poppies at this High Desert state park started blooming just in time for the March 1 opening of the visitor center, park interpreter Jean Rhyne said. (The center is open through Mother’s Day.) The wildflower peak should run from mid-March through April, depending on the weather. Frequent updates about current conditions are available on the park’s website, social media sites and hotline. Rhyne encourages carpooling or coming early because the parking lot can fill up on weekends; if it’s closed, people can park along the road and walk in for free.
Hours: Sunrise to sunset daily year-round
Cost: $10 per vehicle ($9 with someone 62 and older; $5 with DPR Disabled Discount Card)
More information: www.parks.ca.gov/poppyreserve, wildflower hotline: 661-724-1180, www.facebook.com/PoppyReserve, Instagram: @poppy.reserve, Twitter: @poppyreserve
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Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Location: Visitor center is at 200 Palm Canyon Drive, Borrego Springs.
What to know: This jewel of a state park became famous for wildflowers during the 2017 superbloom for good reason, and it’s preparing for crowds again in 2019. The nonprofit Anza Borrego Foundation posts weekly updates on where good blooms are and how to get there; this information can help people skip the visitor center, which can fill up during peak times. Park officials recommend anyone planning a trip off the main paved roads take a 4×4 vehicle, especially because of the damage caused by winter rains.
Hours: Visitor center open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily Oct. 1 through May 31, then weekends and holidays only in the summer
Bonus tip: The nearby Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area, at 5172 Highway 78, Borrego Springs, is also having a good wildflower bloom.
More information: www.parks.ca.gov/anzaborrego, theabf.org, wildflower hotline: 760-767-4684, www.facebook.com/AnzaBorregoFoundation, Twitter: @Anza_Borrego, Instagram: @anzaborrego
Bolsa Chica Ecological Preserve/Harriet Wieder Regional Park
Location: The preserve is at 18000 Highway 1, Huntington Beach; the adjoining park is at 19251 Seapoint St., Huntington Beach.
What to know: As part of a restoration project at the city of Huntington Beach’s Harriet Wieder Regional Park, the preserve has installed more than 45 California native species of plants and seeds, and restoration supervisor Eric Paquette said it is a sight to behold. The wildflowers were blooming well as of March 1 and different species are expected to keep going into June or even July depending on the weather. A bonus: From the park, people can see into areas of the ecological preserve that the public can’t enter.
Hours: Park is open 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
More information: www.wildlife.ca.gov/Lands/Places-to-Visit/Bolsa-Chica-ER, www.huntingtonbeachca.gov
Chino Hills State Park
Location: Bane Canyon Road entrance is at 4721 Sapphire Road, Chino Hills; discovery center is at 4500 Carbon Canyon Road, Brea.
What to know: This 14,000-acre park has been an early bloomer with bright orange poppy-covered hillsides. Kelly Elliott, superintendent of the state parks’ Inland Empire District, said various species of flowers could continue blooming for a couple of months, although taller non-native plants like mustard and thistle could end up obscuring the smaller native flowers later in the season.
Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 1 through the first Sunday in April; 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. in summer
Cost: $5 per vehicle ($4 for age 62 and up)
More information: www.parks.ca.gov/chinohillssp, 951-780-6222
Cleveland National Forest
Location: Santa Ana Mountains
What to know: With all the rain the mountains received, it should be a fantastic year for wildflowers, spokeswoman Olivia Walker said, though some higher-elevation areas (especially those recently covered in snow) may not hit their peak until April. South Main Divide tends to have good flower displays; Walker recommends Morgan Trail and said that could start blooming in March. A good spot later in the spring for both flowers and bird-watching is Big Laguna Meadow off the Big Laguna Trail. She noted that there can be beautiful flowers blooming along the Ortega Highway but urged people not to stop and park illegally.
Cost: Developed areas require a $5 Adventure pass
More information: www.fs.usda.gov/main/cleveland/
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Crafton Hills
Location: Sand Canyon Road, Yucaipa
What to know: The hillsides along Sand Canyon Road near Crafton Hills College have been bursting with bright yellow early-season flowers. There are also hiking trails in the nearby Crafton Hills Preserve.
Information: www.chosc.org/preserve
Diamond Valley Lake
Location: Visitor center is at 2325 Searl Parkway, Hemet.
What to know: A seasonal wildflower trail will open March 2, and biologists are expecting magnificent flowers this year once temperatures warm up a little. In addition to the 1.3-mile easy-to-moderate wildflower trail, there are two other longer year-round trails, and visitors can also see the flowers from a boat on the lake.
Hours: Trails open Wednesdays through Sundays from 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through March 9, and 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. starting March 10 (no entry starting an hour before closing time); visitor center open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends.
Cost: $3 per person to use wildflower and lakeview trails, $10 per vehicle to park at marina
More information: www.dvlake.com
Joshua Tree National Park
Location: Oasis Visitor Center is at 74485 National Park Drive, Twentynine Palms; Joshua Tree Visitor Center is at 6554 Park Boulevard, Joshua Tree; Cottonwood Visitor Center is on Pinto Basin Road; Black Rock Nature Center is at 9800 Black Rock Canyon Road, Yucca Valley.
What to know: This popular national park can have wonderful wildflower displays, but a rare snowfall in February spelled the end for many of the blooms, especially at higher elevations in the park’s northern half, spokesman George Land said. A good bloom in those areas is still possible later in the year, though. For now, the southern part of the park is where to find flowers, including on the Bajada Nature Loop trail. Additionally, a Bureau of Land Management spokeswoman said there were nice flowers blooming on BLM land just outside the park, off Box Canyon Road south of the 10 Freeway.
Cost: Entrance fees, good for seven days, are $30 per passenger vehicle, $25 per motorcycle and $15 per person on foot or bicycle. There are different fees for annual or lifetime passes, and for people in tour groups.
More information: www.nps.gov/jotr, 760-367-5500, www.facebook.com/joshuatreenps, Instagram: @joshuatreenps, Twitter: @JoshuaTreeNPS
Malibu Creek State Park
Location: 1925 Las Virgenes Road, Calabasas
What to know: The wildflowers at this state park north of Los Angeles should start to put on a show in early to mid-March, said Craig Sap, the state parks’ Angeles District superintendent. Day-use and back-country areas in the park are open, but campgrounds remained closed because of damage from the Woolsey fire.
Hours: Gates open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Cost: $3 per hour per vehicle (maximum of $12 per vehicle per day)
More information: parks.ca.gov/malibucreek, 818-880-0367
Mojave National Preserve
Location: Kelso Depot Visitor Center is at 90942 Kelso Cima Road, Kelso; Hole-in-the-Wall Visitor Center is at 1 Black Canyon Road, Essex.
What to know: This remote desert preserve is expecting a good wildflower season, and while flowers started blooming in early February, the peak is likely to come sometime between the end of March and end of April, depending on weather. David Lamfrom of the National Parks Conservation Association recommended the sandy areas around the Kelso Dunes and, later in the season, the cinder cone lava beds, where yellow flowers stand out against the black ground. (He noted that Amboy Crater in the nearby Mojave Trails National Monument is another good spring wildflower spot.)
More information: www.nps.gov/moja, 760-252-6100, www.facebook.com/Mojave-National-Preserve-151022481577447, Twitter: @MojavePres
Oak Glen Preserve
Location: 39611 Oak Glen Road, Oak Glen
What to know: Nestled in the apple-growing region of the San Bernardino Mountain foothills, this 2,200-acre nature preserve next to Los Rios Rancho is owned by The Wildlands Conservancy. It was closed for three weeks over the winter but will reopen March 2. Project manager John Trammell said the main bloom season is late April through early June, when the easy-to-access Artist’s Palette field is blanketed with yellow and purple blooms and the steeper trails within the preserve offer a nice array of flowers and other vegetation.
Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. November through March, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. April through October
More information: www.wildlandsconservancy.org/preserve_oakglen.html, 909-797-8507, oakglenpreserve@twc-ca.org
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Orange County parks
Location: Various
What to know: Among county-run parks in Orange County, Santiago Oaks Regional Park and Irvine Regional Park, both near Orange, were seeing some early bloomers such as poppies, lupine and wild hyacinth by late February, said spokeswoman Charlene Cheng, but the peak was still to come. Other parks that tend to have good flower displays include Aliso & Wood Canyons Wilderness Park in Laguna Niguel, Laguna Coast Wilderness Park in Laguna Beach, Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park in the Trabuco Canyon area, O’Neill Regional Park in Trabuco Canyon, Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park in San Juan Capistrano and Peters Canyon Regional Park in Orange. As of March 1, Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park was closed due to storm damage and several other parks had some trails closed, so check park websites for the latest conditions before heading out.
More information: www.ocparks.com
Palos Verdes Peninsula
Location: Multiple locations on the peninsula west of Long Beach and south of Torrance
What to know: The Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy operates multiple nature reserves covering 1,600 acres of land that is home to many rare species of flora and fauna. Wildflowers were starting to bloom in late February and expected to be abundant by late March and early April. Officials recommend joining a free guided nature walk to see the flowers, which are thriving thanks to the hard work of habitat restoration projects; however, self-guided walks are also possible. Details about all the conservancy’s events are at pvplc.org/_events/calendar.asp or 310-541-7613.
More information: www.pvplc.org
Point Mugu State Park
Location: 9000 West Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu
What to know: This state park where the Santa Monica Mountains meet the shoreline features more than 70 miles of hiking trails and, during the spring, great wildflowers. Craig Sap, the state parks’ Angeles District superintendent, recommends the La Jolla Canyon and Sycamore/Serrano Canyon areas to see flowers like giant coreopsis, lupine and poppies.
Hours: 8 a.m. to sunset at Sycamore Cove and Mugu Beach parking lots; 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Sycamore Canyon and Thornhill Broome campgrounds
Cost: $3 per hour per vehicle (maximum of $12 per vehicle per day)
More information: www.parks.ca.gov/pointmugu, 310-457-8143
Puente Hills Preserve
Location: Sycamore Canyon trailhead is at 5040 Workman Mill Road, Whittier; Hacienda Hills trailhead is at 7th Avenue and Orange Grove
What to know: Some lupine and sunflowers started blooming in late February but interpretive programs coordinator Terri Hernandez expected the peak to start in March — and noted that flowers here come in fast and die off fast as soon as hot weather hits. She recommended the Sycamore Canyon Trail, an easy path, and the steeper Hacienda Hills Trail, especially the Ahwingna branch, as having the best wildflower displays. There also will be a flower hike April 20.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in October through May, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in June through September
More information: www.habitatauthority.org, 562-945-9003
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Riverside County parks
Location: Various
What to know: Among county-run parks in Riverside County, Harford Springs Reserve outside Perris was getting the earliest start on wildflowers; it also has the benefit of being one of the less-traveled parks. This should also be a really good year for flowers at the Santa Rosa Plateau Wildlife Reserve outside Murrieta, spokeswoman Kyla Brown said, although as of late February, some areas were inaccessible due to winter rain damage (repairs were underway). Other county parks that could have good wildflower blooms are Box Springs Mountain Reserve between Moreno Valley and Riverside and Hidden Valley Wildlife Area in Riverside.
More information: www.rivcoparks.org/harford-springs-reserve
San Gabriel Mountains and foothills
Location: Various
What to know: The habitat here doesn’t lend itself to superbloom displays but many areas have lovely flowers later in the spring and into early summer, said Cliff and Gabi McLean of the California Native Plant Society’s San Gabriel Mountains Chapter. They recommended Eaton Canyon in the Pasadena area, San Dimas Canyon, Claremont Hills Wilderness Park, Monrovia Canyon, Chantry Flats (with a warning to show up very early because parking can be bad) and, late in the season, the fields along the Angels Crest Highway, where wildflowers can bloom into July.
More information: www.ecnca.org, parks.lacounty.gov/san-dimas-canyon-community-regional-park, www.ci.claremont.ca.us, www.cityofmonrovia.org, www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/angeles/recarea/?recid=41832, angelescrestscenichighway.com
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
Location: Visitor center is at King Gillette Ranch, 26876 Mulholland Highway, Calabasas; entrance to Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center is at Lynn Road and Via Goleta, Newbury Park.
What to know: Some flowers were blooming in late February, but biologist Mark Mendelsohn said he expects the peak time will be mid-March to mid-April. Recommended locations include Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve, Paramount Ranch, Cheeseboro and Palo Comado canyons and the Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa area. Almost 90 percent of this recreation area was damaged in the Woolsey fire and some areas remain closed, although some trails are expected to reopen this spring. The fire does present an opportunity for flower-seekers — certain species of “fire-following” flowers only bloom in areas that have recently been burned.
Hours: Parking lots open 8 a.m. to sunset
More information: www.nps.gov/samo
Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument
Location: Visitor center is at 51-500 Highway 74, Palm Desert.
What to know: Wildflowers should be abundant this year in this 280,000-acre park on the Coachella Valley side of the mountains. The best places for early-season blooms are south-facing slopes at lower elevations, says interpretive specialist Tracy Albrecht. Higher elevations and north-facing slopes bloom later; flowers can be seen as late as June on Mount San Jacinto. Information on what’s currently blooming can be found at the visitor center.
Hours: Visitor center open 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Monday (closed Tuesday/Wednesday)
More information: www.blm.gov/visit/santa-rosa-san-jacinto-mountains-national-monument, 760-862-9984
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Walker Canyon
Location: Trailhead is at Lake Street and Walker Canyon Road off the 15 Freeway north of Lake Elsinore.
What to know: The poppy-covered hillsides here can be so beautiful that local officials have to warn drivers on the 15 Freeway to keep their eyes on the road. Vehicles have also been known to stop illegally on the shoulder. People wanting to enjoy this view can exit at Lake Street and park along Walker Canyon Road.
More information: www.wrc-rca.org
Related story: Two years after stunning wildflower superbloom stopped traffic, Lake Elsinore takes precautions